Chang Chen, since he was 14 years old when he starred in "The Murders of Kuling Street", his face has appeared throughout half of the history of Chinese films. He has always been a favorite actor of major directors, including Edward Yang, Ang Lee, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Wong Kar-Wai...

Chang Chen has been a favorite actor of great directors since he was 14 years old when he acted in "The Murders of the Guling Street Boys". Chang, Ang Lee, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Wong Kar-wai...

"Chang Chen is an honest man, very honest and of good quality," director Hou Hsiao-hsien once commented.

But for Zhang Zhen, what he is most and least confident about himself is "performance".

"Guling Street Teenage Murder Incident", Zhang Zhen said that in the scene where Xiao Si kills Xiao Ming, he first knew what it was like to act. She gave me a new understanding of acting work"

Recently, the drama "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Between" starring Zhang Zhen and written and directed by Lai Shengchuan

is touring in the mainland,

"I am not an actor who studied acting,

so I have always felt that my performance needs to be improved.

When I returned to the theater, the performance became more pure and allowed me to find fun. "

"江/云·之/间" stills

"江/云·之/间" 》It tells the story of a pair of lovers who missed each other in time,

Jiang Binliu and Yun Zhifan, who lost contact with each other in 1949.

They actually came to Taipei from the mainland, but did not know each other.

They reunited in Taipei in their later years. .

Zhang Zhen has to perform Jiang Binliu’s life spanning nearly 40 years in every performance.

I met Zhang Zhen backstage at the Shanghai Theater.

Readme: Zhang Zhen

Written by: Ni Jianjia

"Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Between" Zhang Zhen plays Jiangbin Liu

Zhang Zhen’s family is from other provinces. His father, Zhang Guozhu, is from Zhejiang and lives in a military village. Zhang Zhen grew up with his grandmother. Big, "My grandma's family came to Taipei from the Northeast. We must eat steamed buns, steamed buns, and millet porridge for meals. We look for millet everywhere. Now that I see steamed buns, I miss the taste of my childhood. During the holidays, I must eat braised noodles. Put fungus, dried tofu, egg drop, edamame, minced meat... This stew is something I have never eaten outside, it is the taste of our home. "

There is a passage in "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Jian" that triggered him. In a resonant scene, Jiang Binliu and Yun Zhifan, a pair of lovers, both came to Taipei from the mainland without knowing each other. They wrote to each other while cooking, "In the market, you can eat snacks from all provinces. There is The dumplings made by uncles from Shandong and home-style noodles sold by old ladies from Shaanxi... I can eat all over the continent within 100 meters of my home..." Eating is really important, especially for these people from other provinces who have left their hometowns.

The drama "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Between" is as long as 3 hours. Lai Shengchuan wanted to write about the miserable people of Jiang and Yun's generation, as well as Taipei from the 1950s to the 1970s. "The Taipei where I grew up, it can be said that... The most interesting city in the world at that time was wonderful in its poverty, diversity and sadness. The sadness lay in homesickness, longing, and the separation of flesh and blood. It was a city that cannot be forgotten.Two million displaced people from mainland China are interspersed in Taiwanese society, including my parents. Sometimes, although they dress brightly, there is clearly inexplicable pain behind the smiles. "

"Secret Love in Peach Blossom Spring" Brigitte Lin as Yun Zhifan, Jin Shijie 5 Decorated by Jiang Binliu

Jiang Binliu and Yun Zhifan lost contact with each other in 1949. After nearly 40 years, they wrote letters to each other, even though they knew that the other party could not receive them, the letters filled him up Their lives, but in fact they both lived in Taipei. In their later years, the two met again in the ward... This story took shape in Lai Shengchuan's early work "Secret Love in the Peach Blossom Spring". It was also the first time that director Lai Shengchuan borrowed his own work to make a story. Extension of new works . 6

"Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Between" will be performed in Taipei for the first time in 2021. It is a rare stage play by Zhang Zhen. His father Zhang Guozhu came to see it, "My dad said it is good, a new breakthrough, very good." He doesn’t talk too much about the older generation. I dare not ask you if you cried? But I believe he must feel it very much. "

Lai Shengchuan, Hu Defu and Zhang Zhen

Zhang Zhen likes the live feeling of the theater. "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Jian" invited Hu Defu to play and sing live, "The wind in the Pacific Ocean has been blowing..." He sat steadily on the stage and sang one song after another, like a background of the times. The music contained the passage of time, witnessing the story between Jiang and Yun.

"I often tell my friends to watch "Jiang/Yun·. "Between/Between" is a bonus. You can see Teacher Hu Defu singing live. The emotions expressed every time he plays are different, and the atmosphere of the theater is also different. In the end, there is a connection between the audience and Teacher Hu. I like this very much. connect. "

The following is Zhang Zhen's self-report.

Yang Dechang, Zhang Zhen and others were in the crew of "Guling Street Juvenile Murder Incident"

I actually met Director Lai Shengchuan when I was very young. Director Lai and Director Yang Dechang are very good friends. They both like to play basketball and watch American football. They are both over 1.8 meters tall. When I watched them when I was young, they were really two super super friends. A handsome guy on the set of "The Murder of the Boys on Guling Street". Director Lai's daughter plays my younger sister. This time I also hope to have another opportunity to be closer to the time when they were creating.

I am not an actor who studied acting, and I have always felt that my performance is not worthy. I need to strengthen my skills. When I return to the theater, I feel that acting becomes simpler and purer. It will allow me to find fun in the process of acting.

html If I lose the fun, I may not want to be an actor. 4 The crew of "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Jian" celebrates Zhang Zhen's birthday

I like the script "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Jian" very much, because Jiang Binliu is a native of Northeast China. Chunren, my grandfather is also from Changchun. When I saw this place, I thought I could make a different Jiang Binliu, because this role is very classic and has been played by many actors in "Secret Love in the Peach Blossom Spring". 4. Through playing the role of Jiang Binliu, I kept recalling every detail of the life of my grandpa’s generation. They all spoke very sparingly and focused on the key points. Their words and sentences were also different from today’s. For example, there is a sentence in the play The line, "Not bad", actually he felt "very good" in his heart, but he wouldn't say it directly, he just said "Not bad".

I remember the first day I came to rehearse with the actors in the theater. He asked me why you all seem to have a certain style in acting. Do you want to set a standard? I think this relatively old-school way of expression is very suitable for "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Jian" because a large part of it is the state of two people reading letters aloud without touching each other, and when they return to the level of comparing life, it is another time. A form of performance.

Jiang Binliu did not wait until Yun Zhifan got married to Meiru and started a family

In order to play Jiang Binliu, I grew a beard and wanted him to look more unruly. Jiang Binliu is an extremely romantic person. He is completely different from me. He can be very lyrical when expressing emotions. But romance is a very private part of him. In life, when he gets along with his family, I will find a comparison board. They also sit upright when eating. The previous generation paid more attention to this. They didn’t seem to want to be discovered by others when it came to their feelings.

Everyone will have a very unforgettable moment in life. For Jiang Binliu and Yun Zhifan, it was the moment when they were dating on the Bund. Their lines would constantly mention the lamp in the water and the scene in the restaurant they had eaten together. This song has been lingering in their minds for a lifetime. I don't think Jiang Binliu has moved on. It's just that he likes to stay in that moment too much and doesn't want to forget it.

Jiang Binliu and Yun Zhifan reunited in the ward after nearly forty years apart.

It’s really hard to act out Jiang Binliu’s life every day. Every time I look back at Yun Zhifan in the ward, it feels like a needle prick. If it comes to me, it will hurt again.

