Yinchuan 银川 ىٍ ﭼُﻮًا‎
—  Prefecture-level city  —
银川市
File:Yinchuan aerial.JPG
The territory of Yinchuan prefecture-level city (yellow) within Ningxia
Satellite image of Yinchuan
Yinchuan Location within China
Coordinates: 38°28′N 106°16′E / 38.467°N 106.267°E / 38.467; 106.267Coordinates: 38°28′N 106°16′E / 38.467°N 106.267°E / 38.467; 106.267
Country	People's Republic of China
Region	Ningxia
County-level divisions
Township divisions
Government
• CPC Yinchuan
• Mayor	Wang Rugui[1]
Area
• Prefecture-level city	4,467 km2 (1,725 sq mi)
• Urban	2,045 km2 (790 sq mi)
• Metro	2,045 km2 (790 sq mi)
Elevation	1,100 m (3,608 ft)
Population (2010 census)[2]
• Prefecture-level city	1,993,088
• Urban	1,290,170
• Urban density	630/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
• Metro	1,290,170
• Metro density	630/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Time zone	China Standard Time (UTC+8)
Postal code	750000
Area code(s)	951
License plate prefixes	宁A
Website	www.yinchuan.gov.cn (Chinese)

Yinchuan is the capital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China, and former capital of the Western Xia Empire of the Tanguts. It has an area of 4,467 km² and a total population of 1.99 million. Its built up area is home to 1,290,170 inhabitants spread on 3 urban districts. The name of the city literally means "silver river"; the character for "river" (川) is the same as that in Sichuan, but not as those in, for example, the Yellow River (黄河) or Yangtze River (长江).

History[link]

Yinchuan originally was a xian (county) under the name of Fuping in the 1st century BC; its name was changed to Huaiyuan in the 6th century AD. After the fall of the Tang dynasty in 907, it was occupied by the Tangut Xi-Xia dynasty, of which it was the capital. After the destruction of the Xi-Xia dynasty by the Mongols in 1227, it came under the rule of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. Under the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties, it was a prefecture of Ningxia. In 1928, when the province of Ningxia was formed from parts of Gansu and Inner Mongolia, it became the capital city. In 1954, when Ningxia province was abolished, the city was put in Gansu province; but, with the establishment of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region in 1958, Yinchuan once again became the capital.

Traditionally, Yinchuan was an administrative and commercial center. In the 1950s it had many commercial enterprises, and there were some handicrafts but no modern industry. The city has since grown considerably. Extensive coal deposits discovered on the eastern bank of the Yellow River, near Shizuishan, 100 km to the north, have made Shizuishan a coal-mining center.

Yinchuan, however, remains largely nonindustrial. The immediate plains area, intensively irrigated by a system developed as long ago as the Han (206 BC–AD 220) and Tang (618–907) dynasties, is extremely productive. Yinchuan is the chief agricultural market and distribution center for this area and also deals in animal products from the herds tended by nomads in the surrounding grasslands. It is a market for grain and has flour mills, as well as rice-hulling and oil-extraction plants. The wool produced in the surrounding plains supplies a woolen-textile mill. Yinchuan is a center for the Muslim (Hui) minority peoples, who constitute a third of the population. Yinchuan currently serves as a major trade route between Western cities such as Urumqi and the East.

On 23 July 1993 an airliner that was attempting its second takeoff veered off the runway, crashed into a lake, and broke apart; at least 59 of the 113 persons aboard the craft were killed.^[3]

Geography[link]

Yinchuan lies in the middle of the Yinchuan or Ningxia Plain. It is sheltered from the deserts of Mongolia by the high ranges of the Helan Mountain to its west. The Yellow River runs through Yinchuan from southwest to northeast. The average elevation of Yinchuan is 1,100 meters (about 3,608 feet). The urban center of Yinchuan lies about halfway between the Yellow River and the edge of Helan Mountain.

Climate[link]

Yinchuan has a desert climate (Köppen BWk) with cold and windy (but dry) winters, dust-laden springs, hot and somewhat humid summers, and rather short autumns. Monthly means range from −7.9 °C (17.8 °F) in January to 23.5 °C (74.3 °F) in July, with the mean for year at 9.0 °C (48.2 °F). Rainfall, is not heavy during any season, not even summer. Diurnal temperature differences tend to be large due to the aridity, which also partly contributes to the high annual sunshine hour total of just over 2,900 hours. There are 158 frost-free days.

