In 1993, the release of "Farewell to the King" shocked the international film industry. The film has won more than 30 awards, including the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and no film in China can surpass it so far.
However, the film came out very bumpy. If it were not for the producer Xu Fenghui's eyes, persuading director Chen Kaige to take over, and finally making the main roles Zhang Guorong and Zhang Fengyi, the advent of this film would have been impossible to talk about.
Speaking of Xu Feng, she has gone from winning the Golden Horse Award for Best Actress twice, to transforming into a big producer with a poisonous eye, to the head of Tomson Group, and now sits on tens of billions of assets. Her experience is legendary.
01
In 1950, Xu Feng was born into an ordinary family in Taiwan.
When she was 5 years old, her father died, and Xu Feng's mother could only take her to remarry. In the new family, Xu Feng under the fence could not feel much warmth.
The family is poor, the stepfather is not kind to her, and the young Xu Feng only wants to grow up and leave the family as soon as possible.
At the age of 16, Xu Feng dropped out of school and prepared to break into society to earn money.
She first signed up for the position of a female worker in an electronics factory, and then saw that the Taiwan Federal Film Company was recruiting actors, so she took the audition with the attitude of trying it out.
Who knew that when it came to the audition site, the team of hundreds of people occupied the venue to the fullest. Xu Feng, who knew that he did not want much, calmed his mind and came out to meet the world.
The question given by the examiner is: Facing the wedding photo of the man you love and others. Xu Feng, who did not know how to interpret it, thought of the grievances he had suffered at home over the years and could not help but leave tears.
After the audition, Xu Feng felt that it was more reliable to go to work as a female worker, and when she was packing her bags and preparing to enter the factory, the film company called: You have been hired.
It turned out that the examiner who came up with the question that day was the famous director Hu Jinquan, who was touched by Xu Feng's expression and eyes when she performed, and felt that this little girl was a malleable talent.
Xu Feng, who accidentally hit and bumped into the film and television industry, was very hardworking. She began to learn the basic skills of an actor, vocal music, lines, performance, and form, and began to practice every day before dawn. When you encounter a problem that you don't understand, you rush to ask others for advice.
At that time, the film and television industry was short of manpower, and Xu Feng not only had to be an actor, but also worked part-time as a prop master to set off fireworks.
Xu Feng's efforts to direct Hu Jinquan looked in his heart. Soon she played a small role in Hu Jinquan's "Dragon Gate Inn".
Although there were not many scenes, Xu Feng's cold eyes and the heroism emanating from his eyebrows left a deep impression on Hu Jinquan.
02
Soon Hu Jinquan was ready to shoot "Chivalrous Girl". For the choice of heroine, Hu Jinquan immediately thought of Xu Feng's role in the previous play, and his new film wanted Xu Feng's heroic and sassy style.
In this way, 18-year-old Xu Feng quickly became the heroine. But Hu Jinquan did not relax his requirements for Xu Feng because she was a film and television newcomer.
"Heroine" was filmed for four full years, and the stern Hu Jinquan scolded Xu Feng almost every day in the first year of filming. Xu Feng, who has no experience in shooting action scenes, often has to repeat hundreds or thousands of times because of an action.
During the filming of a martial arts scene, Xu Feng's forehead was cut by his opponent's knife, and the blood flowed continuously. After the strong Xu Feng bandaged the wound, he did not choose to rest and continued shooting.
In the end, this excellent film won the Cannes Film Festival Technical Award, and Xu Feng's fame went overseas.
Since then, Xu Feng's path has become smoother and smoother. In 1976 and 1979, she won the Golden Horse Award for Best Actress twice, and her career reached its peak.
03
Xu Feng, who became a famous actor, experienced changes in family life.
After Xu Feng first entered the film and television industry, he obeyed his parents' arrangement and married a person named Xu Zhiqiang.
Xu Zhiqiang's appearance is calm. He did not have a stable job, idle all day, drinking and playing cards, and often ridiculed his wife for having no future as an actor: "Hurry back to work in the factory, do you want to do chores for the big stars for a lifetime."
At first, Xu Feng was very angry at her husband's ridicule. But in the words of the parents' fate, Xu Feng, who is traditional in thought, respects the choice of his parents and has no idea of divorcing her husband. Just thinking about making more money by filming let him do some business.
When he saw Xu Feng become famous, Xu Zhiqiang couldn't sit still, he didn't want outsiders to say that he was a villain who ate soft rice. I want to do something big for others to see.
