Zhang Jizhong

Last updated
Zhang Jizhong
Zhangjizhong.jpg
Zhang directing on set
Born (1951-05-23) May 23, 1951 (age 73)
Heze, Shandong, China
Occupation(s)Film director, producer, actor, teacher and writer
Years active1981–present
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 張紀中
Simplified Chinese 张纪中
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Zhāng Jìzhōng
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping Zoeng1 Gei2 Zung1
Musical career
Also known as"Beardy"

Zhang Jizhong (born May 23, 1951) is a Chinese film producer, director, teacher, and writer. He is known as one of the more prominent television producers in China. [1] His best known productions include the CCTV adaptations of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, namely Journey to the West , Romance of the Three Kingdoms and The Water Margin , as well as adaptations of Louis Cha's wuxia novels. He is also known for building large film cities with the support of local government authorities, sets that have later been developed into tourist attractions.

Contents

Zhang's adaptations of Louis Cha's works are somewhat controversial in China. Reception to these productions are generally mixed as some feel his productions are largely overblown, muddled and bombastic, while others champion his large budget and use of scenic locations. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Early life

In Zhang's early life, he and his seven siblings endured many hardships because his father served as a county head for the Kuomintang. [6] In the sixth grade, with the encouragement of one of his school teachers, he applied for the PLA School of Fine Arts, but was rejected after a background check on his father's political status, even though he passed the exams. [7] Before 1972, he also applied to China's Central Academy of Drama and other schools, but his application was still rejected after a political check, despite passing the entrance requirements. During the Cultural Revolution, Zhang was sent to work in the countryside as part of the Down to the Countryside Movement, where he worked in a coal mining town in Shanxi for six years. [6] In 1974, Zhang became a teacher in a coal mining town in Shanxi and taught history, Chinese and biology. He also led a literature and art performing troupe that consisted of coal workers and assumed the roles of director, screenwriter and composer.

Career

Early career

After the collapse of the Gang of Four and at the time of the post-1978 economic reform in China, Zhang entered Shanxi's modern drama theater to become a stage actor. In 1979, a friend took him to a film set at the Shanghai Film Group Corporation, where he was discovered and later cast for the main role One Day When We Were Young, a television drama. In 1983, Zhang met Zhang Shaolin on set, who would become his long-term working partner. Zhang Jizhong and Zhang Shaolin's first television production as producer and director respectively, One Hundred Years of Suffering, won the Five One Award. [7] Some of their other works, including Vice Squad General, The People's Policeman, and Good Man Yan Juqian, all won Flying Goddess awards, one of China's awards for television production. [7]

Romance of the Three Kingdoms and The Water Margin

Romance of the Three Kingdoms , one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, was the first work Zhang did as a producer for China Central Television (CCTV). When Zhang Jizhong and Zhang Shaolin discovered that CCTV was auditioning producers and directors for the series, they went to Beijing to audition, only to discover that the roles of the five production teams were all taken. Unwilling to settle for a smaller role in Beijing, the Zhangs returned to Xiamen to continue working on their own television projects. One month later, Zhang received a note from CCTV saying that changes had been made to the production team, and there was an open position to film the fourth part of the show. Zhang accepted and went on to produce 13 of the 84 episodes for the series, when he had endure over 10,000 kilometers of travel in 11 months in the remote areas of Yunnan, Qinghai, Tibet and Inner Mongolia, as well as battle scenes involving thousands of extras and hundreds of horses. [6] Two large film cities were built for the series in Hebei (33,000 m2) and Wuxi (3,000 m2), and have since become tourist attractions.

