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In the spring of 1987, the Miss Chinatown contest, which began in 1953, ushered in the 35th edition of the competition. This year's champion is Guo Jinen, a youthful, hot but not beautiful Chinese-American girl.
Many people don't understand Miss Chinatown and Miss Chinese American, but these are two different pageants.
Source: Miss Chinatown USA 2019 contest
The former is one of the largest events of the lunar New Year every year in San Francisco's Chinatown. The event was originally organized by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in San Francisco's Chinatown in 1952.
The "Miss Chinatown Election" was originally called "Miss Chinatown" in San Francisco, and the beautiful ladies who participated in the election were limited to san Francisco Bay Area residents. Until 1958, the pageant became more and more popular with chinese people in the United States, and the organizers decided to welcome beautiful women from all over the United States to participate in the election. Since then, "Miss Chinatown" has been renamed the "Miss Chinatown Election" that everyone is familiar with today.
Since then, the event has also begun to gather "Miss Chinatown" from all over the United States to compete with the beauties of the Bay Area as "Miss Chinatown", including Hawaii, Seattle, Chicago, Houston and New York. When Miss Chinatown is elected, she will need to shoulder the responsibility of promoting Chinese culture in and around the Bay Area.
Yuan Yonglin, who is now participating in "Sister Lang", is the winner of Miss Chinatown 2009
Miss Chinese American is a simple American Chinese beauty campaign, which originated in New York State, was first called "Miss Chinese New York", and has been held every summer since 1991. Since 2002, it has been co-organized by the Chinese Beauty Pageant Association of New York and TVB (USA).
That is to say, although they are all beauty pageants, the genes of "Miss Chinatown" carry more attention to humanities and some internal connection to the Chinese blood, while "Miss Chinese Americans" pays attention to pure beauty pageants.
The winner of Miss Chinatown in 1992, Wu Meihuan, has a unique temperament
Among the more famous winners of Miss Chinatown are former TVB actress Wu Meihuan (1992) and Yuan Yonglin (2009), who is now participating in the phenomenon-level variety show "Sister Riding the Wind and Waves" on Hunan Satellite TV. They, including the protagonist of this article, Guo Jin'en, are not beautiful women in the traditional aesthetic sense, but they are extremely talented, unique temperament and cultural origins.
Chen Fara participated in the beauty pageant and won consecutive victories
Of course, it does not mean that Miss Chinatown has no beautiful women, former TVB Hua Dan Chen Fara has won Miss Asian American (champion), Miss Chinatown (runner-up), Miss American Chinese (champion), Miss Chinese International (runner-up) and Miss International Chinese (runner-up) for four consecutive years in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively. She is a great beauty who is "beautiful and wise" in one.
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The 21-year-old Guo Jinen grew up in the United States, has a cheerful and simple personality, often likes cowboys and vests, has a bumpy figure, and has a youthful atmosphere.
Like all young girls, Guo Jin'en is full of ideals and expectations for the future. Because he is of Chinese descent, he is naturally concerned about the Chinese entertainment industry, which was the golden age of the Hong Kong entertainment industry, and Guo Jinen also had beautiful fantasies about Hong Kong.
Newspaper picture of that year: Guo Jinen on the left
The young Guo Jin'en is passionate about public welfare and pays attention to social issues, and after being elected as Miss Chinatown, she naturally actively participated in charity activities.
Mr. Ho Guanchang, one of the most famous Hong Kong Jiahe film owners at that time, was active in the American community, and he funded many charities in San Francisco, including a nursing home, which is also an occasion for Guo Jinen to participate in charity work.
Mr. Ho Kwan Cheong, who died in 1997, was the guide for Guo Jin'en to enter the entertainment industry
Once Guo Jinen performed a charity performance for the nursing home, the director of the nursing home chatted with her, knowing that she longed for the Hong Kong entertainment industry, he said:
"Miss Guo has ambitions to be a star, and our main patron, Ho GuanChang, is the second boss of Hong Kong Jiahe Company, I can introduce you to you, I believe it can help you."