Administrative divisions[link]

Map	#	Name	Hanzi	Hanyu Pinyin	Xiao'erjing	Population (2010)	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
	City proper
	1	Xingqing District	兴庆区	Xīngqìng Qū	دٍ ﻓْﻊ ﺛُﻮ	678,306	768	883
	2	Jinfeng District	金凤区	Jīnfèng Qū	دٍ ﻓْﻊ ﺛُﻮ	282,554	290	974
	3	Xixia District	西夏区	Xīxià Qū	ثِ ﺷﯿَا ﺛُﻮ	329,310	987	334
	Satellite cities
	4	Lingwu City	灵武市	Língwǔ Shì	لٍ ءُ شِ	261,677	4,639	56
	Rural
	5	Yongning County	永宁县	Yǒngníng Xiàn	ﻳْﻮ نٍ ﺷِﯿًﺎ	218,260	1,295	169
	6	Helan County	贺兰县	Hèlán Xiàn	حْ لً ﺷِﯿًﺎ	222,981	1,600	139

Economy[link]

The city's gross domestic product per capita was ¥31,436 (US$4,526) in 2008, ranking 197th of 659 Chinese cities. Its main industries are the production of Chinese wolfberry, wheat, apple, and rice.^{[citation needed]}

Transportation[link]

• Yinchuan is located near the western bank of the upper course of the Yellow River, near the western end of the Great Wall of China in the south-central section of the Helan Shan and Ordos Desert.
• It is served by Yinchuan Hedong Airport.It is 25 km from Yinchuan and has flights to Beijing, Chengdu, Dunhuang, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Xian, and Zhengzhou.
• It is served by a river port at Hengcheng, about 15 km to the east. Until the 1950s the river, which is navigable downstream as far as Baotou in the Inner Mongolian autonomous region and upstream to Zhongwei and Zhongning, was the chief communication link.
• Highways also link the city to Baotou along the river, to Lanzhou in Gansu province to the southwest, to Wuwei in Gansu to the west, and to Xi'an in Shaanxi province to the southeast.
• Since 1958 the city has been on the railway from Lanzhou to Baotou and is thus linked to other parts of China by rail.
• China National Highway 211

Yinchun Railroad station

Tourism[link]

A mosque in Yinchuan

A mosque in Yinchuan, China.

The city's attractions include the Sand-lake and the Western Xia tombs. Sand Lake is 35 miles north of Yinchuan. Being a world of desert and lake, it is an ideal place for bird watching, sand slide and cableway slide. Appreciating reeds, lotus and fish are also popular. The Western Xia Imperial Tombs are 15.5 miles west of Yinchuan on east side of Mt. Helan. Since June 1972, nine imperial tombs and 253 lesser tombs have been unearthed, which are as grand as Ming Tombs in Beijing. With a total area of more than 19.3 square miles, it is unique among royal burials.

There are two pagodas in Yinchuan that are part of the 'Eight Famous Scenery of Ningxia': one is the Haibao Pagoda in the northern suburb and the other is the Chengtiansi Pagoda in the west.

Since 2000, Yinchuan has hosted the annual Yinchuan International Car and Motorcycle Tourism Festival, which usually occurs in August. It is the largest event of its kind in China; approximately 3000 motorcycles attend annually.

It is also possible to see parts of the Great Wall which are located near the city.

Colleges and universities[link]

• Ningxia Polytechnical University
• Ningxia University
• Second Northwest Nationalities University
• Ningxia Medical Institute

The West Movie Studio in suburb of Yinchuan

2006 Internet phenomenon[link]

Yinchuan was subject to an Internet phenomenon after a user of Google Earth posted images of a People's Liberation Army military facility.^[4] The facility, estimated at around 630,000 m² in size, is 35 km from Yinchuan and in the town of Huangyangtan. The purpose of the facility was speculated on the Internet following the original posting, although no official explanation for the site has been given. A subsequent posting of a photograph on the Chinese wforum.com claimed that it constituted a terrain model of the disputed Aksai Chin region of China;^[5][6][7] the image includes a watermark of Xinhua News Agency, the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China.

Authorities in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region have been quoted as saying that the site is used as a tank training facility.^[8]

See also[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Yinchuan

• Yinchuan Government website
• Weather forecast for Yinchuan in Ningxia (China), 1117 m
• The Yinchuan World Rock Art Museum

v t e Provincial capitals of the People's Republic of China Changchun, Jilin Changsha, Hunan Chengdu, Sichuan Fuzhou, Fujian Guangzhou, Guangdong Guiyang, Guizhou Haikou, Hainan Hangzhou, Zhejiang Harbin, Heilongjiang Hefei, Anhui Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Jinan, Shandong Kunming, Yunnan Lanzhou, Gansu Lhasa, Tibet Nanchang, Jiangxi Nanjing, Jiangsu Nanning, Guangxi Shenyang, Liaoning Shijiazhuang, Hebei Taiyuan, Shanxi Ürümqi, Xinjiang Wuhan, Hubei Xi'an, Shaanxi Xining, Qinghai Yinchuan, Ningxia Zhengzhou, Henan

v t e Major cities along the Yellow River Provinces and Autonomous regions Cities (from upper reaches to lower reaches) Gansu Lanzhou · Baiyin Ningxia Zhongwei · Wuzhong · Yinchuan · Shizuishan Inner Mongolia Wuhai · Ordos · Bayan Nur · Baotou · Hohhot (boundaries of upper and middle reaches) Shanxi Xinzhou · Lüliang · Linfen · Yuncheng Shaanxi Yulin · Yan'an · Weinan Henan Sanmenxia · Luoyang · Jiyuan · Jiaozuo · Zhengzhou(boundaries of middle and lower reaches)  · Xinxiang · Kaifeng · Puyang Shandong Liaocheng · Tai'an · Jinan · Dezhou · Binzhou · Zibo · Dongying