Following the success of Romance of the Three Kingdoms , the Zhangs were asked to produce The Water Margin , another one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Zhang Jizhong and Zhang Shaolin were appointed as head producer and director respectively, and had full responsibility for the series. Martial arts were an important aspect of the production process for The Water Margin, and Zhang worked with choreographer Yuen Woo-ping. After three years and eight months of production, The Water Margin was broadcast on CCTV with high viewership and was the recipient of many Flying Goddess awards and made a profit of 100 million yuan for CCTV. [7]

Adaptations of wuxia novels

After the success of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and The Water Margin, Zhang was appointed a permanent position at CCTV. In 1999, Hong Kong writer Louis Cha told a mainland Chinese newspaper that if CCTV treated an adaptation of one of his novels as seriously as with Romance of the Three Kingdoms and The Water Margin, he would only charge one yuan for the rights. [8] Zhang faxed Cha a reply and the next day, Cha gave Zhang the permission to choose one from his 14 novels. Zhang bought a frame, carved some patterns on it, inserted a one yuan note and gave it to Cha, who was pleased by the gift and the two have collaborated since then. [8]

Zhang has produced several television series based on Louis Cha's wuxia novels from 2000 to 2006. Laughing in the Wind was the first mainland Chinese adaptation of Cha's The Smiling, Proud Wanderer . [8] The series received mixed reviews because of Zhang's changes to the original story but it still received a very high 19% audience rating. [8] Zhang's second production, The Legend of the Condor Heroes , broadcast in 2003, has been broadcast in Japan since 2005. [9] Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils was broadcast in 2003. The series helped propel Hu Jun and Liu Yifei to fame, who moved on to star in films such as Red Cliff and The Forbidden Kingdom . Backed by Louis Cha, Liu Yifei returned to star in Return of the Condor Heroes . The series also starred and launched the career of Huang Xiaoming. [10] The series received record high ratings when it was first broadcast on the Japanese NECO television station. [9]

Besides producing wuxia television series, Zhang has also produced dramas including Farmer Labourer, which exposed the reality of farmer labourer problems at the time and Days of Passion and Spirit, which depicted military life. In 2008, Zhang and Huayi Brothers produced Bing Sheng , a historical television series based on the life of Sun Tzu, author of The Art of War .

Journey to the West

Zhang is in the pre-production phase of his film adaptation of Journey to the West , another one of the Four Great Classical Novels, with the story focusing on Sun Wukong, a household name in China and in other Asian countries like Japan and South Korea. He has hired Neil Gaiman as a screenwriter and the two were introduced to each other by James Cameron, who turned down the role as director, but has agreed to help with the special effects of the film. [11] Each of the three films in the trilogy is expected to have a budget of $100 million, which would make them the most expensive films made in Chinese history. [12] John Woo's Red Cliff budgeted roughly $80 million and currently holds the record for the Chinese film with the highest budget. [13] Zhang is also developing a theme park, an online game and a television series based on his company's digitized content of Sun Wukong and Journey to the West.

Recognition

In recent years, many of Zhang's works have brought in strong social and media response and considerable financial benefits. In a seminar, Zhang was referred to as the "Number One Producer in Chinese Television" by experts in Chinese television and film industry [14] for his contributions on the landscape of film production in China from a director centered system to a producer centered system. In China, producers usually only play the roles of logistic managers and accountants, but Zhang redefined the role of a film producer in China by coordinating all the aspects of the production, bearing responsibility for screenwriting, directing, creative staff, investment, media relations, casting, social issues, and personal matters. Traditionally, most of this work was handled by the film director, [14] but experts explain that they give him such a title because he has popularized and contributed to the producer-centered system in China. Jiang Ouli, Secretary-General of the Chinese Radio and Television Association, said that a successful producer in China must be a successful politician, artist, manager and operator and that the rise of the producer centered system in China's film industry is part of the development process, which is becoming closer to the Hollywood model. [14]

Zhang has also built large filming sets and villages in coordination with the development of the local tourism market. By negotiating with the local governments, Zhang is able to get local governments to invest in the film cities, which after filming are used to attract revenue from tourists and develop the area. During the filming of Laughing in the Wind and The Legend of the Condor Heroes , 40 million yuan was exempted with 28 million yuan going towards the development of Peach Blossom Island, [14] The investment by the local Zhoushan government was used for the construction of the Peach Blossom Island Arching City, roads, bridges, accommodation, and marketing. The Legend of the Condor Heroes provided promotion for the attraction and tourism for the Peach Blossom Island increased tenfold the year the show was released. [14] In 2008, Peach Blossom Island boasted 900,000 visitors. From negotiating and attracting investment from the local government in Zhejiang, CCTV only invested 30 million yuan in Laughing in the Wind, while enjoying over 70 million yuan in revenue from advertisement and overseas distribution. [14] The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils film city in Dali was also a success, and cost 110 million yuan to construct, with the park covers an area of 4,500 m2. [15]

