The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

Li Zichun would tiptoe around the film set every day, wandering around like a lost soul.

Those in the know naturally wouldn't say much, but those who didn't might think he had some serious illness or schizophrenia. He would hold a teacup with his fingers flying around like a delicate orchid finger, sometimes lightly brushing the edge with his palm, giving people goosebumps.

Lou Yideng was a little surprised to see how hard he was working. Why would a singer like him switch to being a dancer? These days, aren't idol singers just supposed to sing and dance casually and look passable? Nobody's asking you singers to go abroad and win dance awards, why do you have to work so hard?

Li Zichun didn't care what they thought. The most important thing was to achieve the goal. If the skills weren't good enough, he could make up for it with hard work. If he wasn't talented enough, he could make up for it with choreography. Perfection was impossible to achieve, but if he didn't pursue the ultimate, he would never get better.

As for the opinions of others, ah, who cares! Just as Shi Tiesheng wrote in his collection of essays, "Random Thoughts from a Sickbed": "If you want to love, love like a passionate lover, love like a dreamer who forgets death, see the doubts of others as flickering will-o'-the-wisps, and boldly walk your night road."

Does Li Zichun love dance? Probably yes. Or more accurately, he loves the goal itself. In his world, once he sets a goal for himself, he will find every possible way to achieve it, working tirelessly to reach the pinnacle of his talent, ability, and effort. After all, only by working hard enough can one even begin to talk about talent, and only then can one know exactly where the finish line is when they give it their all!

Seeing his intense practice, Zhao Qianfan couldn't help but be moved. Someone stronger and more talented than you is working so hard, who are you trying to scare? No, I have to start learning some talent too, even if it's just memorizing some famous quotes, learning the rhythm, and writing my own jokes.

Li Jiawei was not to be outdone. She picked up a book of classical Chinese texts and looked at it from left to right. Although she hadn't even read the first ten pages in a long time, she was already making a great effort by calming down and trying to gravitate towards the literary direction.

The singers were also brushing up on their academic knowledge; some even brought English books and their phones to memorize vocabulary on the spot.

Even the staff members are discussing progress with each other, fearing that they will be left behind by the times.

In an instant, the atmosphere on the entire set changed imperceptibly, with everyone competing against each other. Li Zichun felt that someone would ask him at any moment, "Have you improved today compared to yesterday?"

Director Zhang Xiaochuan was momentarily dazed. It had been a long time since he'd witnessed something like this. The last time he'd seen it was when he was a child, wandering around the film set with his father. The older generation of artists would often discuss scholarship, life, and acting in their spare time. They would meticulously refine even the smallest gesture or expression, striving to achieve the most perfect performance. That's why so many renowned artists emerged back then; only one or two phenomenal, universally known dramas would appear every year or even every few years.

Those bygone days are truly unforgettable! Even though I had poor grades and little formal education, I learned how to operate photography equipment and shoot shots by following them. Everyone was generous with their advice, helping each other improve and speaking freely. Although we were competitors, whoever won a role did so through their own abilities, and no one could blame anyone else. When exactly did the entertainment industry change? Acting skills became unimportant; a passable singing voice was enough; a script only needed a decent story. Capital, popularity, and good looks became the standard in the industry. Has the times changed, or have people's hearts changed?

Everyone has lost their initial commitment. Many people have had no choice but to quit, some retiring from acting, others being forced to leave the industry. Those who persevered are now too old to play any significant supporting roles. They earn a meager salary on Weibo while enduring public disapproval, watching others rise to fame one after another, wondering if they could achieve the same. The disparity in their hearts and the hardships of reality lead them step by step into the abyss.

Zhang Xiaochuan was amazed by everyone's changes and also impressed by Li Zichun's hard work and success. This young man is talented, capable, and excellent at interpersonal relationships. Most importantly, he loves learning and knows how to share. He said that if he had so many songs in his mind and hand, he would definitely choose to sing them himself. One song a year or one song every six months would be enough to keep him popular for a long time.

Under the joint tutelage of Lü Fang and Lou Yideng, Li Zichun practiced singing and dancing day and night, feeling exhausted but fulfilled every day.

Nevertheless, he still felt that there wasn't enough time and wished he could have more time.

When people are focused on doing something, they feel that time flies by. Even though they haven't learned everything yet, time flies by and it's already time for the next recording.

