Text | Qi Qin
Edit | Qi Qin
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In 1987, the Chinese TV series "Dream of Red Mansions" was born and became a classic in the hearts of countless audiences.
Regarding Lin Daiyu's actor Chen Xiaoxu, although her performance has won the audience's recognition, director Wang Fulin once frankly said that Chen Xiaoxu's appearance does not fully conform to the image of Daiyu in the original work.
Today, netizens are still discussing whether it would make this classic more perfect if another actor who was recognized as more in line with the original image - Dong Zhizhi played Lin Daiyu?
With his outstanding performance in the TV series "Xi Shi", Dong Zhizhi became one of the actors closest to Lin Daiyu's image in the minds of the audience that year. Her classical beauty and mournful temperament are considered the best candidates for Lin Daiyu.
Due to various reasons, Dong Zhizhi failed to star in "Dream of Red Mansions". If she played Lin Daiyu back then, would she break the controversy caused by Chen Xiaoxu's appearance? Will her temperament and performance bring another classic?
The birth of a classic
In 1987, after the TV series "Dream of Red Mansions" was broadcast, it quickly became the memory of a generation, and the success of this work not only came from the influence of the original work, but also relied on the excellent performances of the actors and the careful polishing of the director.
As a director, Wang Fulin spent a lot of effort on casting, especially the choice of Lin Daiyu, who is one of the most important characters in "Dream of Red Mansions", her image is not only a symbol of beauty in the original book, but also a character with a deep soul.
Cao Xueqin described Lin Daiyu's beauty in detail in the book, saying that she was "as sick as Xizi wins three points", this kind of beauty is morbid, but also smart, and has become one of Lin Daiyu's unique charms.
Therefore, when casting, Wang Fulin not only considered the appearance of the actor, but also considered his temperament and understanding of the role, after layers of screening, Chen Xiaoxu finally stood out, although her appearance was not as "natural" as described in the original book, but her temperament deeply moved Wang Fulin.
In an interview, Wang Fulin said frankly: "Chen Xiaoxu's only deficiency is that she is not beautiful enough, but her temperament is impeccable. Chen Xiaoxu had read "Dream of Red Mansions" before filming, and had a deep understanding of the role of Lin Daiyu, and she even wrote a letter to recommend herself, expressing her dedication and confidence in the role.
When Chen Xiaoxu's Daiyu image first appeared on the screen, it did cause a lot of controversy.
But as the plot progressed, Chen Xiaoxu gradually won the recognition of the audience with her excellent performance, and she showed Daiyu's arrogance, vulnerability, cuteness and strength to the fullest, especially in the scene of "Burning Manuscripts and Breaking Infatuation", her interpretation touched countless audiences.
A regrettable casting
In fact, before Chen Xiaoxu was selected as Lin Daiyu, another actor Dong Zhizhi was also a popular candidate, Dong Zhizhi became famous for playing Xi Shi in the 83 version of "Xi Shi", and was considered an excellent candidate for Lin Daiyu with his outstanding appearance and temperament.
Her beauty perfectly fits the description of "frowning spring mountains and autumn water" in the original book, especially her eyes full of spirituality, which can fully convey Daiyu's sentimentality and morbid beauty.
However, due to various reasons, Dong Zhizhi ultimately failed to star in "Dream of Red Mansions".
According to reports, Dong Zhizhi was 24 years old at the time, considering her age and fame, the crew finally chose the younger Chen Xiaoxu, this decision made Dong Zhizhi's "Daiyu Dream" come to an abrupt end, and became a regret in the hearts of many "red fans".
Dong Zhizhi's absence has sparked a lot of discussions, her classical beauty is very consistent with Lin Daiyu's image, especially her performance in "Xi Shi", if Dong Zhizhi plays Lin Daiyu, it may be more in line with the audience's expectations for "Tianzi National Color".