v t e Baotou–Lanzhou Railway (← Beijing–Baotou Railway) · Baotou East · Baotou · Baotou West · Haye Hutong · Baiyanhua · Gongmiaozi · Malashan · Urat Front Banner · Xixiaozhao · Wuyuan · Sifentan · Linhe District · Toudaoqiao · Bayan Gol · Hanggin Banner · Jiangui · Wuhai North · Wuhai · Wuhai West · Huinong District · Nuanquan · Yinchuan · Huangyangtan · Daba · Qingtongxia · Zhongning County · Huangyangwan · Zhongwei · Shapotou District · Gantang · Yingpanshui · Great Wall · Jingtai County · Xingquanbao · Hongxiantai · Hongshaxian · Bayin West · Zhujiayao · Fengshuicun · Gaolan County · Shaojiatang · Shuiyuan · Lanzhou East · Lanzhou · (Lanzhou–Xinjiang Railway →) Connecting Railways: Baotou–Shenmu Railway · Baotou–Bayan Obo Railway · Baotou Ring Railway · Pingru Railway · Baotou–Zhongwei Railway · Gantang–Wuwei Railway · Honghui Railway · Longhai Railway

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2009)

Abigail Washburn (born November 10, 1977 in Evanston, Illinois, USA) is an American clawhammer banjo player and singer. She performs and records as a soloist, as well as with the old-time bands Uncle Earl and Sparrow Quartet.

Biography[link]

Washburn was born in Evanston, Illinois and spent her elementary and part of her junior high school years in a suburb of Washington, D.C.. She attended high school in Minnesota, then attended Colorado College, where she was the school's first East Asian studies major. Following this, she spent some time living in China, where she had dreams of being a lawyer (having first visited that nation in 1996). She then spent three years in Vermont before moving to Nashville, Tennessee.^[1]

In Tennessee, she met KC Groves, one of the founding members of the band Uncle Earl and she went on to spend five years touring with the band. The "all G'earl" group has released two records on the Rounder Records record label, She Waits for the Night (2005) and Waterloo, TN (2007), which was produced by John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin.

Washburn entered a songwriting contest at MerleFest (a bluegrass music festival in North Carolina), winning second place for her song "Rockabye Dixie", and gaining the attention of the Nettwerk record label.

Her first solo album, Song of the Traveling Daughter, was produced by Béla Fleck and features Ben Sollee, a cellist, and Jordan McConnell, guitarist for the Canadian traditional and soul music fusion band The Duhks. Two songs were recorded in the Mandarin Chinese language, which she learned while living in China.

In 2005, Washburn returned to China with a group called the Sparrow Quartet, composed of Sollee, Fleck and Grammy Award nominated fiddler Casey Driessen. The group then recorded an EP, Abigail Washburn The Sparrow Quartet.

In 2008, Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet recorded a full-length album, Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet. It was produced by Béla Fleck and composed and arranged by the foursome.

After the release of the album, Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet turned their attention to touring North America, with appearances at festivals including New Orleans Jazz & Heritage, MerleFest, Bonnaroo Music Festival, Vancouver Folk Festival and others. They returned to China for performances during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The quartet was later featured on National Geographic Live and, in 2009, each participated in the Clearwater Concert, a benefit concert in honor of Pete Seeger's 90th birthday that featured many of the world's most well-known musicians.^[2]

Inspired by a 2008 volunteer experience for Sichuan Quake Relief in China, Abigail joined forces with Shanghai Restoration Project's David Liang in March 2009 to create Afterquake. The benefit EP (a portion of each sale benefits Sichuan Quake Relief) was released on May 12, 2009, the one-year anniversary of the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake. Over the course of two weeks, Washburn & Liang recorded and produced the entire project, which features electronic mixes of student voices and sounds from the disaster zone, in Sichuan, China.

In early 2010, Washburn began recording her second solo album with producer Tucker Martine and collaborator Kai Welch [1].

Personal life[link]

In August 2007, Washburn was reported as being the "girlfriend" of Béla Fleck.^[3] In September 2008, Fleck was alleged to be the "boyfriend" of Abigail Washburn. In May 2009, the Bluegrass Intelligencer satirized the upcoming wedding of Washburn and Fleck, joking that the couple promise to have a "male heir" who will be the "Holy Banjo Emperor".^[4] In February 2010, The Aspen Times reported that Washburn had become Fleck's wife in the previous year.^[5] In a July 2010 interview, Washburn said she first met her husband in Nashville at a square dance—she was dancing and he was playing.^[6]

Discography[link]

Afterquake Music[link]

• Afterquake EP (2009)

The Sparrow Quartet[link]

• The Sparrow Quartet EP (2006)
• Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet (2008)

Uncle Earl[link]

• She Waits for Night (2005)
• Waterloo, Tennessee (2007)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Abigail Washburn official site
• Afterquake official site
• Article on Abigail Washburn's close relationship with China
• Bluegrass Over Beijing, by Ron Gluckman
• Abigail Washburn interview from Popmatters
• Official Myspace
• Official Facebook Page
• Review of 'City of Refuge' by Folk Radio UK
• Profile of Abigail Washburn on PBS NewsHour
• Abigail Washburn: Building US-China relations ... by banjo TED talk

