Recently, Fei Xiang has made frequent appearances as a filmmaker in China and internationally. He endorses movies in which he stars, as well as Chinese movies.
Not long ago, on the day of the closing ceremony of the Beijing International Film Festival, Fei Xiang, who serves as a judge, arrived as scheduled to accept an exclusive interview with the "Face to Face" column. Less than a month after the film festival, Fei Xiang posted the news of his mother's death on social media. In an exclusive interview with "Face to Face", Fei Xiang is a 63-year-old child who is happy to talk about his mother and to accompany her.
On social media, Fei Xiang announced the news of his mother’s death: My dear mother Bi Lina has passed away peacefully from this world. I am by her side now, and although my heart is broken, I am still infinitely proud and grateful for her life. She will always be in my heart and in the memories and remembrances of countless people.
At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Film Festival, the song played when the curtain rose was called "Reading You". Because of Fei Xiang's singing, it became widely circulated in the late 1980s and became a part of the memory of the times. Fei Xiang has an ageless singing voice, and as a star, Fei Xiang has also been given the aura of agelessness, but he himself does not hide his age.
Fei Xiang: I am a 63-year-old person, so from my traditional perspective, I would particularly like to preserve some particularly precious traditional things in film art, such as emotions, actors, characters, and reality. In today's world, everything has become digital. For example, in the simplest example, if you want to buy a piece of clothing, you might take your family or friends on the street, go shopping, go to a store to look at it, wear it to show to your friends, see if it looks good or not, and then go in and change it. One piece. No matter what, this is a kind of resonance and communication with the real world, real people, and real things. But now when buying clothes, everyone swipes them at home and puts what they like in the shopping cart. Finally it comes in the mail, and a person tries it on at home, looks in the mirror, or has someone at home to look at it. But many things become individual for each person.
Reporter: Is a step forward or a step back?
Fei Xiang: I can’t use my values. My values are those of a person born in 1960. My values would be considered bad, but I don’t want to control my values to say that this is not good in today’s world. No, so I can only try to retain the space I want to retain. For example, I don’t use WeChat, I don’t even have Facebook in the United States, I don’t use Twitter, I don’t use any of these things.
reporter: on purpose?
Fei Xiang: I did it intentionally. I often don’t bring my mobile phone with me when I go out. During the whole process of filming "Fengshen", my mobile phone was not brought to the filming location. The comedy I'm filming now is set in the 1940s, and I tried to be in that atmosphere throughout the day. Don't pick up the phone midway and bring me into the modern isolation mentality. So I can adjust myself, that is, how to keep my own lifestyle and habits. It is not a choice for everyone, it is a choice I make for myself.
On the Spring Festival Gala stage in 1987, Fei Xiang from Taiwan established his status as a top idol with two songs. 36 years later, with the release of the movie "Fengshen", Fei Xiang's fan base has obviously expanded rapidly. People who like him include not only those who grew up in the 1980s, but also young people. They say that Fei Xiang is... "The first generation male god", while shouting "You can always trust mom's taste".
’s life experience and experience determine that Fei Xiang has a deep understanding of both Eastern and Western cultures. His mother Bi Lina was a Beijinger born in Harbin and went to Taiwan in 1949. Fei Xiang's father is an American who went to Taiwan to study Chinese.
In 1987, Chinese audiences not only enjoyed Fei Xiang’s singing and dancing through the small screen at the time, but also saw Fei Xiang express his feelings for his grandmother in a very Western way.
walked out of the gap between the two cultures and finally achieved a subtle fusion. This was an important journey in Fei Xiang's life.When he was 27 years old, he met his grandmother for the first time. In an article recalling his grandmother and discussing Chinese culture, Fei Xiang wrote: I am very grateful to have experienced the real Chinese culture in my life, and to know What is the real Chinese.
After the 1987 Spring Festival Gala, Fei Xiang became a national idol, and the total sales of his albums in mainland China exceeded 30 million. He embarked on a nationwide tour, visiting thirteen cities. However, in 1990, he decided to go to the United States and start over.