A victory beyond beauty
Although the controversy over her appearance has always accompanied Chen Xiaoxu's image of Daiyu, she finally won the hearts of the audience with her deep understanding of the role and delicate performance.
Chen Xiaoxu once mentioned in an interview that Lin Daiyu is not just a symbol of beauty, her spirituality and wisdom are the real core of this role, Daiyu's sensitivity and loneliness are the root of her incompatibility with the world, and this inner struggle is what Chen Xiaoxu is trying to show in his performance.
Chen Xiaoxu's performance successfully illustrates Daiyu's complex personality, she is not only a sentimental sick woman, but also a woman with strong self-esteem and independent thought.
Through delicate performances, Chen Xiaoxu peeled off Daiyu's emotions layer by layer, showing her strong and fragile side, especially in the scene where the manuscript was burned and infatuated, Chen Xiaoxu's performance was deeply touching and moved countless audiences.
This may be the reason why Wang Fulin chose Chen Xiaoxu in the first place, although her appearance is not as stunning as Dong Zhizhi, but her temperament and deep understanding of the role make her an irreplaceable Lin Daiyu of that era.
Wang Fulin has emphasized many times that Lin Daiyu's beauty is important, but this is not her only characteristic, Daiyu's spirituality and wisdom are her real charm.
In 2009, director Hu Mei's film "Dream of Red Mansions: Golden and Jade Romance" was released, which failed to replicate the success of the 87 version of the TV series, and the box office and reputation were extremely bleak.
Especially Lin Daiyu, played by Zhang Miaoyi, has been complained by many netizens. Zhang Miaoyi's appearance and acting skills failed to meet the audience's expectations, especially in her understanding of the role.
Hu Mei followed the 87 version of the TV series at that time, carried out large-scale casting, and selected Zhang Miaoyi from 20,000 people, but Zhang Miaoyi's understanding of Lin Daiyu was too simplistic.
She once said in an interview: "Baochai follows the rules, and Daiyu deviates. This remark is considered to be a misunderstanding of Daiyu's character, which further aroused the audience's dissatisfaction, and in comparison, Chen Xiaoxu's deep understanding of the role and delicate performance are even more commendable.
Director Hu Mei's failure once again proves the complexity of Lin Daiyu's character, she is not only a symbol of beauty, but also a character with a unique soul, and only an actor who truly understands Daiyu's heart can give this character real vitality.
The contest between beauty and spirituality
In addition to Chen Xiaoxu and Zhang Miaoyi, there are many actors who have played Lin Daiyu. In 1975, Zhang Aijia played Lin Daiyu in the movie version of "Dream of Red Mansions", Zhang Aijia's appearance and temperament were far from Daiyu's image, and failed to impress the audience.
In 1983, Zhao Yongxin played Lin Daiyu in the Taiwan version of "Dream of the Red Mansion", her interpretation was full of youthful vitality, but lacked Daiyu's morbid beauty.
In 1989, Tao Huimin played Lin Daiyu in the Yue Opera version of "Dream of Red Mansions", she showed Daiyu's charming side, but the overall style was dignified and less fairy.
In contrast, Dong Zhizhi's image and temperament are closer to Lin Daiyu in the original book, and her beauty and sad temperament make her one of the actors who most match Daiyu's image in the eyes of the audience.
If she could star in "Dream of Red Mansions" back then, maybe she would bring another kind of excitement to this classic.
And Dong Zhizhi's absence, although regrettable, also proves that beauty is not the only criterion for interpreting Lin Daiyu, the charm of Lin Daiyu's character far exceeds the scope of appearance, her spirituality and wisdom are her real core.
Today, we finally understand Director Wang Fulin's good intentions: Lin Daiyu's beauty lies not only in her appearance, but also in her soul, and Chen Xiaoxu used her soul to endow Lin Daiyu with eternal vitality.
Taiwan media published an article reminiscing about Chen Xiaoxu: Lin Daiyu forever
2015-05-13 08:42:00 Source: China Taiwan.com