Listening[link]

• Abigail Washburn at NPR Music
• Audio interview from National Public Radio Morning Edition program
• Audio samples from Song of the Traveling Daughter

This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

Ruby Lin
Chinese name	林心如
Pinyin	Lín Xīnrú (Mandarin)
Jyutping	Lam4 Sam1 Jyu4 (Cantonese)
Birth name	Lin Hsin-Ju
Origin	Taiwan
Born	(1976-01-27) January 27, 1976 (age 36) Taipei, Taiwan
Occupation	Actress, Singer
Genre(s)	Mandopop
Years active	1995–present
Official Website	linruby.com
Awards Seoul International Drama Award Most Popular actress2010 Schemes of a Beauty China HuaDing Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Sophie's Revenge

Ruby Lin (born January 27, 1976 in Taipei, Taiwan) is a Taiwanese actress, pop singer and producer. Her English name is from her mother's love of the jewel.^[1]

Lin made her acting debut in a TV commercial in Taiwan. When she received her first experience in front of the camera in 1995, for a minor role, she started to develop a passion for acting. In 1997, after playing supporting roles in various Taiwanese TV dramas, she took her breakout role as a leading actress in the television series Princess Pearl and its sequel, Princess Pearl II. In 1999, after Princess Pearl was broadcast, she also began a singing career with her first album, a five-track EP.

Lin has acted in a variety of roles, such as the sassy Jian Ning princess in Duke of Mount Deer 2000, the cruel assassin Cai Yue in Flying Daggers (2003), the gentle-natured Man Zhen in Half Life Fate (2003), benevolent & intelligent queen in Schemes of a Beauty (2010) and spunky tomboy Sun Shangxiang in Three Kingdoms (2010). For her achievements in films and television series, Korean media dubbed her Taiwan's number-one actress and goddess of ancient Chinese series.^[2]

In 2010 Ruby Lin announced the establishment of her own company, Ruby Lin Studio. Taiwan media reports that the company will deal with all aspects of the actress's career, including acting, singing and film roles.^[3]

Early life[link]

Lin was born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, the eldest of three children, having one brother a year younger and the other, six years younger.^[4] Her father was a businessman, and her mother a housewife. After her parents' divorce, when Lin was seven years old, she lived with her mother, who took her to visit relatives in Japan every year.^[5] She graduated from Ri Xin Primary School and Zhong Dian High School.^[6] Lin originally planned on going to the UK to study after high school graduation, never considering the prospect of an acting career. However, she began her acting career at age seventeen as a part-time model. Her first TV commercial was for Jasmine Tea.^[7]

Lin's parents did not like the idea of their daughter being involved in the entertainment industry,^[5] but she decided to pursue an acting career. After appearing in many commercials, her parents finally agreed to allow her to sign a contract with an entertainment-management company. Following high school graduation, Lin joined Jessie and Jones Entertainment Ltd^[8] on her 20th birthday. Over the years, she has also helped her parents to reconcile.^[9]

Career[link]

Early work (1994–1996)[link]

After shooting her first TV commercial Lin caught the attention of TV and film directors, and many companies began seeking her for roles.^[10] In 1995, after shooting some commercials, Lin received her first role in a film (School Days, with Jimmy Lin and Takeshi Kaneshiro). That same year, she was also cast in supporting roles in Taiwanese TV dramas. From 1995 to 1997, Lin had roles in several Taiwanese TV series, and began to attract notice. In 1996, Lin went to China for the first time to film; she considered this a period of valuable experience and a time that she began to learn about acting.

Breakthrough (1997–2001)[link]

After playing minor roles in various series and films, Lin was selected by Taiwanese writer Chiung Yao to audition for a main role in the new TV drama Princess Pearl. In 1997, Lin achieved popularity as the beloved Princess Ziwei in the series Princess Pearl, appealing to large audiences in mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. Chiung Yao had originally arranged for Lin to play the role of Sai Ya, but since the actress scheduled to play the main role was unavailable, the production team re-shuffled the female cast. After some deliberation, the company thought that Lin was most suitable as Zi Wei.^[5] When Princess Pearl was broadcast it received the highest ratings in China, and Lin rose to prominence.^[12]

After Princess Pearl, Lin starred in a number of successful television series. In 2000 she worked in Hong Kong TVB's production of Duke of Mount Deer 2000 with Dicky Cheung, Shu Qi and other well-known artists. In this series, Lin played Princess Jian Ning – a sassy, funny girl. This role demonstrated her acting range, since it differed from the nice, sweet image she had developed from her role in Princess Pearl. After starring in another Chinese series (Romance in the Rain, written by Chiung Yao), Lin was included in the Top Ten Most Famous Asian Superstars for two consecutive years (2000 and 2001).^[13] The same year, she was selected in fourth place in "Malaysia 2001 Heavenly Kings & Queens".^[14]