The young Guo Jin'en saw this rare opportunity and naturally grasped it tightly, afraid of letting go of this elusive good luck.
She soon met With Ho As the Winner of Miss Chinatown that year. This kind of thing is naturally not a problem for He Sheng, who is in the sky, and the following year, He Guanchang arranged for Guo Jinen to star in the movie "Flying Dragon Fierce General" starring Jackie Chan, Hong Jinbao and Yuan Biao.
Guo Jin'en played Jacky Cheung's wife in "Black Snow"
Guo Jinen's dream came true and entered the entertainment industry, and the starting point cannot be said to be high. She also seized the opportunity to star in several films in a row, including "Four Thousand Gold" with Li Zhi and Liu Jialing, "The Dragon Walks the World" with Jet Li, and played Jacky Cheung's wife in the 1991 film "Black Snow" directed by David Jiang. In its heyday, actresses such as Guo Jin'en and Ye Zilin were known as the "Five Golden Flowers of Jiahe".
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But Guo Jinen, who has just entered the entertainment industry and is full of dreams, once witnessed a stunned live kung fu show on the set of popular actresses competing for the limelight.
At that time, two beautiful actresses were competing for the female first of a movie, and at the same time, they were also competing for the favor of the company's senior management in reality.
In "Black Snow", he cooperated with Xueyou tacitly
It happened that the two girls met on the narrow road on the set that day, and one of the kung fu actresses was quite skilled, and on the spot, she cast a "sweeping leg" to the opponent, and when the opponent leaned back and fell, she pulled her foot and slapped the opponent. With a "pop", the beaten actress's pink face was red and swollen.
The kung fu actress did not spare, scolding: "Fight with me, be careful to see you again once and fight more than once." ”
The fledgling Guo Jin'en happened to witness the whole process on the side, and he was frightened for half a day, and his blind obsession with the entertainment industry suddenly disappeared.
Collaboration with Jet Li on "The Dragon Walks the World"
She left the set, walked to her friend's office building in a panic, and told her friend what she saw, who comforted her and advised:
"In the film industry, we must be strong and hard enough, individuals must grasp the purpose, do their duty, and treat things that have nothing to do with themselves as invisible, and they will not have to do without their knowledge."
However, Guo Jin'en, who began to doubt the entertainment industry, has lost his original enthusiasm.
Jackie Chan, Guo Jin'en, Yuan Biao
By chance, Guo Jinen often interacted with colleagues in the company's publicity department, and was very familiar with artists and photographers. She gradually became interested in behind-the-scenes work. She is extremely studious and wants to fully grasp the work in front of and behind the scenes of the film stage.
Guo Jinen co-starred with Liu Jialing, Li Zhi and Wang Xiaofeng in "Four Thousand Gold"
In 1992, Guo Jin'en got the opportunity to participate in the filming of the love movie "When You Wake Up from a Dream" starring Gong Li, Zhong Zhentao and Lin Junxian as an assistant director of Zhang Aijia. This is Guo Jin'en's first attempt at behind-the-scenes work in the film, and the 26-year-old Guo Jin'en began to plant the seeds of being a director in his heart.
Guo Jin'en filmed "Waking Up from a Dream" as an assistant director, which starred the veteran goddess Gong Li
The head of the Jiahe propaganda department whom Guo Jinen visited from time to time was surnamed Du, and Du Sheng also became friends with Guo Jinen when he came and went.
