China's overseas movie collaboration creates blockbuster at home

In Chinese comedy-mystery movie "Detective Chinatown 2," a detective duo takes on the Big Apple to hunt down the killer of grisly serial murders by using feng shui (also known as geomancy) as clues.

With the infusion of Chinese color into the plot, the movie was shot largely in New York City, including many landmark locations like Times Square, Fifth Avenue and the Brooklyn Bridge, making it attractive and intriguing to home and international audiences alike.

Not only was the movie shot in a U.S. city which is home to the largest Chinatown in the country, it was also the first Chinese-language film shot in the United States in collaboration with the unions.

The movie starring Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran is the sequel to 2015's "Detective Chinatown" and the second franchise of action comedies to be shot in Chinatown around the world. It was opened into 115 theaters in North America on Feb. 16 in a day-and-date limited release with its wide opening in China.

"Detective Chinatown 2" has grossed over 1.98 million U.S. dollars in North America and 531.9 million dollars worldwide as of its close date, April 5, marking it the fourth-highest-grossing ever in China, according to studio figures collected by boxofficemojo.com.

"This is a funny and exciting film," said David Li, an American Chinese man in his 50s, who came to see the movie with his wife in an AMC theatre in Monterey Park, one of the majority Asian American cities in Los Angeles County.

"We have watched 'Detective Chinatown 2' and 'Operation Red Sea' recently. Those films are popular in China and many my friends are talking about the plots," he said.

"Chinese filmmakers have already learned a lot from Hollywood and begun to make films with more Chinese characteristics. But it's interesting that this film is actual a Chinese film with American element," he added.

"With a combined 1 billion dollars plus in box office for 'Operation Red Sea' and 'Detective Chinatown 2' already earned in China, both are smash hits and clearly massively popular with moviegoers in the home country," said movie analyst Paul Dergarabedian at comScore.

In the first quarter of 2018, China's box office overtook North America to become the biggest in the world for the first time, as Chinese films perform stronger and stronger led by "Operation Red Sea" and "Detective Chinatown 2" and so on. Grosses for China in the first quarter totaled more than 3.1 billion dollars, compared to 2.89 billion dollars in the same period in North America.

"The question remains as to whether English language versions of such films could break out and find mainstream success in North America," Dergarabedian told Xinhua.

Zhu Yifan, storyboard artist of the "Detective Chinatown 2", told Xinhua that she believed the Chinese blockbuster already made some breakthrough as it is the first Chinese movie filmed with a unionized crew in the United States.

The American way of work in the film industry is very streamlined and standard while the Chinese way focuses on efficiency and creative collaboration, Zhu said. "When the two teams worked side by side to fulfill a challenging task during the shooting, that created a fantastic chemistry. We became very good friends by the end of the 45-day shooting in New York."

"And this is just a beginning. As Chinese film industry grew, more overseas collaborations are bound to come," Zhu added. Source: China.org.cn

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2nd Beijing Int'l Film Festival to open in April

China: The 2nd Beijing International Film Festival is scheduled to run from April 23 to 28, organizers have announced. There will be no competition section this year, and the festival will select a number of nominated or award-winning flicks from last year's international film festivals. Highlights will include a film market for producers and buyers, a film carnival that brings filmgoers and filmmakers together, and a seminar of major  global  studios'  executives.  The  film  market  at   last  year's  festival 

Jackie Chan and Zhang Ziyi, image ambassadors for the 1st Beijing International Film Festival, walk the red carpet at the festival's opening ceremony held at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on April 23, 2011. [File Photo: CRIonline]

sealed deals worth nearly 3 billion yuan (US$476.7 million). Source: 2nd Beijing Int'l Film Festival to open in April - China.org.cn

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'Journey to the West' smashes box office records