As Lin felt she had achieved all she could in television, she also appeared in three Hong Kong films in 2000. In 2001, Lin appeared in the action movie China Strike Force with Aaron Kwok and Taiwanese actor-singer Leehom Wang. Although Lin had only a supporting role, she considered it a learning experience. With these Hong Kong films, she made inroads into the Hong Kong market.^[12]

Mainstream success (2002–2005)[link]

Since 2002, Lin focused on her career in mainland China. In 2002, she starred in three series - Half Life Fate (Pinyin: Ban Sheng Yuan) (adapted from Zhang Ailing’s novel Eighteen Springs), Boy and Girl and Flying Daggers. Lin was chosen for the female lead in the TV version of Half Life Fate; the film version was directed by Ann Hui, a well-known Asian director. For Lin, it was a challenging role and she was under pressure.

Lin's work yielded good results; her performance enhanced her fame, earning accolades for capturing her screen character Man Zhen’s 14 years of arduous life. The series was broadcast in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea.^[15] In 2002, Lin also appeared in the romantic TV series Boy and Girl; it was broadcast throughout China by CCTV, receiving the highest rating of all series aired in 2003.^[16] With this series, Lin was selected one of the Top 10 actresses of the year; of those 10 actresses, she was the only one from Taiwan.^[13] That year she also appeared in the ancient martial arts TV series Flying Daggers (based on Gu Long's novel). Lin not only acted in a martial-arts series for the first time but also played against type – portraying a cold assassin, rather than her usual gentle damsel. These three series were released in 2003 throughout Asia, adding to Lin's success. Though Lin focused on TV series, she continued to appear in films such as the adventure drama Life Express (with Richie Ren) and the romantic comedy Love Trilogy (with Francis Ng and Anita Yuen), which was relatively successful in China.

In 2004 productions such as Amor de Tarapaca (co-starring Korean actor Han Jae Suk), she began a trend towards China-Korea collaborations. Lin was involved in another original Korean screenplay, Magic Touch of Fate, co-starring Taiwanese actor Alec Su and Korean idol KangTa. This series is the highest-budgeted miniseries in Asian television history (as of 2011). By this time, Lin had been in show business for almost a decade, with nearly non-stop filming. She wanted to go back to school; since high school, studying abroad had been her dream.^[5] In the winter of 2004, after filming Magic Touch of Fate, Lin decided to study language and acting for three months in New York City. While she was there, Lin studied English at Study Group International^[17][18] and performance at the New York Film Academy.

Returning home to Taiwan with a new passion for acting in February 2005, Lin starred almost back-to-back in four big-budget Chinese series: Paris Sonata, Sound of Colors,^[19] Star Boulevard^[20] and Da Li Princess. For her role in Paris Sonata, she learned to play piano two months before filming. After Paris Sonata she selected the TV drama Sound of Colors (a remake of Jimmy Liao's book) as her next work, portraying a blind radio DJ. Lin's performance as a blind girl received good reviews from audiences and the news media.^[21][22] This drama has been broadcast in many countries, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam and the United States. Star Boulevard and Da Li Princess were expected to be released in 2008 by CCTV.

A new beginning (2006–2009)[link]

Ruby Lin in 2008

Lin's first 2006 television series was Ancestral Temple. In this series, she further expanded her acting range.^[23] After three months of filming in Huang Shan, China, the series was completed at the end of October 2006. Its broadcast by CCTV-1 was planned for 2008. On June 6, 2006, Lin won the Honorable Award as Taiwan's Most Popular Actress at the Chinese TV Drama Award^[24] ceremony in Beijing; she has also been regularly featured in polls as one of the Top 10 contemporary Chinese actors.^[25]

At the end of 2006, Lin bid farewell to her management company Zhong Jie, after a 10-year relationship, and on November 30, 2006 ceremoniously signed with Hua Yi Brothers Film and Television group (Simplified Chinese: 華誼兄弟影視集團) for a reported $10 million.^[26] Hua Yi Bros.^[27] is (as of 2011) the largest management and domestic movie-making company in China. After signing with the new company, she went to Los Angeles and San Francisco with her family for a vacation, returning to China in mid-January 2007. Following rumors that she would appear in a new Jackie Chan film,^[28] in September 2007 she guest-starred in CCTV's historical drama Su DongPo. In this series she played the first wife of Su Dongpo (writer, poet, artist, calligrapher, pharmacologist, and statesman of the Song Dynasty, one of the major poets of the time), played by Lu Yi. This is their third collaboration.^[29] Also at this time, Lin said she wanted to become more involved in film.^[30][31]

After making the digital film Evening of Roses, Lin took on more challenging roles. In late 2007, she co-starred as Daji with Ray Lui in The Legend and the Hero 2 (also known as Fengshen Bang – 封神榜), one of the major vernacular Chinese novels written during the Ming Dynasty. After speculation over who would receive the leading role of Daji (who was known for her beauty and cruelty which ruined a dynasty), the role was offered to Lin. When Lin committed to play Daji, she could not escape comparison with Fan Bingbing, who played the same role in the first part of the series. Lin's performance received generally positive comments from media. NetandTV commented, "In comparison to the previous version, the bright spot in this new version's Daji gets a new makeover. Ruby Lin's look gave Daji a brand-new definition".^[32] Lin has often said "comparing with other people is meaningless, I just wants [sic] a breakthrough from past looks, to surpass myself."^[33]

