Gong Li (born 31 December 1965) is a Chinese-born Singaporean film actress. Gong first came into international prominence through close collaboration with Chinese director Zhang Yimou and is credited with helping to bring Chinese cinema to Europe and the United States.
She has twice been awarded the Golden Rooster and the Hundred Flowers Awards as well as the Berlinale Camera, Cannes Festival Trophy, National Board of Review, New York Film Critics Circle Award, and Volpi Cup.
She married Singaporean businessman Ooi Hoe Soeng in 1996, and became a Singaporean citizen in 2008.
Gong Li was born in Shenyang, Liaoning, the youngest in a family of five children. Her father was a professor of economics and her mother, who was 40 when Gong was born, was a teacher. Gong grew up in Jinan, the capital of Shandong.
In 1985, Gong sought to study at China's top music school, but was denied entrance. Later that same year, she was accepted to the prestigious Central Academy of Drama in Beijing and graduated in 1989. While a student at the Central Academy of Drama, she was discovered by Zhang Yimou, who chose her for the lead role in Red Sorghum, his first film as a director.
Plot
On the eve of the 1911 Revolution, a time of troubles, Nan Shan Zhuang owner Yang [should be Duan] Muhai is making preparations for the fire/flare festival. Muhai is very wealthy. With the help of the Qing government looted people's wealth, his family lives in extravagance. Muhai's favorite is the youngest daughter Ai Yue, bright and intelligent, very understanding towards others but she is very clear on the lines of love and hate, she is not like other family members always ordering people around, shouting at the servants. Enmity developed between Ai Yue and servant girl Ah-Ci due to a small matter. Ah-Ci is a silly girl, no matter the time of day she likes to dance with bamboo pole and smoke box, sings folk songs. Her singing infected/influenced Ai Yue, always being mischievous with Ah-Ci. At the fire/flare festival is a handsome bright young fellow named Liu Bo En and Long Chulai, four young people meeting each other, get along very quickly. Ai Yue gradually falls for Bo En, but she's too proud and unwilling to reveal her feelings. Instead this lets Ah-Ci to have the opportunity to be with him. Ah-Ci is passionately in love with Bo En. Long Chulai admires Ai Yue, but because of his ugly looks he keeps it to himself, can only secretly love Ai Yue. The 1911 Revolution erupts, Muhai's family meets hard times, Bo En is assigned to Beijing, Ai Yue is forced to fulfill a childhood marriage contract - but is sold by her heartless husband to a notorious opium lord. Intead the ruthless Wang Kun is moved by Ai Yue's Sandao tea, a friendship arises b/w the two people and he also finances Ai Yue's tea garden. Muhai suddenly dies, putting the heavy burden of the Duan family on Ai Yue's shoulders; on one hand she has to develop the tea garden, on the other she has to subside internal friction. For a while she is mentally and physically exhausted, fortunately Ah-Ci and Long Chulai comes out to help. As time wears on, Ai Yue develops a subtle feeling for Long Chulai, cannot say whether it's love or friendship.
Keywords: family-relationships, garden, love, princess, revenge, revolution, sister
Prosperity and downfall of a prominent Bai family around the 1911 Revolution
From the 1911 Revolution, her love relationships travels a rough road, and many difficulties in life.
Some people say you hate me,
I don't believe it's true, things that you're going
through
Some people say you hate me,
I don't believe it's you, things that you're going
through,
Some people said a prayer for,
The one you want to live, the eyes that once were his
Some people said a prayer for,
The way you want to live, the eyes you want to give
Some people say you played me,
I don't care if it's true, I'm waiting here for you,
Some people say you made it,
I'm not afraid to know, when things are getting low
Some people say you hate me,
I don't believe it's true, things that you're going
through
Some people say you hate me,
I don't believe it's you, things that you're going