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Stephen Chow's fantasy comedy "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons" is poised to become the highest grossing domestic film in China. It has earned 1 billion yuan (159 million U.S. dollars) in just half a month, becoming one of only two domestic films to generate more than 1 billion yuan in box office revenues on the mainland, China Film News said Monday. It took 20 days for "Lost in Thailand," the current box office record holder, to bring in the same amount of money. "Lost," a low-budget comedy, has earned gross revenues of more than 1.2 billion yuan since it debuted last December. But many believe the film's record will soon be usurped by "Journey to the West," as the latter will stay on Chinese theaters' "hit films" list for at least another 15 days. Following the popularity of Chow's 1994 two-part film series "A Chinese Odyssey," the film is a retelling of the classic Chinese tale "Journey to the West." "Journey to the West" debuted on Feb. 10 and took in 80 million yuan on its first day, the biggest opening ever for a domestic film, according to figures from the film's producer, the Huayi Bros. Media Group. It also reset the mainland's single-day box office record after taking in revenues of 122 million yuan on Valentine's Day. The previous single-day record was 112 million yuan earned by "Transformers III: Dark of the Moon" in 2011. China is the world's second-largest film market. Its 2012 box office sales hit 17.07 billion yuan, surging 30.18 percent year on year. Source: China.org.cn

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Kunqu opera regains luster

Kunqu opera [file photo]

In 2001, Kunqu opera, the 600 year old art form, became the first Chinese item on UNESCO’s world intangible heritage list. Since then, the age old opera’s status has seen a great boost. And nowhere is that better seen than in Suzhou where the 5th Kunqu opera festival is drawing to a close. Apart from its waterways, beautiful gardens and elaborate embroidery, Suzhou is the birthplace of another exquisite art, Kunqu opera. The city is now hosting its 5th Kunqu opera festival. Over the past 8 days, seven major Kunqu opera troupes from across the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong as well as colleges have presented 25 stage shows, in competition for the event’s highest honor. It’s also featured an annual gathering of amateur Kunqu singers. Veteran performer Cai Zhengren, hailed for his role in the Kunqu opera classic "Palace of Eternal Youth", was among the 11 masters of the art to receive disciples in an official ceremony. The ceremony with one master taking in two disciples, is a new measure initiated by China’s Ministry of Culture to guarantee the art passes down to new generations. Kunqu Actor, said, "I learned from teachers before. But this formal ceremony give us a responsibility, that we’ll not disgrace our tutor." It’s the Kunqu opera classic "Peony Pavilion", most widely performed both in China and overseas, that popularizes the art to a wider audience. But it’s the festival piece, "A Dream of Red Mansions" that injects new lease of life into it. The literary classic depicts many scenes where its characters watch Kunqu opera, the dominating art in the era of the novel. It’s an apt adaptation. This year, both the Northern Kunqu Opera Troupe and the Jiangsu Kunqu Troupe have their own take on the novel. Yang Fengyi, Director of Northern Kunqu Opera Troupe, said, Because the era changes, we’ve created new dramas like this one "A Dream of Red Mansions". Because characters’ thoughts are nearer to the young audience. We also put in some modern elements in the sets and music. Jiangsu Kunqu Opera troupe, based in Nanjing, is a southern powerhouse practising the art. It has its their own theater and now puts on more than 300 shows per year. Shan Wen, who plays Lin Daiyu in their version of "A Dream of Red Mansions" is a star. She says each of her shows sells out, and young audiences can easily resonate to a young performer. Shan Wen, Actress, Jiangsu Kunqu Opera Troupe, said, "Because we are young faces, the audience can easily relate to us." You can see many young faces in the festival audience. Some are drawn by the elegance of the opera, while some say Kunqu opera is good at telling stories. Kunqu Opera Fan, said, "Kunqu’s beauty is its elegance, it leaves a lingering afterthought." Kunqu Opera Fan, said, "Although it’s a very old art form, the feelings it deals with are universal and unchanging, such as love. It resonates even with modern audiences." With sponsorship from the government, more than fifty Kunqu opera pieces have been staged in recent years. Art troupes visit colleges and tour foreign countries to promote the art. Hailed by the nation as an "orchid" among all China’s operatic arts, the art form is now becoming known and appreciated by many more people. Source: China.org.cn