Zhang was nominated as a candidate for the 2007 Green Chinese Awards, an award ceremony run by the China Environment Culture Promotion Association (CECPA). [16]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981Wu Lian
舞恋
1982Taiwan Yihen
台湾遗恨

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1983 Yang Jia Jiang
杨家将		 Yang Yanzhao
1989 One Hundred Years of Suffering
百年忧患		producerWon Five One Award
1989 The People's Policeman
有这样一个民警		producerWon Flying Goddess Award
1990Good Man Yan Juqian
好人燕居谦		producerWon Flying Goddess Award, Five One Award
1990Vice Squad General
刑警队长		producer
1994 Romance of the Three Kingdoms
三国演义		producerWon Flying Goddess Award, Golden Eagle Awards, Five One Award
1995Trench People
沟里人		producerWon Flying Goddess Awards, Five One Award
1998 The Water Margin
水浒传		"Cui Jing", producerWon Golden Eagle Awards, Flying Goddess Award, Five One Award
1999 Blue Enchantress
蓝色妖姬		producer
2001 Laughing in the Wind
笑傲江湖		"Wang Yuanba", producer
2002Qing Yi
青衣		"Huzi", producerWon Flying Goddess Award
2002 Knife of Guanxi
关西无极刀		"King of Loulan"
2003 The Legend of the Condor Heroes
射雕英雄传		"Wang Chongyang", producer
2003 Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils
天龙八部		"Wang Jiantong", producerWon Golden Eagle Awards
2003Day of Passion and Spirit
激情燃烧的岁月		producerWon Golden Eagle Award, Flying Goddess Awards, Five One Award
2004 Hero During Yongle Period
永乐英雄儿女		producer
2004Farmer Labourer
民工		producer
2004 The Proud Twins
小鱼儿与花无缺		"Old Hongye"
2006 The Return of the Condor Heroes
神雕侠侣		"Yelü Chucai", producerWon Tom Online Award, Chinese TV Drama Award
2006Heroes on Lüliang Mountain
吕梁英雄传		producerWon Five One Award, Golden Eagle Award
2006 Abao De Gushi
阿宝的故事		producer
2007 Sword Stained with Royal Blood
碧血剑		"Meng Bofei", producer
2008 Royal Tramp
鹿鼎记		producerWon XTEP and Tencent 2008 Awards
2008 Bing Sheng
兵圣		producer
2008 Paladins in Troubled Times
大唐游侠传		producer
2009 The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber
倚天屠龙记		producer
2009Nima's Summer
尼玛的夏天		producer
2011 Journey to the West
西游记		"Taishang Laojun", producer
2011Flight Attendant Diary
空姐的日记		producer
TBAYanhuang Da Di
炎黄大帝		producer
TBA Juhua Zui
菊花醉		producer
2017Ode to Gallantry
俠客行		producer

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wuxia</span> Genre of Chinese fiction

Wuxia is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although wuxia is traditionally a form of historical fantasy literature, its popularity has caused it to be adapted for such diverse art forms as Chinese opera, manhua, television dramas, films, and video games. It forms part of popular culture in many Chinese-speaking communities around the world. According to Hong Kong film director, producer, and movie writer Ronny Yu, wuxia movies are not to be confused with martial arts movies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jin Yong</span> Hong Kong wuxia novelist (1924–2018)

Louis Cha Leung-yung, better known by his pen name Jin Yong, was a Hong Kong wuxia novelist. He was Hong Kong's most famous author and the newspaper Ming Pao's co-founder and first editor-in-chief. Cha has been named along with Gu Long and Liang Yusheng as the "Three Legs of the Tripod of Wuxia". He has also been known as one of the "Four Great Talents of Hong Kong".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fong Sai-yuk</span> Chinese martial artist and folk hero

Fong Sai-yuk is a semi-fictional Chinese martial artist and folk hero from Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province of the Qing dynasty. Fong was also associated with Hung Hei-gun and the Five Elders of the Southern Shaolin Monastery. He was a disciple of Shaolin and his martial arts techniques were considered to have contributed to the development of Hung Ga Kuen.