One day, He Guanchang, who introduced Guo Jinen to the industry, met Guo Jinen unexpectedly in the Du Sheng department, and He Guanchang mentioned during the conversation that "Guo Jinen is a descendant of Guo Quan, the founder of Hong Kong Wing On Department Store. ”
Wing On Department Store was founded in 1907
Du Sheng was curious, and after He Guanchang left, he asked Guo Jin'en, and Jin'en smiled frankly and said:
"Yes, I am a descendant of the Guo family, but in my father's generation, many brothers separated the family, my father got the property in the United States, and then all invested in the development of Hawaii, how do you know that the investment is wrong and there is no return, my sister has become the poorest person in the Guo family, and now the relationship between the relatives of this group is only to meet every year, and when I patronize the restaurant under Yong'an with you for tea and dinner, I report 'I am the niece of the Guo family', every time I do not have to wait in line, I get a very polite priority reception, that's all."
Wow, it turns out that this plain-looking woman in front of her is actually a famous person, although the family road has fallen, but it is rare that she has never had the behavior of bullying her identity and intending to profit, not like some proud women, some seemingly innocent relationships are eager to be spoiled by the whole world.
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The frank and straightforward Jin En has won the respect and favor of colleagues and insiders, including Lu Liangwei, who was extremely popular for playing "Lame Hao".
At that time, after breaking up with Zhou Haimei, Lu Liangwei was full of firepower and pursued Guo Jinen, who had excellent temperament and talent.
Guo Jin'en's English name is Crystal, which means crystal. Lu Liangwei set up a large number of crystal crafts in his home, and the young Guo Jinen was deeply moved and held hands with Lu Liangwei.
Lv Liangwei (2nd from left) Guo Jinen (1st from right)
However, the relationship lasted only two years. During this period, Guo Jin'en often dined with friends in Lan Kwai Fong and met Richard, a Jewish college student who had come to Hong Kong to study. The two people have common English, American living habits are harmonious, they hate each other late, and they gradually become acquainted and affectionate.
Lu Liangwei and Guo Jinen had a two-year relationship
She carefully considered her feelings with Lu Liangwei and determined that more part of it was a momentary feeling of youth, but it was definitely not the love she pursued.
In her bones, the American style and advocating independence of Guo Jinen will never drag the mud and water, she opened the door to Lu Liangwei to clarify the causes and consequences, and the relationship between the two turned into ordinary friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Guo Jin'en and Lu Liangwei
During this period, Guo Jinen returned to the United States to study film, and after returning to Hong Kong, Guo Jinen also shot many movies, because the American university teaching model encouraged students to criticize, so she often challenged the director's script, and in retrospect felt that she was rude.
This is also related to her untamed personality in her bones that challenges authority, and she feels uncomfortable with the discipline of women that many Chinese worlds are accustomed to, and there is a desire to challenge this established thinking.
Guo Jin'en is in good shape
She always remembers when she returned to Hong Kong from San Francisco and worked with Jackie Chan on "The Flying Dragon" for the first time, she played Jackie Chan's (lawyer's) assistant. At that time, the crew asked her to wear a short skirt and high heels, and she felt that this dress did not look like a legal worker at all, so she went to persuade Jackie Chan, and the crew later changed her into a long skirt and put on glasses.
Stills from "The Wyvern"
The TV station's women's talk program invited her to be the host, which will involve sexual topics, and as the host, her avant-garde and bold image immediately penetrated the hearts of the people.
Guo Jinen said that the topics discussed will naturally occur to everyone, and she just brings out some topics that others dare not say, but are worth studying.
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In 1999, Guo Jinen married his lover Richard and settled in Hong Kong, having children.
After marriage, Guo Jin'en was obsessed with movies, and she began to understand what she wanted. Compared with the performance in front of the stage, she loves the choreographer and director behind the scenes.
Guo Jin'en and her husband Richard
Born in the United States of China, in addition to focusing on women's themes, she has also devoted a lot of effort to the fate of Chinese.
In 1999, Guo Jin'en wrote and directed a feminist film "Lost Forest", which invited Taiwanese actress Chen Xiaoxuan to star, and the old love Lu Liangwei also performed for her almost for free.
Lu Liangwei starred in "Lost Forest" for almost free for his old love
Lost Forest is one of the few films of the 1990s that explores the lusts and feminism of local women. Although it was judged as a restricted film because of its sensitive and bold subject matter and its very avant-garde performance at the time, it did not affect the high praise of it in the industry.