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Comedy 'Lost in Thailand' sets box office record

Xu Zheng and Wang Baoqiang (bottom) are seen in a still photo from the comedy film "Lost in Thailand". Xu Zheng is also the film's director. [Photo: douban.com]

Domestic comedy "Lost in Thailand" has made a new record at the Chinese box office. It has become the first Chinese movie to gross over 300 million yuan in its first week of release. Viewing numbers last Saturday alone 

Actress Fan Bingbing makes a cameo appearance in the comedy film "Lost in Thailand". [Photo: ent.sina.com.cn]

reached over 2.5 million, surpassing records set by "Titanic 3-D" and "Transformers 3". The film stars Xu Zheng, Wang Baoqiang and Huang Bo, whose characters meet on a trip to Thailand, where a series of funny events unfold on their journey. Director Xu Zheng also invited popular actress Fan
Bingbing to guest in the film as a astonish to viewers. The director explained, "Everybody thinks Fan Bingbing is just a symbol in the film. But when she actually appears at last, it will highlight the movie. This is also unexpected to

Huang Bo in the comedy film "Lost in Thailand" [Photo: douban.com]

the audiences.""Lost in Thailand" is a sequel to an earlier film, "Lost on Journey", which was directed by Wai Man Yip in 2010. Source: China.org.cn

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Chinese box office reaches 1.89 bln USD

China: The film industry has continued to surge in China and box office earnings so far this year have totaled over 12 billion yuan (around 1.89 billion U.S dollars), the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television said on December 15. Addressing a film function held to mark the new year celebration, Cai Fuchao, head of the administration, said China recorded a daily average increase  of  eight  new

Head of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, Cai Fuchao [Photo: baidu.com]

film screens this year, and the number of screens nationwide has already exceeded 9,000. China produced over 500 films this year, Cai said. Chinese releases totaled 526 last year, up 15 percent from 456 in 2009. The Chinese box office took in 10.17 billion yuan in 2010, up 63.9 percent from the previous year. Resource: China.org.cn

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China and Japan: A 40-year friendship worth singing about

 

The international language of opera: Satoshi Misuguchi (left) and Hui He are performing together for the first time, in both Japan and China, as part of the 2012 China-Japan Friendship Year for People to People Exchange. NEW NATIONAL THEATRE, TOKYO/ NATIONAL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

