The opening of China Entertainment Group gave Jay Chou a head-on confrontation

Chapter 899 Imperfect People, the Concept God of the Record Market
This episode was very unlike any other "Happy Camp" episode, but it actually helped improve Zhou Yi's reputation after it aired.

It lacks some of the silly game segments and is more like an interview show controlled by He Jiong.

The large group of fans who were divided and attacked each other on both sides were at a loss when faced with the incredibly sincere Zhou Yi in front of the camera.

"A musician who never forgets his original aspirations—that's the Zhouyi we admire!"

"His music is pure, and his love for Yi is absolute. Zhou Yi has always been a pure musician who lives up to his fans' expectations, and he deserves more respect!"

"..."

“Zhou Yi is an excellent musician. I am very fortunate to be able to sing the song ‘Far Away’ with him. In my opinion, this album is actually his musical attitude. The music scene needs both highbrow and lowbrow music, not mutual attacks.”

Liu Huan, one of the singers in the duet "A Thousand Miles Away," has returned to the public eye with this song. This veteran artist, who is pursuing an artistic path, appeared extremely amiable in front of the camera: "The fact that his album sold so well shows that the public's acceptance of this concept is still very high..."

Liu Huan hasn't been in the public eye this much for a long time, even though he aspires to the status of an artist.

Even though Liu Huan had mentally prepared himself for "A Thousand Miles Away" to become a hit, he never expected it to be this popular...

Since the album's release, "Far Away" has been skyrocketing in popularity, becoming a hit song that swept the streets and alleys in just over a week—literally.

Whether it's a small two-yuan convenience store or a hair salon/record shop, from high-end venues to the ringtone market, the melodious strains of "A Thousand Miles Away" are always present.

I see you off, a thousand miles away, you are silent and indifferent.
"In this silent era, perhaps it's not wise to fall in love so far away."

A complete sweep!

This is a song that truly embodies the theme of "popular appeal." Even elderly people can appreciate the melody and hum along.

Online, "Far Away" gained traction over time, surpassing songs like "A Thousand Degrees," "The Brightest Star in the Night Sky," "Unfortunately, If Only," and "Cultivating Love" to become the first hit song of 2006 to sweep across all markets.

According to rumors, "Far Away" has become so popular that it has been designated by leaders as a must-sing song for this year's Spring Festival Gala.

"As for the other two, you can choose whichever you like."

Qian Jiang, who has been in communication with CCTV, also brought the latest news about this year's Spring Festival Gala - Zhou Yi can skip the first two rounds of rehearsals, but he will definitely be included starting from the third round.

"One song—hmm? Two songs?"

Zhou Yi, who was already having trouble making a decision, was stunned for a moment: "Wait a minute, Lao Qian, what did you say? I can sing two songs solo?"

Didn't you sing "A Thousand Miles Away" as a duet with Liu Huan?

Will I be able to sing three songs at this year's Spring Festival Gala, or will Liu Huan sing "A Thousand Miles Away" solo?
"Yes."

Qian Jiang was also very excited: "Although these three poems are somewhat exaggerated, it is still a further recognition for you. They were proposed by the people against all odds."

There have been times in the history of the Spring Festival Gala that three songs were sung, but that is a thing of the past. In the past, the Spring Festival Gala had less influence and fewer programs, so it was normal for songs to fill time.

but now……

With the increased appearance time of the I Ching, the appearance time of other programs will inevitably be reduced and squeezed.

For those people, he was an obstacle.

"...Then let's have 'A Song for All Tastes' and 'The Brightest Star in the Night Sky'."

After a moment of contemplation, Zhou Yi gave his choice.

He might hesitate over one song, but he's fine with two.

With "Far Away" on the album, we can exclude love songs and Chinese-style songs from the rest of the album.

Considering the occasion of the Spring Festival Gala, Zhou Yi thought for a moment and chose "Appreciation for All," which could express his attitude, and "The Brightest Star in the Night Sky," which was inspiring.

On major music charts in mainland China, these two songs actually rank lower than several other love songs, but they are particularly suitable for the Spring Festival Gala.

"Okay, then I'll report it."

Qian Jiang readily nodded and set about handling the matter.

Unsurprisingly, the fact that "Zhou Yi will sing three songs at the Spring Festival Gala" quickly spread among the ever-present media, although it has not been confirmed by Warner Music or the official channels.

On the contrary, Zhou Yi himself inevitably gets asked about award ceremonies and the Spring Festival Gala when he's out promoting his work.

"Not attending the awards ceremony was a decision made jointly by me and the company, and it was not a case of my team neglecting their duties."

Surrounded by layers of people, Zhou Yi held a bunch of microphones with various labels in his hands, smiling at the flashing lights: "I just feel a little tired and want to rest and give myself a break. There's no need to overinterpret it."

"I've been in the industry for almost seven years now, and I haven't had a break yet, have I?"

"As for the Spring Festival Gala, I don't know anything about it yet. I haven't even had a chance to rehearse. You guys told me about it."

