Huayu: Director started with art films

Chapter 350 361 [Leave time to the rise of the country, Li Yishu joins the Hundred People's Association]

new York.

Pei Partnership Architects.

Inside Bei Jinming's office.

Two important members from the Committee of 100 arrived at the event.

Although the Club of 100 already had a fixed gathering place as early as last year, on important occasions, the two founders would come to Bei Jinming's office.

This is a habit left over from the past.

"Director Li, I'm glad to see you at last."

Bei Jinming smiled and extended his hand, saying, "I have heard of Director Li for a long time. He is a European triple-A Grand Slam director, the godfather of Asian cinema, and his first Hollywood film grossed $400 million worldwide, and is the world's No. 1 Chinese director at the box office so far."

"Master Bei, you are welcome."

Li Yishu extended his hand politely: "I am very familiar with Master Bei. I have been to Xiangshan Hotel. The design is so beautiful. You have integrated Chinese classical architectural art, garden art, and environmental art. It is definitely a perfect combination of tradition and modernity."

In the 80s, Bei Jinming was invited by the mainland to return to Yanjing to participate in the construction of a foreign-related hotel. This hotel is the famous Xiangshan Hotel, which won the Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects.

Li Yishu had been to this restaurant in his previous life.

The entire hotel is built on the mountain, with uneven heights, winding paths, and courtyards interspersed. It has eighteen landscapes, including rocks, lakes, flowers, and trees, which echo the main building with white walls and gray tiles.

It is definitely a perfect combination of traditional Chinese architecture and modern Western architecture.

“The Fragrant Hill Hotel is indeed the most satisfying work combining Chinese and Western elements.”

Bei Jinming had a faint smile on his face. What he was most proud of was not that he had designed many famous buildings in the United States, but that he was invited by mainland officials to return to China to design the Xiangshan Hotel.

You have to know that it was not long since the reform and opening up at that time. The fact that he, an architect, was invited to return to China to design a large foreign-related hotel was enough to show the official recognition of him.

This feeling is difficult to experience in the United States. Even though Bei Jinming is already a master in the American architectural design industry, he can earn more money by designing any building than an ordinary person can earn in several lifetimes.

But after earning enough money, people will start to pursue fame, and Bei Jinming is no exception. With the experience of being invited to return to China to design, his fame has basically reached the maximum.

After the two exchanged pleasantries, Bei Jinming introduced him to the other founders of the Committee of 100, Yo-Yo Ma and the current president of the Committee of 100, Xuelan Yang.

Except for Yang Xuelan who is a little unfamiliar, Yo-Yo Ma is a well-known celebrity.

After a few people exchanged greetings, and after they sat down, Bei Jinming started talking about Li Yishu's recently released movie "Chicago".

Yo-Yo Ma analyzed this movie from a musical perspective. Yang Xuelan doesn't understand music, but she grew up in the United States. When she was young, Hollywood musicals were gradually beginning to decline, but had not yet completely disappeared.

Several people chatted and laughed about movies, then talked about humanities, and then talked about the Chinese community in the United States.

Several people from different professions chatted about all sorts of things under the sun, including the old, middle-aged and young generations, and they had a great time chatting.

Yang Xuelan looked at Li Yishu and couldn't help but say, "Director Li, you are different from the mainlanders I imagined."

"What do President Yang think mainlanders are like?"

Li Yishu was not surprised that Yang Xuelan would ask this question. She had lived in the United States since she was a child. Although she looked Chinese, her way of thinking was no different from that of Americans. The only difference might be the teachings from her parents, which allowed her to have complex feelings towards her motherland that three generations of Chinese did not have.

“You give people a very confident feeling, but this is not the confidence that comes from success, but the confidence that comes from the bottom of your heart.”

Yang Xuelan thought about it and said seriously:

"I have met many Chinese people from the mainland. When they talk about American society and system, they often have a little yearning, especially an actress Chen Chong whom I met a few years ago. I met her at a party. When I chatted with her, I could feel her yearning and desire for the United States. Then within two years, she married a Chinese man named Peter Xu and came to live in the United States."

"So, when I was chatting with you, Director Li, I could clearly feel that you didn't seem very interested in living in the United States."

Hearing this, Li Yishu smiled. He probably understood the question Yang Xuelan wanted to ask, which was nothing more than why she was not like those Chinese people who came to the United States and didn't want to leave. Even if she didn't say she had to lick America's boots, she at least had to show her yearning and longing.