By KRIS KOSAKA, Forget allegations of spies and economic intrigue. Put aside the controversial Senkaku Islands and celebrate as the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing unites with the New National Theatre in Tokyo to commemorate the 40th anniversary of normalized relations between Japan and China. Two opera performances in Tokyo, on July 27 and 29, will be followed by two performances in Beijing, on Aug. 3 and 5, as the brightest singers and musicians in China and Japan take the stage together for the first time in history. Fittingly, they present the concert version of "Aida," Giuseppe Verdi's tale of cross-cultural love stretched across the barbed-wire field of politics. "I am very proud they chose me for this concert in Japan and Beijing. Music is a special language," says renowned Chinese soprano Hui He, who will sing the title role. "Internationally, every musician has the chance, musically and culturally, to find cooperation." Satoshi Mizuguchi, acclaimed Japanese tenor singing opposite as Radames, agrees: "I hope our performance can become the bridge that connects the hearts of people." Politics built the framework for that bridge. In September, 1972, the then Prime Minister of Japan Kakuei Tanaka, was invited to the People's Republic of China to meet Chairman Mao Tse-tung in order to officially normalize relations between the two neighboring countries. This was the first step that led to the 1978 Treaty of Peace and Friendship Pact between Japan and China. Both soloists for the performances have successfully traversed international boundaries to forge careers in Asia and the world. Having grown up in Xi'An, in Shaanxi province, He experienced the lingering remnants of the Cultural Revolution, but ever since she won second prize at the Placido Domingo's Operalia, The World Opera Competition in 2000, she has graced every major opera stage in Europe and America — from Milan's la Scala to London's Covent Garden to The Met in New York. Based in Vienna where he was the first Japanese student to graduate with honors from the Vienna Music University, Mizuguchi, too, has performed all over the world, stockpiling various accolades throughout his career, beginning with first prize at the 1988 Milan International Competition. Mizuguchi, who endeavors to fuse traditional Japanese music with opera, returns frequently to Japan, and also performs at traditional noh theatres. "It will be my first time to perform in China and the first time I will share the stage with Ms. He," he says. "I am really looking forward to the performances." Likewise, He is making her opera debut in Japan with the performances. China and Japan's tangled history, with centuries of Japan's reverent emulation of Ancient China followed by 20th-century Imperialism and the current lingering tensions, makes "Aida" a pertinent choice. "Aida" reworked the boundaries of art and politics with its very conception. Commissioned in the 19th century by the Khedive of Egypt Ismail Pasha, the opera straddled both history and contemporary politics. Set in Ancient Egypt, the tale depicts the love between Radames, an Egyptian guard, and Aida, an Ethiopian princess who is his captive. After its premiere in Egypt in 1871 and the next year in Italy, Verdi's opera won artistic acclaim around the world, as simultaneously on the political stage, Egypt prepared to colonize Ethiopia, leading to the Egyptian-Ethiopian War of 1875-1877. "The scale of 'Aida' is dynamic, and the work crossed boundaries from the beginning. To celebrate such a major event (as the anniversary of Japan-China relations), 'Aida' is the best to perform," says Mizuguchi. Both the stars have ample experience with the opera. Mizuguchi returns to NNTT after starring in "Aida" to mark the theater's inaugural season in 1998, and He sang her 100th performance as Aida last month in China. As a concert version, the staging will speak primarily with the music. Performers take the stage in elegant black tie and dress with no elaborate sets, and the total running time is 150 minutes. Conductors Junichi Hirokami in Japan and Zhang Guoyong in China will direct an orchestra of Japanese and Chinese musicians and singers, all of whom are taking the stage together for the first time. A powerful, 100-strong chorus will add to the drama, as singers for the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing, join members of the New National Theatre in an impressive collaboration. Supporting roles, also divided evenly between Chinese and Japanese nationals, include Chenye Yuan as Aida's father Amonasro, and Kasumi Shimizu as Amneris, the Princess of Egypt who loves Radames herself. The two companies have long supported arts in Asia, and the 2012 China-Japan Friendship Year for People to People Exchange provided the perfect opportunity to showcase the shared beliefs created by this cultural harmony. "Opera is international; you can perform it in any country. Therefore we need to start looking toward the next generation where we can change the spirit we now have into truly international speech," says Mizuguchi. "It is an exciting honor on such an important occasion for the Chinese and Japanese people," says He in agreement. "Japan is also an important destination in the theater world, and to celebrate Chinese-Japanese friendship by making my Japanese opera debut is also an honor." Source: The Japan Times Online

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China is world's largest art market

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China: China overtook the United States as the world's biggest market for art and antiques last year, ending decades of American domination, according to a report published on Friday, China Daily reported. The historic turning point is also an important indicator of seismic shifts in the wider global economy, according to "The International Art Market in 2011," released by the European Fine Art Foundation, organizers of the European Fine Art Fair. China's share of the global art market rose from 23 percent in 2010 to 30 percent last year, pushing the United States to second place with a share of 29 percent, it said. The United Kingdom's art market, which was overtaken by China's in 2010, remained third with a 22-percent market share while France was a distant fourth with a share of 6 percent. Fast growth in China's art market, particularly in the modern and contemporary sectors, led to continued growth in the art and antiques market worldwide in 2011. Sales of art and antiques at auctions in China saw a dramatic rise of 177 percent in 2010 and a further 64 percent increase in 2011, with the modern and contemporary sectors accounting for nearly 70 percent of the market. With the strong growth in China, the global art market continued to recover last year. The sales revenue grew 7 percent year-on-year last year, but was 63 percent higher than in the crisis-hit year of 2009. "The dominance of the Chinese market has been driven by expanding wealth, strong domestic supply and the investive drive of Chinese art buyers," said Clare McAndrew, a cultural economist specializing in the fine and decorative art market.Source: China.org.cn