Li Zichun, with her perfectly executed orchid-like fingers raised, performed a 45-degree ballet spin as she looked at Qin Yuzi and Cheng Xinghe, and said in a theatrical voice, "My lovely and charming lads, are you ready?"

Qin Yuzi and Cheng Xinghe exchanged a glance and nodded. They were twitching under Li Zichun's seductive gaze, their skin crawling with goosebumps. They felt uncomfortable and wanted to hit him. Couldn't we just talk normally?

Li Zichun then used the immortal steps (soul steps/ghost steps) from Peking Opera to float in front of Jiang Yiyi and Lin Sishi, and said in a soft and clear tone: "The show is about to begin, are you two sisters ready?"

Lin Sishi's eyelids twitched, but Jiang Yiyi pulled her aside and bowed deeply, saying gently, "Don't worry, sir. My sister and I have been training day and night, and now everything is under control. We will not let you down."

Li Zichun said in the male voice of a painted-face actor: "Hahahaha, great! This handsome man will be watching."

Then, with a backflip, he landed steadily in front of Yuan Zian and Zheng Conghu, and said in a loud and clear voice, "How are you two doing? Are you confident of winning the championship?"

The two men laughed confidently, "It's a piece of cake. Just watch as we slaughter them until they are routed."

Li Zichun nodded and floated in front of director Zhang Xiaochuan, saying in a rough voice, "Your Majesty, the troops have been mustered and are ready to go to war."

Zhang Xiaochuan's face twitched. "You guys really know how to have fun," he thought. He quickly recovered and said, "Now that everyone is in position, let's begin the drill. Play the music."

Qin Yuzi and Cheng Xinghe were already prepared on stage. They picked up the microphones and slowly sang "Half Moon": "That night was so romantic / I'll take you to see the half moon /"

A little shy, but very happy.

I really like this feeling.

Let me gently approach you.

You gently nestled into my arms.

I feel love quietly arriving.

All the commotion is none of my business.

In the darkness, the two exchanged longing glances.

What it feels like to be in a relationship/

Not as subjective as I thought.

The crescent moon is so romantic!

You look especially beautiful in the moonlight.

I like the crescent moon.

With affection, with intention, with you, and with sweetness…

Li Zichun originally wanted to give them the 1986 version of "Half Moon Serenade" by Jacky Cheung, but their voices and feelings really couldn't handle it, so they could only choose this song, which is also a classic.

Their gentle, warm voices and handsome, bright faces were enough to captivate both naive young girls and worldly-wise women.

"The crescent moon is so romantic."

You look especially beautiful in the moonlight.

I like the crescent moon.

With affection, with intention, with you, and with sweetness.

And crescent moon

There's also a crescent moon.

The female directors at the scene almost went crazy after the two finished singing. Indeed, a handsome man who brings comfort is a rare commodity in any era.

Li Zichun nodded at them, then looked at Lin Fengmian, Wang Zijie, Yu Yi and others listening to the music. They were all handsome in their own way. Finally, his gaze fell on Zhao Qianfan for a few seconds, and he softly said two words: "Demon".

The two singers were very relaxed and comfortable after their performance. Qin Yuzi and Cheng Xinghe both performed very well and won the audience's favor.

Li Zichun was very satisfied with the two's performance and nodded to the director to indicate that the next group, Jiang Yiyi and Lin Sishi, received instructions and quickly went on stage to prepare. After everything was in place, the next performance began at the director's signal.

Since they were two girls, Li Zichun searched through a bunch of song lists and, after asking them about the song they wanted to challenge themselves with, finally gave them "A Love Before Time," which won the Best Original Film Song award at the 20th Hong Kong Film Awards.

In 2001, the English version of the song, "A Love Before Time," was nominated for the Best Original Song at the 73rd Academy Awards. Hong Kong singer Coco Lee also attended the 2001 Academy Awards ceremony and performed on stage, becoming the first and only Chinese singer to date to perform at the American Academy Awards.

To inspire their fighting spirit and potential, and to make the whole show more entertaining, just before they were about to start singing, it was said: "Are you ready? The one of you who sings the best will get the chance to sing this song in English at the celebration party."