He carried Xu Feng on his back and borrowed a large amount of money to do business in the name of his wife. Who knew that he had no business acumen at all, failed in business, and owed millions of dollars in debt.
Xu Feng met a debt collector on the set and learned that her husband had run away. She burst into tears and kept cursing her husband.
Calming down, Xu Feng knew that the money borrowed in her name could not be repaid. Make thousands of dollars by making a play yourself, how long will it take to pay back these millions.
Just like the martial arts films she played, Xu Feng believes in "loyalty and filial piety and benevolence", and she does not intend to run away like her husband, but to find creditors one by one and discuss the problem of repaying the money.
She found the biggest creditor, Tang Junnian, and personally made a promise: "I am the actor Xu Feng, and I have been making money in filming." Although I owe you a lot of money now, please don't push me too hard, otherwise I will go to jail and you will not be able to get the money. I will definitely pay you back and do what I say."
After saying that, he turned around and left, leaving Tang Junnian who had not yet returned to God.
What Xu Feng did not expect was that she had been forced into a desperate situation in life, because this meeting with Tang Junnian had completely changed her life.
04
Tang Junnian is two years old, unmarried, and is the founder of Tomson Group. In his early years, he went to Taiwan to start a business, at this time, he had already gained a firm foothold in Taiwan's real estate industry and accumulated a lot of wealth.
Xu Feng's heroic eyes could not be dissipated in Tang Junnian's mind for a long time. Tang Junnian, who has worked hard in the business world for many years, is accustomed to deceit.
For Xu Feng's heroic deeds, Tang Junnian couldn't help but admire him. He found a movie starring Xu Feng, one after another to watch.
Looking at Xu Feng, who was heroic and courageous on the screen, he made up his mind that he must marry her home.
Tang Junnian asked for Xu Feng's contact information. One day, Tang Junnian came to Xu Feng's shooting set and waited for Xu Feng to finish his work and go home.
Xu Feng saw that the big creditor was coming, and hurriedly walked over and said, "I talk about honesty, you can rest assured that I will pay you back when I earn money."
Tang Junnian did not mention the money, he took Xu Feng's backpack: "Come and I will send you back."
At first, Xu Feng was surprised that the creditor was so good to him. She said to Tang Junnian: "I am very afraid that you are doing this to me, and I will pay you back in the future."
Tang Junnian laughed: "Fool, do you think I am good to you, so that you can return the money to me early?"
Tang Junnian greeted Xu Feng warmly, and Xu Feng took her to eat and go shopping when she rested, and gave her a lot of clothes and jewelry.
Tang Junnian was down-to-earth and considerate, giving Xu Feng a warmth that he had never experienced. Xu Feng's heart had already accepted this person.
One day a few months later, Xu Feng walked out of the set, only to see Tang Junnian on one knee, holding a diamond ring: Marry me. Everyone on the scene is coaxing, marry him! Xu Feng nodded excitedly.
For this marriage, Tang Junnian's parents firmly disagreed: "Xu Feng is a divorced actress, she is not worthy of our family." Tang Junnian, who is bent on xu feng, has a showdown with his parents: either agree to get married or break off the relationship.
The economic base determines the superstructure, and the rich generation tang Junnian has a very heavy voice, and his parents can't help him, so they have to agree.
In May 1980, Xu Feng and Tang Junnian held a luxurious wedding. The 30,000 roses placed at the wedding site made Xu Feng unforgettable.
After marriage, Xu Feng chose to stop the shadow and gave birth to two sons, and has lived the life of a rich wife ever since.
Xu Feng, who can't stay idle, is tired of doing nothing every day, and she still can't put down the movie.
She used her husband's 4 million yuan of start-up funds to set up "Tomson Film Business Co., Ltd." to invest in various films, and Xu Feng transformed into a producer.
05
Her husband felt that Xu Feng just wanted to relive his old dreams when he opened a film company. Fortunately, only 4 million yuan was invested, and even if it was all lost, it would not cause too much loss to his career.
Tang Junnian, who did not expect his wife to make any achievements, said to Xu Feng: "You suffered so much when you were young filming, now invest in movies, just be happy, don't care too much about gains and losses."
And the people around him are not optimistic about Xu Feng's new career. In the 1980s, Taiwan's film and television industry could not compete with the Hong Kong film and television industry, and excellent directors, screenwriters and actors gathered in Hong Kong.
Xu Feng, who is well aware of the current situation, calmly analyzed, and she decided to find another way to go to the mainland to find cooperation opportunities.