Because I don’t know how to set it for myself. At this time, I have to lock my breath and cry. It may be better to use these techniques, but I am very stubborn every time and just don’t want to, because I want to be happy every time I look at her. It was the look Jiang Binliu saw when he saw Yun Zhifan thirty or forty years later. Sometimes I just keep looking at her, and sometimes I adjust my clothes and appearance. I am obviously very sad, but I keep arranging... I can do some improvisational performances in this small world.

Jiang Binliu and Yun Zhifan reunited in the Taipei ward in their later years

I also gained a lot, so that when acting in movies and TV shows, I can immediately enter the character's state. For example, when the camera is so close, actors sometimes feel pressure and what should I do if they can't cry? ? After playing "Meet in the Ward", crying scenes will not become a pressure for me. In fact, as long as you focus on the character, you can do it without borrowing other moods. Now I can skip borrowing other moods.

I feel that I have made progress, and there is that little happiness in my heart.

Even though I have performed it dozens of times, I still get very panicked at one point. Then the way I think of it is, before I go to bed every day, and the first thing after I wake up, I lie in bed and do nothing, with my eyes closed, for a long time. In the dark state, it is actually very similar to the backstage of the stage. I will silence the play from beginning to end by myself, which may only last half an hour. After doing this silence every day, I feel very at ease.

Director Lai Shengchuan and the actors took their final call

Rehearsing with Teacher Lai, I think a very good thing is that he will not show you how to do it. He thinks that the actor's own understanding is very important, and you should do it according to your own understanding first. Solve puzzles.

We are familiar with Sister Ai (Xiao Ai, who plays Yun Zhifan) when they were in "The Murder of the Boys on Guling Street". She played the role of the proprietress of the ice cream shop, who sat at the door of the ice shop crying when she was heartbroken. I played the role of the mistress. She was also trapped by love, and she had to teach him not to skip classes. She was also one of the assistant directors, and we all spent a lot of time together on the set.

and Sister Ai once again collaborated on "Jiang/Yun·Zhi/Jian". There are no taboos between us. I will ask her for advice on many acting things. She began to play Yun Zhifan in "Secret Love in Peach Blossom Spring" in 1991. This character is so familiar. I will always pay close attention to her on stage to feel her emotions, lines, and her breathing rhythm.

The stage is designed in the form of a multi-grid "memory box"

The energy of the audience is different in each performance. We can actually feel the reaction on the stage.

Many people will cry when they watch it. Everyone’s point of crying is different. Some people cry because the two of them missed each other. Some people cry because they think Jiang Binliu’s wife is beautiful and pitiful. Jiang Binliu is a scumbag. I don’t think Jiang Binliu is very good. Damn, everyone's experience is different.

The actors can get feedback from the audience immediately on the spot, which is a very special experience for me. So I would like to try many different things within the framework and enjoy the process.

"Guling Street Youth Murder Incident" Yang Dechang directed the scene in which Xiao Si kills Xiao Ming

Yang Dechang directed the scene very strictly. Every word in his script, including commas and periods, we actors are not allowed to change by ourselves, so we played Yang Directing a movie is very stressful.

The first time I really knew what it was like to act was when I was acting in the scene in "The Murder of the Boys on Guling Street" in which Xiao Si kills Xiao Ming. I really felt like I had killed her on the spot, and it dawned on me a little bit. It turns out that the performance is very close to what really happened, and there is no need to act it.

Gradually, I started to play some roles. I tried my best to achieve the same feeling as before, but it was actually quite difficult and I often couldn't do it.

Stills from "Hand of Cupid"

Until she later acted in "Hand of Cupid" with Gong Li, all her emotional expressions were very real, I heard her tell the truth and felt her true feelings. She is also very sensitive to the camera and knows everything about it. After filming "Her" and "Hand of Love", I regained confidence in my acting career. She guided me to a path that I felt I should take.

Experiencing what that character has to do is a way for me to get into the character. If I were to play a baker today, should I really know the process of making bread? If not, I have to learn.