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Film school: No plastic surgery

China: Those pursuing dreams of stardom might be wise to think twice about making permanent changes to their appearance after the performance institute of Beijing Film Academy announced that those who have tattoos or have undergone plastic surgery will be disqualified from entrance examinations, which are underway this month. "The changes in their faces or other parts of the body, and the tattoos too, might affect their performance when they are trying to depict a figure in a play," said Wang Jinsong, deputy director of the performance institute of the academy. Many people are in favor of the institute's decision, saying the plastic surgery is like cheating and

Students applying for Beijing Film Academy. [Photo: CFP]

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against the principle of fairness and justice. "It's too utilitarian for those people to undergo cosmetic surgery," said Wang Yousen, a high school student in North China's Shanxi province, who came all the way to the capital for the enrollment examination. "That's fraud," he said. The 20-year-old student said it would make no sense for all actors and actresses to look exactly like each other and fit a certain "aesthetic standard". Having an oval face or double eyelids does not matter. What matters is your performance, he said. "It's your acting that makes sense, not your face," he said.Source: China.org.cn

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Man wins 514m record jackpot in China

China, By Yan Pei, China minted its latest batch of millionaires Tuesday night when it announced the latest results of the Union Lotto, awarding 113 top prizes each worth a little more than 5.14 million yuan, Sina.com reported Wednesday. A lucky man in southeast China's Zhejiang Province won 100 of the 113 jackpots, netting him 514 million yuan to become the biggest winner in Chinese lottery history. The lottery booth in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, that sold the golden tickets said the winner may be a local resident from Xinchang District. The fortunate man

A lucky man in southeast China's Zhejiang Province won 100 of the 113 jackpots, netting him 514 million yuan to become the biggest winner in Chinese lottery history.

won the 100 jackpots with only two tickets. Each ticket bore two sets of winning numbers, which he bet 25 times. According to a report carried by Shaoxing.com.cn, the winner originally placed one single order for 100 draws on the winning numbers. But the assistant at the booth misunderstood the winner and only bought 50 draws for him. He then placed another order for 50 more draws on the same set of numbers. Ten winning tickets were also sold elsewhere in Zhejiang Province, with the other three going to winners in Anhui, Fujian and Guangdong. The previous record holder struck a jackpot worth 359.9 million yuan in October 2009. Total sales for this draw were 334 million yuan. The next jackpot is estimated at 142 million yuan.Source: China.org.cn

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Berlin International Film Festival kicks off tonight

China: Kruger along with the director and all members of the International Jury will be attending the opening-night gala. Festival director Dieter Kosslick says putting together a film festival jury is difficult but this year's includes some impressive names. He said, "the problem is when you asked them too early, then later they drop out because they get a job. If you ask them too late, then they have a job already. This is the problem to make a jury. But this year we are very lucky, we have Asghar Farhadi, our Golden Bear winner who is nominated now for an Oscar, a Golden Globe, for a BAFTA. We have theThe film stars German actress Diane Kruger as Marie Antoinette during the first days of the French Revolution as mobs threaten to storm Versailles.

president Mike Leigh, I mean this is somebody who we really like in Berlin." Chinese director Wang Quan'an's drama film "White Deer Plain" is the only Chinese movie competing for a Golden Bear award at the festival. The public program of the Berlin International Film Festival shows about 400 films, mostly European and international premieres. More than 19,000 industry professionals and 4,000 journalists from all over the world are expected to attend the festival which wraps up in ten days.Source: China.org.cn