"My confidence comes from my recognition of my motherland and Chinese culture."

Li Yishu shrugged and said, "I know that the United States is now the world's most powerful country, especially after the disintegration of the former Soviet Union. Many people, not just Chinese, but also many countries in Europe and Asia have developed a yearning for the United States, but that's because they don't have the foundation. China is a big country with a long history. Even if it has declined a little in the past hundred years, we have accumulated a lot of experience and will catch up in the economic field sooner or later."

When these words were spoken, Yang Xuelan frowned, while Bei Jinming and Ma Yo-Yo smiled without saying anything.

The three of them have lived in the United States for many years and have been invited or visited the mainland. They have more or less some understanding of the domestic environment. It is undeniable that Chinese culture has a long history, but when Li Yishu talked about economic catch-up, they thought it was a bit cynical.

"Director Li is very confident?"

Yang Xuelan asked: "But Director Li, do you understand the gap between the two countries now?"

Li Yishu seldom talked about this with others, but today they had a good chat and he could tell that Yang Xuelan wasn't saying bad things on purpose, so he took the initiative to say, "I know a little bit, but in my opinion, this is not the key. The economic gap is not something that cannot be bridged. If ten years doesn't work, then twenty years will do. If twenty years doesn't work, then fifty years will do."

Yang Xuelan asked again: "But the US economy is also growing. If both sides are growing together, how can China surpass them?"

“This depends on the power of the Chinese people.”

Li Yishu smiled and did not continue to dwell on this topic because the two people's information awareness was unequal.

In Yang Xuelan's opinion, the gap between the two sides is so huge that even if they are given another hundred years, they will not be able to catch up, because the US economy is not stagnant.

Li Yishu was reborn from decades later. Not to mention what happened 50 years later, just 15 years later, in 2010, China had already become the world's second largest economy.

It’s only been 15 years!
Before a generation had even reached adulthood, China had risen from eighth place in the global economy to become the world's second largest economy, surpassing Japan, which had remained second for more than two decades.

Today, East Asia is still filled with stories about Japan's post-war economic rise and South Korea's Miracle on the Han River.

They don't know that China's reform and opening up is also an economic miracle. He changed the subject and said, "Let's not talk about this, President Yang. We are not economists. Time will tell us what will happen in the future."

"Yes, let time answer."

Yang Xuelan nodded, then remembered something and said, "Director Li knows Chen Chong?"

"I don't know her, but I've seen a few of her movies."

Li Yishu shook his head. The only thing he knew about Chen Chong was Empress Wanrong in "The Last Emperor". He had never seen the films he made in the United States after that. However, he had seen a few of the films he made in his later years when he returned to China to make money.

Hearing this, Yang Xuelan nodded and said nothing more. A few days ago, the Committee of 100 held an event for Chinese Americans in the United States, and Chen Chong also attended. During the conversation, Li Yishu was mentioned many times.

It seemed as if she was very familiar with Li Yishu when she spoke. Yang Xuelan almost asked her to help introduce Li Yishu to her. Now it seems that she was just trying to build a relationship with her.

After all, Li Yishu's fame in the United States is growing, and she also has a film company in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

As a fellow industry professional who came to the United States from mainland China to develop his career, Chen Chong naturally wanted to use the tiger's skin and wave the flag. Anyway, Li Yishu was not in the United States for many years and had little contact with Chinese groups in the United States, so naturally no one would go to verify the authenticity.

Seeing that the conversation was almost over, Bei Jinming said with a smile: "Director Li, I believe you know what we mean by inviting you here. We want to invite Director Li to join the Committee of 100, an organization of Chinese people in the United States..."

"I know Director Li is not in the United States all year round, but you have a film company in the United States after all. The purpose of our Committee of 100 is not only to promote exchanges between China and the United States, but also to find ways to improve the social status and interests of Chinese Americans. We treat Chinese Americans and Chinese Americans living in the United States equally! (Not obtaining foreign citizenship is equivalent to traveling)"

Listening to Bei Jinming's words, Li Yishu pondered for a moment and said with a smile: "Master Bei invited me, so of course I agreed."

"Welcome to join Director Li!" Bei Jinming's face lit up and he stood up and stretched out his hand.

"Thank you. I am honored to join the Club of 100!"

Li Yishu smiled and shook hands with the other party, and then shook hands with Yo-Yo Ma and Yang Meilan. For him, joining an organization of Chinese in the United States would definitely have more advantages than disadvantages.