The reporter, who was caught off guard by Zhou Yi's words that he was tired and wanted to take a vacation, was dumbfounded—weren't you always a nuclear-powered donkey?

"What does this 'Zhou Yi' mean? Does it mean you're not accepting awards like Alan Tam and Leslie Cheung did back then? Or does it mean you want to retire from the music industry and stop releasing songs?"

After the initial shock, the anticipation of breaking news followed.

Zhou Yi vehemently denied it: "That's not true. Don't always try to create a big news story."

reporter:"……"

It's not up to you!
Retiring at the Peak? Zhou Yi Withdraws from Most Mainland Award Ceremonies, and Bids Farewell with Three Songs at the Spring Festival Gala?

No More Awards? Zhou Yi Admits He Wants to Take a Break

Is the inside story true? A re-examination of the I Ching reveals no progress in the contract renewal between Zhou Yi and Warner Music!

Is this year's Golden Melody Awards Zhou Yi's last time participating?

"..."

This personal confirmation caused a major earthquake in the music industry, which was still debating the song "Appreciating Both Highbrow and Popular Music"—

"Holy crap? Really? No way, it's not April Fool's Day."

"Clickbait headlines. The Book of Changes clearly says not to over-interpret it. Not registering is just to give himself a break. Warner Music didn't even cancel his Golden Melody Award registration."

"I can't say for sure, but Zhou Yi's dark circles are really bad, and makeup can't cover them up. He does look tired."

"Two albums a year is too intense; inspiration will run dry. It's good to take a break. Before him, I never imagined there would be such an abnormal person in the music industry, neither domestically nor internationally."

"No way, Zhou Yi is taking a break. Who's going to fill in the missing songs for me?"

"If Zhou Yi goes to the awards ceremony, there will be no suspense at all. It's good that he's leaving, giving other singers a chance."

Looking at the charts in mainland China now, it's basically a free-for-all for Zhou Yi whenever he releases a song, like right now—

Champion: "A Thousand Miles Away";
Runner-up: "Unfortunately, There Are No Ifs";
Third Place: "Cultivating Love";
Fourth: "A Song Not Written for Anyone";
Sixth: *Qian Baidu* (千百度);
Eighth: The Brightest Star in the Night Sky;
Tenth: "Appreciated by both the refined and the common people".

Whether it's the Top Ten Chart, the Popularity Chart, or the China Song Chart, the top three are always the same, and the songs after them can be arranged freely—the only thing that can be guaranteed is that none of them will fall out of the top ten.

Occasionally, "Full Power" or "Bo Ya's Broken String" can climb up and occupy one or two rankings.

This is the current dominance of the I Ching.

It's fair to say that if Zhou Yi didn't take the initiative, other singers would be completely overshadowed by him—they would be accumulating trophies by the dozen.

Now that he's left voluntarily, it does fit his status as the "number one person in the music industry"—

It's not that other singers have risen to the occasion and won awards, but rather that Zhou Yi is tired and doesn't want to play anymore.

On January 18, 2006, *Contemporary Music* magazine published a special interview with Zhou Yi, focusing on his story.

"Imperfect People, the Concept God of the Record Market".

A headline that spares no praise.

"Without a doubt, the I Ching is imperfect as a human being."

"He has his own derogatory nickname, Dharma King, and even wrote it into his new song 'Emperor';
"He has countless romantic entanglements, which he never denies, and he has even written about them in his new song 'Chinese Girl'."

"He dared to act and take responsibility, dared to love and hate, and unreservedly displayed his ambition, which he engraved into the melody and lyrics of 'Full Power'."
"He made no secret of his disgust for the media and online opinions that criticized him, which led to the creation of 'Whose Oscar?'"

"He was confused, and that led to 'Highway'; he was critical, and that led to 'Handshake';
"In the end, he reconciled with himself and the public, determined to find his kindred spirit, which led to 'Bo Ya's Broken String.' This is his deconstruction of himself, laying bare his sensitive and fragile heart to the audience."

"But in the record market, he is the undisputed god of concepts—"

"As long as he makes a move, no one can be his match; his only true rival is himself."

"The songs range from popular and Chinese-style to R&B and rock, including 'A Song for All,' 'Unfortunately, If Only,' 'Cultivating Love,' 'A Thousand Miles Away,' 'A Thousand Degrees,' 'A Song Not Written for Anyone,' and 'The Brightest Star in the Night Sky.'"

"In a period of endless decline in the overall environment, only Zhou Yi has bucked the trend and repeatedly broken domestic record sales records. I think it will be difficult to find a record like this in the future."

"In all my years in the industry, I have never seen a musician write songs as effortlessly as the I Ching. Perhaps he has truly ignited the flame of pop music, whether in the East or the West..."

A perfect idol is easily dropped from a height and shattered into pieces; netizens are the group most fond of creating and destroying gods.

However, the Book of Changes reveals its own imperfections as a human being.

On January 22, 2006, "A Taste for All" sold over 3.5 million copies in China alone.

(End of this chapter)