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New Year temple fair in Ditan

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China: The Ditan Temple Fair is open from Jan, 23 to 29 at the Ditan (Temple of Earth) Park.This fair is one of Beijing's most popular and long standing. There will also be a range of folk performances, children's puppet shows and fashion shows, art exhibitions, ice lanterns and snow sculptures, and traditional Beijing snacks. [China.org.cn] Source: China.org.cn

China: The Ditan Temple Fair is open from Jan, 23 to 29 at the Ditan (Temple of Earth) Park.This fair is one of Beijing's most popular and long standing. There will also be a range of folk performances, children's puppet shows and fashion shows, art exhibitions, ice lanterns and snow sculptures, and traditional Beijing snacks. [China.org.cn] Source: China.org.cn

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They're young, and they're good

China: It wasn't a time for champions. It was a time for  youth. With  the  stars
of the Vancouver Olympics sitting out, China's 12th National Winter Games - which wrapped up on Friday in Changchun, Jilin province - became a stage for the next generation to showcase itself. Nineteen-year-old short track speed skater Liang Wenhao distinguished himself with six gold medals and one silver at the tournament. He set himself up to be a centerpiece of the national team after four-time Winter Olympic champion Wang Meng was kicked off the squad following a drunken brawl with a team manager during a camp in Qingdao

Li Zijun, 15, performs during the China Winter Games last week. Li claimed all three women's singles gold medals and is aiming to contend for a medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Fang Xinwu for China Daily

in July. Also absent was Zhou Yang, who won gold medals in the women's 1,500m and 3,000m relay in Vancouver. "It's hard to predict results in short track matches, and I didn't expect to win six gold and one silver before the tournament, but this is also the charming side of athletics," said Liang, who won the men's 500m at the 2010 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Bulgaria to become China's youngest male world champion. Zhao Yinggang, director of China's Winter Sports Administrative Center, also praised Liang as a potential leader of the short track speed skating team and encouraged Liang to achieve a breakthrough at the Sochi Winter Olympics. "I hardly deserve to be the leader, and I only hope to motivate my teammates with my performance and push the whole team forward," said Liang, who is expected to surpass Li Jiajun to become the greatest Chinese short track skater. "Our team experienced a lot of unpleasant things earlier, which hurt the image of our team, and I hope we will do our best from every detail to rebuild our image," he said. With Sochi still two years away, Liang said he is working on both short and long events to become a better all-round skater. "Chinese still have a certain gap with the world's top athletes, but we have made a lot of efforts to catch up with them," Liang said. "The Winter Games is a good chance for me to accumulate more experience, and I won't stop trying to improve myself in pursuit of a satisfying finish with my teammates in 2014." In figure skating, 15-year-old Li Zijun claimed all three women's singles gold medals. Li was selected by national coach Li Mingzhu in 2008 to train in the US, together with peers Geng Bingwa and Zhang Kexin. Li grabbed a silver medal at the 11th National Games at the age of 11. She grew up fast, placing third at the 2010-11 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final and fourth the following year. She is expected to return China's women's singles figure skaters to elite status, following in the steps of the retired Chen Lu, who became the first Asian skater to win medals in two Olympics. "I'm very happy to see my years of effort pay off," said Li. "I really enjoy the whole process of competitions, and I can feel the happiness of success from each well completed jump. Whether I can stand on the podium or not, I love to play."Read Full: They're young, and they're good - China.org.cn

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Chinese designer Wang Yutao's personal fashion show in Berlin

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China: A model presents a creation of Chinese designer Wang Yutao at Wang’s personal fashion show in the 2012 Berlin autumn/winter Fashion Week on Jan. 20, 2012. [Xinhua] Source: China.org.cn

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Top 6 faded beauties

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China: Barbie Hsu: Barbie Hsu was born on Oct. 6, 1976. She is a Taiwanese actress and singer. She is most well known for her role as Shan Cai in Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden, an adaptation of the Japanese manga Boys Over Flowers and Mars with Vic Chou of F4. On 16 November 2010, Barbie married Chinese entrepreneur Wang Xiaofei in a civil ceremony Beijing and held the wedding banquet on Hainan Island on 22 March 2011. Source: China.org.cn