On Broadway, Fei Xiang was recognized by the "Godfather of World Musicals" Andrew Lloyd Webber and became one of the lead singers in his special concerts. He and the famous soprano Sarah Brightman shared the stage to sing the main song of "Phantom of the Opera". Fei Xiang's name became familiar to many Americans.
On July 1, 1997, at a large-scale party called "Ode to the Return" held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to celebrate Hong Kong's return, Fei Xiang sang "Clouds of Hometown" again.
Fei Xiang: At that time, I had not made any appearance in China for seven years. I can say that my singing of "Clouds of Hometown" now is even better than before. So I think this is what I want when I go to the United States. I know that I need to expand at that time, otherwise the road I will take will become narrower and narrower. It will definitely happen.
After 1997, Fei Xiang returned to China and promoted Broadway operas to enter the Chinese market. In 2001, Fei Xiang's mother chose to settle in Shanghai. Fei Xiang himself moved between New York, London and Shanghai, living a life that was always active in the entertainment industry while maintaining a leisurely pace. After the rise of social media, people learned about Fei Xiang’s activities from his self-media account. When he spent the Spring Festival alone in London, he would eat frozen dumplings. When I was with my mother, I would make dumplings and watch the Spring Festival Gala together. In 2012, he wrote an article recalling his first experience attending the Spring Festival Gala and believed that the Spring Festival Gala should become a cherished tradition.
Reporter: Why do you cherish so much?
Fei Xiang: I will cherish that experience, and that kind of resonance, I think it is particularly important.
Reporter: What resonance does have?
Fei Xiang: The resonance point of is that all of us, not necessarily just China. For example, the Olympics can bring all people together. The emotions between people are very precious, and what I can convey is that this thing is worth preserving. Reporter
: Why is it that , a person who combines two cultures, values his half of China’s culture so much?
Fei Xiang: I might have been more selfish when I was young. Western culture, especially the United States, advocates the individual, your personal happiness, your personal freedom, and your personal satisfaction. Chinese culture may advocate considering others first. Personally, I will become more and more inclined to live selfishly by myself. All for oneself, it is actually very empty.
Reporter: just said that when you were young, you were still a bit selfish. That is, young people. If you didn’t study medicine or art at that time, does it count?
Fei Xiang: I think it is . In fact, when I was a child, I always felt that if anyone asked me what I want to be when I grow up, my first response would be to be a doctor, so I entered college and studied medicine in my first year. But I was particularly unhappy that year because all the courses, physics, biology, and mathematics, did not allow me to do what I really loved. I discussed this with my parents. To be honest, I seemed a little unhappy. Can I switch to the drama department? For parents, this is so scary. I originally thought that my son would be fine. He became a doctor, so he could rest assured. He wanted to be an actor, which was scary, but my parents were unconditional and said no problem, if you want to transfer to the drama department, just go ahead.
Reporter: I don’t think this is selfishness, this is autonomy.
Fei Xiang: But I do know that my parents will want me to be a doctor, and they are also considering it for me, but I was young at that time and was quite selfish.
Fei Xiang's so-called "selfish" choice refers to his experience of giving up studying medicine in college and studying drama instead.But after studying drama, he became famous for his singing after debuting in the entertainment industry. He has also acted in movies, but his influence has been relatively lackluster. Until 2018, director Wu Ershan invited him to play the role of Yin Shou, King of Shang Zhou in "The Trilogy of the Gods", and he readily accepted. Before officially starting filming, he had to learn equestrian, martial arts, etiquette, and drumming. At the same time, in order to fit the character's image setting, he must undergo rigorous physical training. During this period, diet was also strictly restricted.
In 2023, "Fengshen Part 1: Chaoge Fengyun" was released. The tall, handsome, brave and majestic King Zhou convinced the audience. It can be said that Fei Xiang, who claims to be a newcomer to the movie, became popular again as an actor.
Fei Xiang: People should take the initiative to choose a path in their lives. For your choices, you should not blame others. You have to be responsible and you have to bear responsibility.
producer丨Liu Bin Wang Huidong
reporter丨Dong Qian
planner丨Huang Ying
editor and director丨Guo Jia
camera丨Yang Fan Liu Hongbo
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