In 2008, after developing her career in China, Lin returned to Taiwan for the series Love at Sun Moon Lake. Lin plays an aboriginal woman; this was the first TV series to obtain permission for mainland Chinese actors to film in Taiwan.^[34] It was also announced that Lin had been cast as Sun Shangxiang in the new Romance of the Three Kingdoms TV adaptation directed by Gao Xixi.^[35]

In early 2009, she was cast in the main role in Fallen City. In this film, Lin plays a rebellious woman during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. In July 2009, Lin starred as Empress Dou in the Chinese big-budget historical fiction television drama Schemes of a Beauty. For her role in the series, Lin received a salary of 150,000 renminbi per episode.^[36] When the series premièred on a Shanghai TV station in March 2010 with the highest rating of the year, Lin got positive reviews from audiences and critics. It was reported that Schemes of a Beauty sold well in the Korean and Japanese markets, due to Ruby Lin's unwavering popularity in Asia.^[37]

Challenge(2010-2011)[link]

In 2010 Lin took on more film roles. In May, her first stage play, Sweet Sweet Love, began a Chinese tour. The play is based on the 1996 Hong Kong romantic film Comrades: Almost a Love Story, which starred Maggie Cheung and Leon Lai. During its three-month run, it was performed in four cities: Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou and Shenzhen. Due to popular demand, a fifth city (Nanchang) was added.^[38]

In January 2010, Lin was cast as a psychiatrist in the romantic film You Deserve To Be Single with Mike He and David Wu. For her performance, Lin was nominated for the 2010 Shanghai International Film Festival Press Prize as best actress.^[39] She also won the 2010 Vietnam DAN Movie Award as Favorite Taiwanese Actress. After that, Lin Zhao starred in Zhang Yang's film Driverless as as a self-motivated businesswomen. Director Zhang Yang commented "Ruby has a rare ability, all her emotions seem genuine". She received critics praise for her performance by audiences and media - "Without a doubt, Ruby Lin's wonderful range of emotions really steals the show. She delicately unveils the depths of a struggling during hard time of her life, both strong and brave yet desire to be protected." ^[40]

After the success of Schemes of a Beauty, Lin was cast in a starring role for well-known Chinese TV series director Gao Xixi. This series (Monopoly Exposure) was written by Hai Yan (海岩), many of whose books have been successfully adapted for TV dramas.^[41] It was scheduled to be broadcast in mid-2011.

2010 was a successful year for Lin. She won the Most Popular Actress award (voted online by residents of Asian countries) at the fifth annual Seoul International Drama Awards. According to Yahoo Korea, Lin was voted best actress with 17,358 votes followed by Fan Bingbing, Li Kun Wang and Yao Chen.^[42] Also in late 2010, Lin won the Favorite Actress of the Year award for her performance in Schemes of a Beauty at the annual Anhui TV awards^[43] and the QQ Annual Entertainment Star award.

January 2011, Lin started her first project The Glamorous Imperial Concubine as producer. This series achieved excellent ratings and Lin won Best producer of the year" award. After produced her first TV series, Lin back to film industry again. Lin played a 2 kid's mom in film Blood Stained Shoes, directed by Raymond Yip. The film's box office ranked 2nd place on "Top 10 box-office ranking in Chinese horror film chart". ^[44] Media said, Lin's image far removed from that which she has previously portrayed in other works. ^[45]

October 2011, Lin starts to producing her 2nd project Older Woman Marching Forward(AKA my sister is like a flower) with Jiro Wang and Hu Bing. This Taiwanese romantic series plan to released on China region around summer vacation.

After 2012[link]

On March 2012, Lin was crowned Most favorite TV Actress at the 2012 annual Jeanwest entertainment Awards. ^[46]

After finished filming her 2nd projest, she choose new ancient TV drama called The Patriot Yue Fei. The Patriot Yue Fei, a 60-episode historical drama about the downfall of General Yue Fei in the Song Dynasty, Lin portrayed the wife of General Yue Fei, played by Huang Xiao Ming. This is her first paring of with Huang Xiao Ming. ^[47]

27 April 2012, Lin announced her 3rd project Television film Forgotten as producer and main actress. She will play a married couple in the show with Christopher Lee. In Forgotten, their marriage start to fall apart due to a lack of communication and personality differences, and an unexpected accident changes their life entirely. ^[48] . It scheduled to be released in Taiwan on 26 May 2012. According to the media, Lin will be appearing as a bridesmaid at her good friend, Annie Wu’s wedding.in June 2012.