Chinese television dramas, sometimes colloquially known as C-dramas, are Chinese-language television drama series originating from mainland China, sometimes including co-productions with the Greater China region. Popular drama series genres in mainland China include fantasy romance, period costume, contemporary urban and thriller dramas. These dramas are also subjected to stringent regulatory supervision from the Chinese government.

Chang Cheh was a Chinese filmmaker, screenwriter, lyricist and producer active in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Chang Cheh directed more than 90 films in Greater China, the majority of them with the Shaw Brothers Studio in Hong Kong. Most of his films are action films, especially wuxia and kung fu films filled with violence.

<i>The Return of the Condor Heroes</i> 1959 wuxia novel by Jin Yong

The Return of the Condor Heroes, also called The Giant Eagle and Its Companion, is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. It is the second part of the Condor Trilogy and was preceded by The Legend of the Condor Heroes and followed by The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber. It was first serialised between 20 May 1959 and 5 July 1961 in the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao.

Idy Chan Yuk Lin is a popular Hong Kong TV actress, especially during the 1980s and was named as one of the Five Beauties of TVB.

<i>The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber</i> 1961 wuxia novel by Jin Yong

The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, also translated as The Sword and the Knife, is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong and the third part of the Condor Trilogy, preceded by The Legend of the Condor Heroes and The Return of the Condor Heroes. It was first serialised from 6 July 1961 to 2 September 1963 in the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao.

Li Yapeng is a Chinese actor-turned-businessman. He is known for his roles in the TV drama Eternal Moment (1998) and in two CCTV television adaptations of Louis Cha's wuxia novels, as Linghu Chong in Laughing in the Wind (2000) and as Guo Jing in The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003). Li announced his retirement from acting in 2010.

<i>Laughing in the Wind</i> 2001 Chinese TV series or program

Laughing in the Wind is a 2001 Chinese television series produced by Zhang Jizhong, starring Li Yapeng and Xu Qing in the leading roles. The series is an adaptation of Louis Cha's novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. It was first broadcast on CCTV in China in 2001.

<i>The Return of the Condor Heroes</i> (2006 TV series) 2006 Chinese TV series or program

The Return of the Condor Heroes is a 2006 Chinese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. It is the second instalment of a trilogy produced by Zhang Jizhong, preceded by The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003) and followed by The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (2009). It was first broadcast on 17 March 2006 in China and subsequently broadcast in other Asian countries such as South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore.

<i>Romance of the Three Kingdoms</i> (TV series) Chinese television series

Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a Chinese television series adapted from the classical 14th century novel of the same title by Luo Guanzhong. The series was produced by China Central Television (CCTV) and was first aired on the network in 1994. It spanned a total of 84 episodes, each approximately 45 minutes long. One of the most expensive television series produced at the time, the project cost 170 million yuan. It was completed over four years and involved over 400,000 cast and crew members, including divisions of the People's Liberation Army from the Beijing, Nanjing and Chengdu military regions. Some of the dialogue spoken by characters was adapted directly from the novel. Extensive battle scenes, such as the battles of Guandu, Red Cliffs and Xiaoting, were also live-acted.

Shaolin Sect is a Shaolin school. It was founded during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma, who wanted his followers to practice martial arts for improving health, and self-defense, as well as upholding justice and helping the weak. Shaolin members are expected to follow a Buddhist code of conduct in addition to having a good mastery of martial arts. Bodhidharma was supposed to be a monk prince from Southern India who was adept in the Indian martial art of "Kalaripayattu" and is considered the mother of all martial arts.

The Wudang School, sometimes also referred to as the Wu-Tang Clan, is a fictional martial arts school mentioned in several works of Chinese wuxia fiction. It is commonly featured as one of the leading orthodox schools in the wulin. It is named after the place it is based, the Wudang Mountains.