All eyes and cameras immediately turned to him; he'd actually pulled this stunt. The two on stage, who had been coordinating, exchanged a glance, and Jiang Yiyi chuckled softly, "Good sister, I'll take this opportunity."

This could be a chance to make her famous internationally, so Lin Sishi naturally wouldn't let it slip by. She confidently said, "Sister, don't be too confident. The outcome is still uncertain!"

Jiang Yi smiled and said, "Then let's see who can handle this song better. We can't let one song affect our feelings over the past few days."

Lin Sishi's fighting spirit soared, and he said proudly, "Come on, let's wipe out the entire field, and then we'll leave the rest to him to judge."

Jiang Yi nodded and said, "Alright, let's see how we women can dominate the scene."

The two took a deep breath, and now began their performance on stage: "I wake up, sleeping in the moonlight /

The waning moon makes me miss you.

I don't want to wake up. Who understands?

I'm afraid to open my eyes and you won't be there.

Lover's heart goes deep into the sea

Take me to find it.

Please love me for ten thousand years, love me with all your heart.

Love is a gift of moonlight

I await the angel's love letter

say you Love Me

I'd rather fall asleep for love and never wake up.

Is eternity here or not?

It's my fault for not being able to let go.

North Star, take me away/

Don't hide, find love.

I love you every night, I wait.

My heart sleeps in the sea of ​​the moon for love.

Lonely me, who do I miss? Who understands?

I wept under the moonlight.

I too am asleep under the moonlight.

No regrets

Waiting for the right person to kiss me awake.

I spent a day in my sleep/

Also in the memories of a year /

Say you love me /

I would sleep forever for love.

Jiang Yiyi and Lin Sishi's singing complements each other, conveying a sense of melancholy, loneliness, depth, and restraint. Coupled with the moving background music, it makes the listener feel deeply moved.

Having worked in the entertainment industry for many years, Zhang Xiaochuan seemed to have picked up on something. Relying on his director's intuition, he quietly asked Li Zichun, "Um, is there a story behind this song? Do you think you could sell it to me? We can discuss the price."

Li Zichun politely declined, saying, "You're too late. Sister Fan had already inquired with me beforehand, and many big directors are very interested. If I agree to give it to you, it will be very difficult for me. Moreover, the risk is too great for me, beyond my capacity to bear. So I can't help you."

Director Zhang Xiaochuan wasn't angry; he could only lament his bad luck and how he had missed out on another good script. However, Li Zichun quietly told him, "Next time I think of a good script, I'll give you priority, but this has to be kept a secret."

Zhang Xiaochuan nodded, winked at him, and made a heart shape with his hands to indicate that he understood.

That was the end of that matter. The truth was that Li Zichun felt he couldn't handle the film, even if he wanted to make it himself. It's worth noting that *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* won four Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film at the 73rd Academy Awards. It was also the first Chinese-language film to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, marking the first time a Chinese name was included in the Oscar's Best Foreign Language Film category.

Even now, you might not be able to find a cast like Chow Yun-fat, Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, and Cheng Pei-pei! He has some knowledge of the movies and TV series of this era, and they are simply unbearable to watch.

The decline of the cultural and entertainment industry directly affects the development and operation of the arts industry. Everyone is chasing fame and fortune for quick money. Who has the mind to calm down and write a good script? They just want to give the audience a perfunctory response. When actors see such bad scripts, they have even less motivation to work on their acting skills. Even the best films are only so-so, and for the others, it's enough to just get by.

Having let his thoughts wander a bit, Li Zichun pulled himself back to the present and quietly appreciated the performance by Jiang Yiyi and Lin Sishi. It was time to decide on the singer for the English version!

PS: Data sourced from Baidu.

"Half Moon" is a song with lyrics and music by Hao Lei, arrangement by Cai Tinggui, and sung by Chen Kun. It was included in Chen Kun's album "Penetration" released on November 12, 2004.

"A Love Before Time" is a song with lyrics by Yi Jiayang, music by Tan Dun and Jorge Calandrelli, and sung by Coco Lee. It is included in Tan Dun's album "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Original Soundtrack" and is the Chinese theme song for the film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." The English version, "A Love Before Time," is also sung by Coco Lee and is the English theme song for the film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." It has lyrics by James Schamus, music by Tan Dun and Jorge Calandrelli, and is also included in the music album "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Original Soundtrack."