Personal Life[link]

Rumors and paparazzi[link]

Like other stars, Lin's private life is frequently in the public eye. Although she never expressed a strong dislike of the paparazzi, Lin has openly expressed her discomfort and frustration about rumors and the paparazzi during interviews. When asked about paparazzi she answered, "I'm already frequently exposed under the sun; this is my work, but what I cannot accept is they do things under the claim of reporting the truth, desperately digging for things that they perceive as inside information, they completely ignore other people's feelings, whether or not they've already destroyed a harmonious and happy family."^[49]

Since her early career Lin has expressed displeasure with rumors about her work or private life, but acknowledges that they cannot be ignored. In 2006, she began her blog on sina.com. In her blog, she expresses her moods and clarifies incorrect information. Lin explained, "Before, I thought there's no need to respond to baseless remarks, However sometimes 'avoidance' isn't the best way to solve problems. Therefore I made the resolution to start writing in my blog, to write down my feelings. I can objectively express my views through my blog".^[50] In 2007, Lin was said to be competing for the role of the White Demon with Li Bingbing and Fann Wong. On her blog, she dispelled the rumors by stating she would not be acting in Forbidden Kingdom: "Finally dust has settled ~ I've left the eye of the storm" ^[51]

Harassment[link]

In 2007, according to news reports, Lin was harassed by an unknown telephone caller for six months, on her three cell phones and her home phone. This was reportedly the result of stars' phone numbers being publicized.^[52] According to her manager, "Generally the harassing phone calls start at 9:00 pm, calling every half hour, it goes on until 2:00 am, this went on daily. Moreover the person takes turns calling her three handsets. He never says a word. If Ruby answers the phone, the other end would remain quiet and listens to Ruby talk. Every day at a fixed time, from 9 o'clock to 2 o'clock in the morning, calling more than 10 times a day".^[53] The offending caller was untraceable due to his Skype number, and Lin had to change all her phone numbers.^[54]

When reporters confronted Ruby Lin when she filming in Beijing she said,

Relationships[link]

Although Lin has attempted to keep her relationships private, the media has made many speculations about her personal life, such as scandals with her co-workers and friends. After the start of her acting career, she dated Taiwanese actor Jimmy Lin from the filming of School Days in 1995 until 1997, when she filmed Princess Pearl.

In 2006, they appeared publicly together on "Kang Yong's family" (Chinese: 康永當家; pinyin: Kang Yong Dang Jia) (a Taiwanese show), asserting that distance was the reason for the breakup. It was the first time the two appeared on the same stage after their separation.^[55] On the show, they talked about their former relationship. Jimmy Lin stated that it was because both were constantly shooting in China that their relationship succumbed to the problems of distance, and they remain good friends;^[56] however, they dismissed the possibility of getting back together. According to Ruby Lin, "We didn't have a significant quarrel or dispute, therefore after the breakup we can still be friends"^[57]

Since the airing of the TV series Romance in the Rain, there has been media speculation about Lin and her co-star Alec Su, although they insisted they were just close friends. In 2006, when she joined Alec's management team and signed with Alec to HuaYi Media company, their rumored relationship surfaced again. As of 2011, Lin claims to be single, saying, "I am presently very satisfied with my life and very satisfied with everything that I have right now. The word marriage is still too far away".^[58]

According to Lin,

Besides her friends from inside the entertainment world, Lin still keeps in touch with many of her old friends. According to Lin, "Friends play a very important role in my life. Fate is indeed a very marvelous thing. We had also known each other for 18 years. Transforming from naive little seeding to charming women, going through numerous difficulties/obstacles in the process. So as to have the unshakeable friendship today" (From Ruby Lin's personal blog)^[59]

When Lin released her new album at the end of 2008 it was remarked that many of her songs are about lost love and there was speculation about her breakup with rumored boyfriend, HK director Stanley Tong. Lin denied the rumors, saying that her new album does not allude to any person in particular. In a December 2008 interview, she mentioned her interest in a relationship.^[60]

Media[link]

Charity work[link]

Lin is very involved with charity activities for various causes. Since 2005 Lin has been spokesperson for fashion company Xuezhu, and she established a fund to help poor people living in small cities in China.^[61] In addition, she participated in the Jackie Chan and Friends concert in 2005.^[62] and reportedly adopted a Vietnamese boy through World Vision Taiwan.^[4] In 2007 Lin was chosen one of the Anti-Depression Ambassadors of China for its campaign, including a concert.^[63] For her work, Lin received the Outstanding Contribution to Charity Award at the China Fashion Awards (CFA) in 2007.^[64] In January 2008, Lin funded a school for rural children, presenting a ¥200,000 (US$27,627) check to the Chinese Red Cross Foundation to build an elementary school.^[65] The Red Cross Society of China gave Lin a commemorative plague in return, inviting her to be philanthropic ambassador for its elementary-school building project (which helps Chinese children in rural areas obtain an education.^[66] In October 2008 Lin become ambassador for the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, Yum! Brands Inc. China Division and United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)'s "Donate $1, Offer Compassion, Deliver Nutrition” joint campaign. This campaign provides daily nutrition to children for at least one year. As ambassador Lin appeared at a KFC restaurant in Beijing to interact with patrons, summon more people to participate in the fundraiser and care about children's health and development.^[67]

In March 2011, For Lin's contribution to charity work, China Charity Billboard Award awarded her "Charity star of the year" award. ^[68]. On 12 Februaty 2012, Lin was appointed as a spokesperson and ambassador for the Maria Society Welfare Foundation. In order to raised money for the childrens, she promote the campaign at her official Mini-blog at Sina.