Stills from "Wu Qingyuan"

Before I acted in "Wu Qingyuan", I lived in Japan for two months. I often went to chess courts to observe the chess players playing chess and the state of their lives.

One month before I started acting, I set a class schedule for myself. Every day my life was the same. When I got up, I would read Teacher Wu’s autobiography. After reading it, I would go for a run and then sit quietly, because playing chess is a very peaceful thing. Things, then dinner, bed, repeat every day.

Wu Qingyuan and Zhang Zhen

also contacted Teacher Wu four or five times. I just watched him silently from the side. At that time, he was taking some videos. Each video lasted about an hour. He recalled the past chess games, his own chess and his opponent's chess, each time. He remembered every move very clearly. I felt like I was "killing monsters at a higher level" and I looked at him with admiration. His devotion to Go was really everything, and his life was Go.

That’s why we want to show that Teacher Wu is a very bad person in life. I will act clumsily and walk a little uncoordinated, and when playing chess, I want to find that very Zen state.

For me, getting to know Teacher Wu is a very important thing in life. He let me know what true devotion is. He didn’t do it for the sake of perfection, he just really liked this thing too much. I like this pure feeling. I can focus on acting, but I have never positioned myself as a person who is very suitable for acting. In fact, there are many conflicts between my personality and acting. For example, I don’t like to complicate things when I do things, but for an actor, the more complicated and more layers, the better. I am also a very introverted person. When I work with a group, I always sit in the corner and observe.

(Q: Who is more i between you and Tony Leung?)

I think I am more i. Privately, he is in his own atmosphere and he is very comfortable. What I am sure of is that he loves acting more than I do, and he loves it a lot more.

Tony Leung and Chang Chen in "Happy Together"

I remember when we were acting in "The Unparalleled World", we all stayed in the hotel on the same set. It seemed like it was a holiday. We went to a place and he suddenly played a piece of music. After playing the music, he started talking about "Eastern China". Lines from "Evil West Poison". All I want to say is, who am I? Where am I? At that time, it was almost 10 years after "Ashes of Time" was filmed. He could tell his lines from beginning to end, a three-minute monologue. I wanted to say that this person is okay, and then I was very sure that he must be doing it for this. I don’t know how many times I have practiced the lines, until I can say them at any time.

My dad is also a very crazy person. I think his acting level is higher than mine. When I was a child, he would recite his lines at home every day and keep repeating them, and I would think who he was and what he was doing. Now that I am at home alone, I am too embarrassed to practice my lines. I told you to ignore me for now and I will go to a place to read by myself. My dad and I have completely different personalities.

Because of "The Grandmaster", Zhang Zhen went to learn Bajiquan. "I learned boxing for 5 years. I competed in the third year, and continued to practice for two years. I didn’t practice until the child was born.”

I am an actor myself, and I should do what I think should be done, even if the audience may not feel it, but it is useful to me.

Just like "Between Rivers and Clouds", Jiang Binliu and Yun Zhifan have been reading letters. Sister Ai and I have really written them. Have we really written those words? It's like in the play. The restaurants mentioned, which streets, buses... the accumulation is different. I believe that if I wrote 1,000 letters today and I wrote 100 letters, Jiang Binliu would be different standing on the stage.

Many viewers may know more about "Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land" than I do, so they feel a lot of pressure. Instead, it became a motivation for me to study more about Jiang Binliu and immerse myself in this character in my own way. Inside is the most enjoyable place for me this time.

Zhang Zhen’s daily life of cycling and mountain climbing

It is true that there have been some changes in my personality in the past few years, and I want to make myself more relaxed.

Because I am a person who gets nervous easily, and I don’t want what I like, I mean performing, to become a very stressful thing. So I adjust my life. When I'm not working, I feel free. Maybe the only thing I arrange is to exercise and live a good life so that I can enjoy every moment more.