<i>The Legend of the Condor Heroes</i> (2003 TV series) Chinese TV series or program

The Legend of the Condor Heroes, also released as Legend of Eagle Shooting Hero and Legend of the Arching Hero, is a Chinese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes. It is the first instalment of a trilogy produced by Zhang Jizhong, followed by The Return of the Condor Heroes (2006) and The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (2009). It was first broadcast on CCTV in China in 2003.

<i>The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber</i> (2009 TV series) 2009 Chinese TV series or program

The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber is a Chinese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. It is a final instalment of a television trilogy produced by Zhang Jizhong, preceded by The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003) and The Return of the Condor Heroes (2006). Unlike the previous adaptations, this remake is the first to be primarily based on the third edition of the novel. The series was first broadcast on Wenzhou TV in China in October 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">He Zhuoyan</span> Chinese actress and singer (born 1988)

He Zhuoyan is a Chinese actress and singer. She was one of the top ten finalists of the 2005 Hangzhou Super Girl singing contest. In 2006, she emerged as champion of the Zhang Jizhong category of the Chinese Yahoo Three Directors Star Search programme. She signed on with the talent agency Huayi Brothers in the same year and acted in a number of period and wuxia-themed television series produced by Zhang Jizhong. In 2007, she became the youngest person to obtain an award in the Forbes China Celebrity 100, winning the Celebrity with the Most Potential Award at the age of 18.

Yu Chenghui, sometimes credited as Yue Sing-wai, was a Chinese actor, action director and martial artist.

Liu Dagang is a Chinese actor best known for his role as Sha Wujing in the 1986 television series Journey to the West. He is a National Class-A Actor.

<i>The Legend of the Condor Heroes</i> (2017 TV series) 2017 Chinese TV series or program

The Legend of the Condor Heroes is a 2017 Chinese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title and a remake of the 1983 Hong Kong television series based on the same novel. The series was directed by Jeffrey Chiang and starred Yang Xuwen, Li Yitong, Chen Xingxu and Meng Ziyi in the lead roles. It started airing on Dragon TV in mainland China on 9 January 2017, and on TVB Jade in Hong Kong on 8 May 2017.

References

  1. ↑ "Film Industry Thirsts for More Trained Talent". China Daily. 2004-02-12. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  2. ↑ "中国网--网上中国".
  3. ↑ "张纪中回应网友质疑：我拍金庸远远超过港台 _雅虎娱乐". Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  4. ↑ "批判伪经典之——TVB"经典"金庸武侠剧". Archived from the original on January 28, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  5. ↑ "张纪中重拍金庸遭嘘 粉丝：你怎么还不停拍 - 娱乐新闻". Archived from the original on June 10, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  6. 1 2 3 "Zhang Jizhong: From Actor to Producer (Chinese)". China Economic Net. 2007-10-28. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Zhang Jizhong: I Really Enjoy Strenuous Work (Chinese)". Nanfang Daily. 2008-11-17. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Might is Right". China Daily. 2008-11-25. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  9. 1 2 "Zhang Jizhong's TV Drama Welcomed in Japan". China Radio International English. 2007-04-28. Archived from the original on June 4, 2007. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  10. ↑ "Huang Xiaoming, The First Asian Face of Gucci". China Radio International. 2008-02-01. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  11. ↑ "Neil Gaiman has signed on as screenwriter for Monkey King". Asia Pacific Arts. 2011-03-15.
  12. ↑ "From Martial Arts to Monkeying Around". China Daily. 2008-11-25. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  13. ↑ Coonan, Clifford; Frater, Patrick (2008-07-06). "'Red Cliff' Ready for Its Closeup". Variety. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Can Zhang Jizhong Change the Status of Film Producers in China? (Chinese)". Xinhua. 2005-05-24. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  15. ↑ "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils Film City in Dali Officially Completed". Xinhua. 2002-12-25. Archived from the original on October 27, 2003. Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  16. ↑ "Director Zhang Shortlisted for Green Award". China Daily. 2008-11-27.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.