Endorsements[link]

After rising to prominence, Ruby Lin became actively involved in commercial work. In 2001, she was selected as Taiwan's most popular advertisement star. At that time, she was spokeperson for Coca Cola and Esprit. After she was selected as spokeperson for brands such as Mentholatum and Pantene, Lin was ranked second on the China Top Ten Most Popular Commercial Model list in 2005.^[69] Lin has been praised by the media for her sense of style; in 2006, MTV China selected her as most stylish actress of the year.^[13] That same year, Lin also received the Most Stylish Actress in China award at the QQ 2006 China Entertainment Star Awards.^[70]

In 2009, Estee Lauder chose her as "My Cover Girl in 2009" for their Chinese and Taiwan markets for ¥1 million, according to media reports.^[71] In 2010, based on the popularity of her new series and film, Lin was spokesperson for more than 15 brands (including Japanese confectionery company Glico. Lin also won the Most Charming Actress of the Year award at the 2010 China Fashion Weekly Awards.^[72]

In Asia as elsewhere, endorsement contracts for well-known brands are evidence of stardom.^[73] Ruby Lin has been a spokesperson for such brands as Mentholatum (2000–2003), Coca Cola (2000), Christian Dior watches (2006–2007), ESPRIT (2001), Liuhengsei casual wear (since 2001), VOV Cosmetics (since 2006), China Mobile (since 2007), Pantene (2003–2006), Sofie Pantiliners (2002–2005), Anchao sports shoes (since 2003) and D&D jewelry (2001–2005). Lin also served as ACAP Wild Aid's Rhino Ambassador for 2004–2005 and Winnie the Pooh Friendship Ambassador in 2001. Lin's endorsements provided the majority of her income in 2007.^[74] In December 2009, Ruby Lin was chosen Best Artist for Advertisements at the annual China International Commercial and Art Awards.^[75]

Filmography (as actor)[link]

TV drama[link]

TV drama (Guest star)[link]

Films[link]

Stage work[link]

Books (Photo albums and diary)[link]

Filmography (as producer)[link]

In 2010 Lin announced the establishment of her own company, Ruby Lin Studio. For its debut production she bought the rights to the popular novel Qing Shi Huang Fei (倾世皇妃) - The Glamorous Imperial Concubine , a story about the power struggles during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period.^[76]

It was reported that Lin attracted a great deal of investment in the production and assembled a team of male stars. She also invited director Gao Xixi as an investor of the series. He make consultant for the fighting sequences and battles befitting to the brutal warring period.

Filming began January 15, 2011 in Hengdian World Studios, China.^[77]. The series started airing on 30th, October 2011 on Hunan TV's golden time.(China's second biggest television network). According to the China audience rating survey CSM27, it record the highest viewing rate from the first episode. ^[78]

On December 2011, As a result of high rating & positive receptions, Lin won "Best producer" for her producing at 2011 YOUKU drama award. Also She was crowned Best Actress at same award. ^[79]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• 1999: Heartbeat (心跳)
• 2001: Double Faced Ruby Lin (雙面林心如)
• 2001: Pala Pala (趴啦趴啦)
• 2004: Half a Lifetime's New and Best Songs (半生缘新歌和精选)
• 2004: Possessiing Ruby Lin (拥有林心如)
• 2008: New Rubyology (新如主义)

Soundtracks[link]

• 1999: Princess Returning Pearl Original Soundtrack (还珠格格音乐全记录)
• 2004: Amor de Tarapaca Original Soundtrack (紫藤戀電視劇原)

Ambassadorships[link]

• 2011 Trend Health - Find most beautiful& healthy body of china^[80]
• 2010 Raily Good and Healthy Life campaign
• 2010 Sohu "EasyGo China" charity campaign^[81]
• 2008 China Music Radio Kappa Project
• 2009 World Food Programme(WFP)'s "Donate $1, Offer Compassion, Deliver Nutrition”^[82]
• 2009 Ambassador of Tourism in Seoul, Korea^[83]
• 2008 China Red Cross elementary-school building project^[66]
• 2008 China Music Radio Kappa Project
• 2007 Beijing Olympics public-service promotional campaign
• 2005 Promoter of Annapurna Conservation Area Project
• 2004 Chinese Culture Festival in Seoul, Korea
• 2001 Promoter of Hong Kong Community Chest Walkathon
• 1999 Ambassador of Hong Kong Anti-Drug and -Crime Campaign

References[link]

External links[link]

Official

• Ruby Lin Official Site
• Ruby Lin's Personal Blog
• Ruby Lin Sina weibo
• Ruby Lin's studio official weibo

Fansites

• Facebook
• 心动心如-Mainland fansite
• 情系心如
• Ruby Lin International Family
• Ruby and Me Vietnamese Fan Site

Lyrics

• Ruby Lin's Lyrics

Other

• Ruby Lin at the Internet Movie Database
• lovehkfilm entry