Among them, Xu Feng's greatest work is to single-handedly promote the birth of "Overlord Farewell". With the film, Xu Feng's film company has grown rapidly and has impressed everyone.
"Farewell to the Overlord" is a long novel created by writer Li Bihua, xu Feng loved it after reading it and wanted to adapt it into a movie. She personally negotiated with Li Bihua and successfully won the copyright.
In 1988, Xu Feng participated in the Cannes Film Festival. When she watched Chen Kaige's "Child King", her eyes lit up, and she felt that this mainland director had a lot of ideas.
At this time, the mainland and Taiwan's film industry did not communicate with each other, and both sides felt strange to each other.
Xu Feng found Chen Kaige and showed him the script of "Farewell to the Overlord", when Chen Kaige, who was thinking about making literary and art films, refused after reading the script: "This is a popular novel, I only shoot literary and art films."
After a year, Xu Feng found Chen Kaige again and said something that touched him: "No matter what the theme of the film, don't you want the audience to identify with you?"
At this time, Chen Kaige, who was trapped in the dilemma of "applauding or not calling for seats" in his works, finally accepted Xu Feng's invitation.
The main roles zhang fengyi, Gong Li was successfully finalized. The most critical role of "Cheng Dieyi", whether it is Xu Feng's heart or the original author Li Bihua's vision, is played by Zhang Guorong.
But good things are more grinding, at first Zhang Guorong's agent minded that "Cheng Dieyi" was a homosexual setting, if Zhang Guorong starred, it would cause damage to his image, and finally politely rejected Xu Feng.
At this time, Zun Long, who starred in "The Last Emperor", was very interested in "Cheng Dieyi", and for him, the setting of this role was simply tailor-made for himself: he was also born as an orphan and also practiced Peking Opera.
Zun Long actively contacted Xu Feng. The two hit it off and decided to meet to discuss the specifics.
When he really saw Zun Long, Xu Feng regretted it: "He looks very handsome, but the edges and corners are too hard, and he lacks a weak temperament."
If zun long is really allowed to act, this play will not feel as it should feel.
Xu Feng immediately made a decision and decided to break the contract with Zun Long.
Xu Feng once again strongly invited Zhang Guorong to star. After reading the script, Zhang Guorong was touched by the ups and downs of "Cheng Dieyi" and decided to go to Beijing to shoot a drama.
It turned out that Xu Feng's eyes were poisonous. Zhang Guorong perfectly played the role of "Cheng Dieyi" in the play, and "Farewell to the Overlord" became a milestone in the history of Chinese cinema.
06
After filming "Farewell to the Overlord", Xu Feng and her husband Tang Junnian came to Shanghai Pudong New Area to investigate according to the call for mainland construction.
At that time, Pudong New Area was established not long ago, and the infrastructure was backward and needed to be developed urgently. At that time, the people of Shanghai were rumored to be "I'd rather have a bed in Puxi than a suite in Pudong".
Tang Junnian looked at the desolate Pudong and whispered to Xu Feng: "You said that such a big place, the basic settings are so backward, we came in to invest, I am really afraid of hitting the water."
But Xu Feng has a different view: "Pudong's geographical location is too good, and it is also the development zone of Shanghai, the largest city in the mainland, and it will definitely become a bustling area in the future."
Listening to his wife's words, Tang Junnian strengthened his confidence and began to make great efforts to participate in the construction of the development of Pudong.
Xu Feng and his wife joined hands hand in hand, her husband expanded her territory outside, and Xu Feng offered advice behind her back. The Tomson Group is growing day by day.
In 2004, Tomson Group launched the top luxury house Tomson Yipin Real Estate, which once ranked first in the domestic list in terms of price and became a beautiful landscape in Pudong New Area.
Since then, Tomson Group has become a leader in the field of high-end hotels and real estate in Pudong New Area.
However, Tang Junnian died of illness soon after. The grief-stricken Xu Feng looked at her husband's remains and did not want to leave for a long time.
Xu Feng, who withstood the pressure, inherited her husband's career. She carefully analyzed the situation of the group, was good at listening to different opinions, judging the situation, and the Tomson Group continued to move forward and move towards new glory under the leadership of Xu Feng.
Xu Feng, who is now worth tens of billions, continues to make his own contributions to the film career he loves. She invested more than 5 million yuan to repair the movie "Heroine", which was awarded the Golden Horse Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Looking back on The legendary life of Xu Feng, I have to sigh at the arrangement of fate. But no matter how life goes up and down, if you can stick to your promise like Xu Feng, you will surely usher in a happy tomorrow.