China: Zhou Xun: Zhou Xun, born on Oct. 18, 1976, is a Chinese actress and singer. She is regarded as one of the "Four Young Dan actresses" in China in the early 2000s, along with Zhang Ziyi, Xu Jinglei and Zhao Wei. Source: China.org.cn

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Chinese Culture Year concludes in Italy

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China: The Chinese Culture Year in Italy concluded in Rome on Jan. 14, 2012. The 12-month-long event featured concerts, operas, dances, and exhibitions, as well as forums to introduce both and contemporary cultural

landscape the ancient legacies of China to Italian audiences in major cities across Italy. The event also marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. [Xinhua photo] Source: China.org.cn

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Jingpo People celebrate Munao Dancing Festival

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China: Munao Dancing Festival (Munao Zongge) kicked off in Pianma Town of Lushui County, Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang, Yunnan Province  on Dec. 21. Tens of thousands of people from areas within dozens of miles attended the event. The main activity of the festival is singing and dancing. People put on their finest ethnic costumes and sang and danced throughout the day. [China.org.cn/Photo by Li Huiru], Source: China.org.cn

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Winter romance for newly-weds in Harbin

China: Eighteen couples from across the world have decided to brave the freezing temperatures in Harbin, to say "I do" en-masse. It's an annual tradition at the Ice and Snow Festival, but what's the attraction of a winter

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wedding? Making a commitment. Sub-zero temperatures didn't stop 18 couples from getting together to tie the knot. In fact, it made the event even more special. Gao Xiaoyu, bride, said, "It was winter when we first met. The ice wedding gives us a chance to remember our first date." With a giant snow sculpture as the backdrop, newly-weds step up to the stage to accept the blessings from relatives and friends. Li Feng, groom, said, "I'm a vocal teacher. And my wife used to practice singing in her spare time. Similar interests put us together. Our friendship blossomed into romantic love."

Taking vows and swearing their love for one another, the excitement of the occasion is evident. The local government-organized group wedding is one of the highlights of the ice and snow festival in Harbin. For the couples, marriage is a commitment to love and support each other. Doing it in a unique ice city makes the event one they will never forget. Source: Winter romance for newly-weds in Harbin - China.org.cn

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China to say no to reality, variety shows that are too “entertaining”

The Chinese government announced it would limit certain reality television programs and other “light entertainment” on its satellite channels in a move by the Communist Party to control Western influence from increasing anti-government sentiments in the country. According to a statement fromt the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, or SARFT, shows that are vulgar, or “overly entertaining” will be taken off air. Those most likely to get the knife are singles programs or shows that discuss marital problems and matchmaking, talent programs shows, game shows, variety programs, talk shows and reality programming. They will be phased out at the beginning of next year and SARFT says in their place will be cultural programming and news shows. Source: Bikya Masr, Image: https://www.flickr.com

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Buy a house first to marry in China

News Leaks: By Mohammed Anas, Marrying in China seems to have turned a Herculean task for the male fraternity with majority of the women viewing ownership of an apartment as a pre-condition to marriage, a survey has found. In a survey, conducted on the status of marriage and relationships in China, nearly 70 percent of the women interviewed regard having an apartment as a pre-requisite for men to ask for marriage. The survey of 50,383 women was released jointly by the Committee of Matchmaking Service Industries of the China Association of Social Workers and baihe.com, a matchmaking service provider. The

survey also showed that 80 percent of the single women believe only men who make more than 4,000 yuan (over $630) a month deserve to have a relationship with a woman. It also revealed that 24.6 percent of those born after 1990 started their first love while in the middle school, and 3.3 percent in primary schools, while the figure for those born before 1970 stood at 3.6 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively. Source: News Leaks

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