Until last December, Guo Jin'en re-screened her drama "Lost Forest" in Hong Kong. From the perspective of a female director, she dissected the independent voice of women in Hong Kong society 20 years ago, and the presentation of "sex" in the film, which still has great resonance from the audience.
Lost Forest is avant-garde
In addition, Guo Jin'en participated in the production and performance of the adaptation of the American female writer Eve Lee. Eve Ensler's famous work "Vagina Monologue" has caused great repercussions for women's rights.
The performance reverberated in Hong Kong
Since the beginning of this year, the black movement in the United States has evolved into a "black life is also life" movement due to the "I can't breathe" incident. As a Chinese director, Guo Jin'en has long been concerned about the racial discrimination of Chinese people.
She brought her own documentary "Not Black and White" from the United States to Hong Kong to hold a symposium, in addition to discussing discrimination, she also mentioned many taboos for women in the circle, such as not sitting in a machine box, and pointed out that she did not tolerate some unspoken rules.
As the name suggests, the "non-black and non-white" Chinese yellow skin is more easily ignored in the West, and white people needless to say, the black movement has also risen and fallen, while the Chinese are ashamed to express themselves because of cultural or psychological reasons. Lack of presence in the campaign against racial discrimination.
Guo Jin'en is full of interest in his grandmother's story The picture below is the picture on the left when Guo Jin'en's grandmother was young
Because of my Chinese identity, "at that time, when I talked to people about film contracts, the other party (men) would shoot me on the knee, or a lot of men would come over and take pictures of me during the beauty pageant, which is the case in Hollywood." ”
Guo Jin'en's grandmother was in the black area of Augusta, Georgia, in the southern United States in the 19s, and as a 19-year-old Chinese girl, she was both fearful and unwilling. Grandma worked desperately to save money, and a few years later she saved enough money to leave her parents and the grocery store they owned and fled the south.
Guo Jin'en has always been interested in her grandmother's story, and she often imagines "a Chinese girl, how to save money, how to plan, is the language good enough?" How do you communicate with black people? ”
Stage plays
Filled with too many associations, she finally put her thoughts into action, and "Non Black, Not White" tried to use the story of Guo Jin'en's grandmother as a guide to bring out a larger story of the Chinese and apartheid periods. Raise awareness of discrimination against ethnic Chinese and people of color.
After wandering in the data pile for a long time, visiting more people with different people, and the perception of history has changed. Guo Jinen said that the entire history of mankind is connected, whether black, white, Chinese, or American.
She was concerned about issues related to racial discrimination
Perhaps few people think about the relationship between the history of the Chinese and the blacks, but she further asked, why do we Chinese have the opportunity to go to the United States to develop? If it were not for the use of black slaves in the United States to develop plantations, and then make a fortune and expand the market, the Chinese would not have jobs in the United States, "I really found this connection in interviews and research." ”
A photo of Guo Jin'en when he was young
Dedicated to the study of women's equal rights and human mentality, when it comes to her daughter's conservative thinking, she said that she will do her duty to instill sexual knowledge, although the eldest daughter of 16 years old looks very good, but she does not plan to let her daughter learn her to participate in the beauty pageant, she said: "(She) has her own ideas, will not force it!" ”
Guo Jin'en and his daughter
Guo Jin'en also shared with the media that she is working on the documentary project, Unruly Chinese Women, to once again explore the issue of women's voice and identity, from the perspective of Chinese women, to examine the status and racial relations of Chinese women under racial segregation in the southern United States, and to have an intimate dialogue with the audience on "women, gender and history".
Guo Jin'en has been committed to the exploration of women's culture
From a young girl with a dream of a magnificent star to a documentary female director who runs for women ethnically, Guo Jin'en's dream has always been there. A person who always has dreams to chase, life is of course wonderful.