What's more, the members of this organization are elites from all walks of life. Not to mention Bei Jinming, Yo-Yo Ma is a famous American musician, and Yang Xuelan is the vice president of General Motors. Her father is a diplomat of the Republic of China, and she also has a very powerful stepfather, Gu Weijun, the first diplomat of the Republic of China!

Yang Xuelan is definitely a synonym for a prominent family background.

Joining such an organization will definitely play a certain role in safeguarding Li Yishu's future interests in North America.

"I wonder if Director Li has time recently? I would like to hold a welcome party for Director Li in the name of the Hundred People's Club."

As Yang Xuelan is the current president of the Committee of 100, she naturally wants to hold a good induction party for Li Yishu, an internationally renowned director, who joins the Committee of 100, and invite Chinese elites in New York to attend, so as to better demonstrate the value of the Committee of 100.

"I'm sorry, President Yang, I have to return to China the day after tomorrow."

Li Yishu said: "This is my first time directing a 5 million RMB big-budget movie. The crew will start shooting in June. I took a leave to attend the premiere of Chicago. The schedule is very tight."

"5 million RMB?" Bei Jinming was surprised. "What kind of movie is Director Li planning to make that requires an investment of 5 million RMB?"

He designed the Xiangshan Hotel in Yanjing and had some understanding of the purchasing power of RMB. Although more than ten years had passed, the value of 5 million RMB could not be simply converted into 6000 million US dollars.

"We were filming the Battle of Red Cliffs, which had a lot of war scenes, and I also built a replica of an ancient Han Dynasty city in the mainland."

"I see."

Upon hearing that it was an ancient war blockbuster, Bei Jinming nodded slightly, and he knew where the 5 million yuan was spent.

Although he is not a filmmaker, Bei Jinming, as an architect, can still guess how much money such a war film costs.

Li Yishu suddenly remembered an important thing, turned to look at Yo-Yo Ma, and said with a smile: "Teacher Ma, if there is a chance, I hope to invite you to the crew. I hope to make some changes in the film soundtrack. Teacher Ma is an expert in this field, and I hope you can give me some advice."

"it is good!"

Yo-Yo Ma readily agreed: "Director Li, do you know Tan Dun? He is a good friend of mine and a very good composer. If Director Li needs it, I can invite him to visit Director Li's crew."

"Of course, no problem. I have also heard of Tan Dun."

Li Yishu smiled. He didn't know much about Tan Dun. He only remembered that he had composed the music for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

"How about this, President Yang!"

Bei Jinming said at this time: "Since our establishment, our Hundred People Club has never taken members to the mainland for inspection. Why don't we take advantage of Director Li's invitation to the mainland to organize an inspection team to inspect the mainland market and see if there are any opportunities to promote Sino-US cooperation. We can also visit Director Li's crew and organize a unique welcome party together?"

Yang Meilan's eyes lit up and she nodded with a smile: "I think it's okay! I'll organize it later and choose a time when everyone is free..."

At this point, she looked at Li Yishu and said, "Director Li, I wonder how long your crew will take to shoot?"

Li Yishu said, "That's a long time. It will take at least a year. The Battle of Red Cliff is a big drama. Not only does Zhao Zilong go in and out seven times, but there is also a big battle on the river. I will use more than 100,000 extras!"

"One hundred thousand extras!"

The three were shocked. They didn't know much about filming, but they knew that if a hundred thousand people took part in a movie, the crew must be very large!
"Yes, there are a lot of extras, so the shooting period is very long. For this reason, I had to form a group of directors, all of whom are the best directors in the country."

Li Yishu briefly mentioned the list of directors. Except for Director Xie Jin, the others are not very famous abroad.

"Now that you mention it, I want to go and see it on site even more." Bei Jinming couldn't help but ask, "Director Li, when will this large-scale group performance shoot start?"

"It should be around August."

Li Yishu thought about it and decided that according to the previously planned shooting process, Xie Jin would be shooting the Battle of Red Cliff in August. It would be hot then, and it would not be hard to shoot on the water. Otherwise, it would be basically unrealistic to expect extras to shoot on the water in the middle of winter and to shoot scenes of thousands of people falling into the water.

"No problem, then the inspection team will be scheduled for August!"

Bei Jinming set this time not only to watch the Battle of Red Cliffs, but also to prepare for exchanges with the embassy. The inspection team must report in advance when going to the country for inspection.

(End of this chapter)