As a first-class actress at home and abroad, Miss Zhou
Jie has persevered= in her art career of dancing and performing
in movies and TV for twenty years. Starring in the national dance
drams The Dagger Society and The Banping Mountain, she created the
brilliant artistic images such as Zhou Xiuying and Shi Ping. For
her exquisitely touching performances in playing the role of Yang
Guifei in the movie YangGuifei and that of the imperial concubine
Li in the movie Attending to State Affairs Behind a Screen, she
was awarded the Hundred-flower Prize, the highest prize in China’s
movie world. And her performance as the leading characters in such
telefilms as Regrets Overseas and In the Wilderness brought her
the Golden Eagle Prize and the Sky Flying Prize, the highest prizes
in China’s TV world. She has been to France, Australia, Germany,
Japan and other dozens of countries and regions. Wherever she is,
her performances cause sensations. People highly praise her beauty
and are overwhelmed by the oriental Venus for her perfect art performances.
And hey cannot but express admiration for her when getting to know
that she achieved glory amidst hardships merely by her determined
devotion to art.
Miss Zhou Jie is 32 years old now. She was born in a
remote village in Fengxian County, Shanghai. IN her childhood, she
was bright and cute. Whenever the loudspeakings in the village broadcast
music, her little feet would automatically whirl following the rhythm
of the music. When she reached eleven, the dance class of Shanghai
Institute of Song and Dance Drama went to her village to enro new
students. Because of her family background, little Zhou Jie was
precluded. However, a teacher by the name of Dong happened to notice
her for her supple body and unconscious exhibition of graceful dancing
postures. Thus she was luckily dragged into the examination room.
Her performing talent immediately spellbound all the examiners.
After repeated selections, she was finally formally accepted; consequently,
she stepped into the holy palace of art.
As is described by Miss Zhou Jie, “Oh, dancing and visual
art of cinematography –the Goddess of pure beauty! Only when I have
expended my energies for you , have I really enjoyed the sweet dews
you sprinkled.” In the institute, she persisted in practicing her
skills: kicking, somersaulting, and whirling Very often she was
too tired to move her legs and to lift bowls. At the age of 14,
she made a very successful debut in the dance drama The Army and
the People.
In the following ten-odd years, Miss Zhou Jie created
many beautiful and moving images: Shi Ping in The Banping Mountain,
Hua Mulan in The Fragrant Mulan, and Da Ji in The Feng Ming Qi Mountain.
Flowers and glories fell on her successively. She has won successes!
It is The Banping Mountain that made Miss Zhou famous. During her
practice once, she was stricken by acute appendicitis, because she
had overworked herself day and night. For the art’s sake, she sneaked
out of the ward in order to practice dancing even before the stitches
were taken out. And endeavoring to better her performance that was
going to be staged in Beijing, she had one of her left rib bones
broken in her rigorous practice. And again for the art’s sake, she
did not let her doctor and comrade know about her wound and , with
great stamina, persevered in dancing until the very end of the performance
tour.
The 20-year-old girl not only tasted the happiness of
success but also experienced the misery inflicted on her bu a short
lived love affair. She fell in love with soldier; however, they
waved goodbye to each other because of their great difference in
personality and pursuit. Yet, she became, more mature after the
setback. She found herself in the world of film production. She
turned out a movie star overnight just for success in the movie
Yang Guifei. When this movie was on in Tokyo, various radio and
TV stations vied to broadcast and telecast it. What a coincidence
that the charming girl visited Japan on the same day when Mikado
visited China. And she was the second person of the front page news.
Miss Zhou Jie has devoted 29 years to her art pursuit
and creation. And life is filled with hardships and glories. Now
her eyes seem to be staring at tomorrow. She says to herself, ”When
I stand under the sky and look upward, I am whispering to myself;
Could I stand apart from all the praises and hardships to stride
toward my own goals?” Miss Zhou Jie, we sincerely hope that you
will always remain beautiful and that you will achieve more glories
in your art of beauty. (translated by Gu Daxi)
|
