Time is the Enemy of an Artist

credit : http://tieba.baidu.com/f?kz=426172640

thanks to banlong for the translation

I neglect some content of the article for they are too familiar to us.

The first section:

"Time Is The Very Enemy of An Artist"

Recently, everyone has collected a lot of touched pictures and one of them shows such a scene: an ordinary old woman sits in the centre of the photo, wearing a pair of white sports shoes. When you move your sight to the left side, you will find Peter Ho, the famous actor, singer and celebrity, is taking the shoes on for the old woman. Is his behavior from love or just for a show? I think, it is love, the instinct motive of human beings. As the earthquake occurred, Peter was the first artist rushing from his work to CCTV website to call for a global concern about the victims in disaster area. He donated 100,000 RMB on the live broadcast spot. During the following days, 100,000 RMB was raised from his fans of their own accord. From a financial point of view, the amount of Peter’s donation isn’t rare among that of the artists. However, compared with other artists, his great pushing effect of love is rare. This is Peter Ho recorded by camera. Before then, I interviewed him and tried to put down everything of him. Firstly, I have to say he is a handsome man with tall figure. Face to face, I listened to his past and future. I ever thought I’ve known him totally. But now, after so many things have happened, it is obvious that what I knew are only some “corners” of Peter Ho.

As an actor, Peter Ho was first accepted by the audience in mainland through the movie “The Truth About Jane & Sam” of 1998. In fact, it was in 1994 that he began to play movie. By chance, he joined Tsui Hark's film "The Butterfly Lovers", acting a student who was a bit stupid and lovely. Originally, Peter Ho just took use of summer vacation to come back to Taiwan from his art study in Canada. On the recommendation of his friend, he became a minor actor of "The Butterfly Lovers". Unexpectedly, Tsui Hark decided to give him a role at the first sight of Peter. That’s how Peter’s career of performing started. Four years later, a record company released the album “Zhen Xin Hua” for him. They found the influence of his movie was much wider than that of his songs. So the broker company changed their strategy, arranged his performing career in first place. In the movie “Yuan, Miao Bu Ke Yan” of 1999, Peter was cast as a young man who was born with a silver spoon. It only cost 13 days to act this role. A new idol star appeared. After that, the TV series "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" , “Wind and Cloud” both hit the target because of Peter’s talent and industry. Till his latest series “The Butterfly Lovers”, Peter Ho has won not only half the battle. His Liang Shanbo who made the audience cry and laugh, live in their heart eternally.

(to be continued)

"Wisdom is more attractive to the audience"

The reporter：I heard you have played a role with a strong but gentle character in the series “The Butterfly Lovers”. How did you make a clear distinction between gentleness and weakness?

Peter Ho: It’s not easy to handle this kind of character. Often people take gentleness as weakness. If I can’t handle my performing rightly, it probably gives the audience a stupid impression. Liang Shanbo is gentle, kind-hearted as well as intelligent and wise. He will counterattack against those bullying his beloved person, not in the way of violence but using his wisdom to argue them down. This is the point of “The Butterfly Lovers”. Nowadays Kung Fu stories are not so popular as before, because the audience have seen too much and almost been insensible to these movies (series). I think wisdom is more attractive to the audience. We should convince others by reason and punish the evil by wisdom.


“I’m mature when I should be”
As we all know, Peter Ho is a star. Are there pseudo stars in the entertainment career? The answer is yes. Some stars are popular, favored, but they can say nothing when asked what they have done. Making money ? it seems a good answer. I want to say, Peter is a real star endeavoring to brighten up others. He is enthusiastic about charities and actively participate in Olympic activities. He even gave up a lot of commercial activities to bring supplies and laugh to the disaster area. These things may appear to have no commercial value, however, Peter treats them very important. He said: “I don’t think charities and Olympic activities as a job. They are private things which I like to do. If you take them as a job, the motivity will certainly reduce. As an artist, I can and ought to promote the spirit of helping others. It’s happy for me. ”
Besides charities and work, Peter is also busy in “being himself”. He draws comics whenever he can. He once spent nine and a half hours on drawing insistently, only left an hour for sleep. He said: “Time is truly not enough. If I want to fulfill all my dreams, I have to live to the age of 120. So I value time and arrange it well. My watch is always with me even in my sleep or the bath.”

The reporter: Many actresses ever working with you said that you were a sunshine boy. Now you are in your thirties, are you willing to change yourself?

Peter Ho: No. I think it’s a public standard that some changes should be made at some stages of life, it doesn’t mean you must drift with the stream. I live a life which I like. Some of my current ideas are similar to the guys of twenty, it’s OK. I needn’t to live like the people of thirty around me.

The reporter: Then, you think yourself mature or not ?

Peter Ho: It depends on. Different things require different ways to conduct. I’m mature when faced with my work, as well as with my family, for I’m a responsible man. Nevertheless, when I stay with Jianhong or my friends, I usually get a bit naïve. It’s unnecessary to think of my age while playing with them. Many people have such a pressure that they must look very mature and can’t do things which don’t fit their age. This demand is from the society. If you keep in such a state even with your friends, then how can you relax yourself?

The reporter: In the entertainment circle, things like sex scandals and rumors are always can found. You look very peaceful when asked about these things before the media. You really don’t care at all? Or you have to react like this?

Peter Ho: certainly I care, sometimes. But there is no need to say “how can they write me like this, what nonsense!” every time I’m asked. I’m not willing to be angry one more time before the lens, for in fact my anger was only roused at first sight of the rumor. I want to express myself before the lens, not to take out my anger.

The reporter: Will you clarify the truth?

Peter Ho: If there is necessity. I’ll clarify matters if I feel very uncomfortable about the rumor.

The reporter: is there anything done by others that is particularly unacceptable to you?

Peter Ho: I hate others speaking of things that I never do. Occasionally words are blown into your ears like “Peter Ho said that this director worked too slowly, he is incapable.” I have absolutely not said that. But I will probably be misunderstood by the director, as well as other people who don’t know the truth.

It's too long so I removed some paragraph. you can read the details in Baidu.

The last section:


Comments on the occupational strategy of Peter Ho
by Jiang Hainan (The TSI chief consultant of artists’ occupational strategy)

It has been ten years since Peter’s debut into entertainment circle at his age of 23. He has obtained the great achievements of 8 albums, more than 10 movies, nearly 30 series and 20 advertisements. As the backbone of “Dorian”, Peter worked a lot and tried to open the mainland market for his younger colleagues. His career came to a mature, stable stage. But there is still a long way to walk from “star” to “superstar”. In entertainment circle, changes and improvements are essential for the artist’s survival. After the mature period, Peter has only two choices: a qualitative leap or an ultimate drop.

”The top priority of Peter’s work is to reduce in quantity and demand better quality”


In recent years, the emphasis of Peter’s work was focused on the mainland, especially the TV drama area. He was familiar to the viewers in mainland from the series “Jade Guanyin”. After then, he played over 20 series, “occupied” the screen for quite long time. “Dorian” aims at keeping a stable reputation and payment through numerous drama works. However, this means will probably reduce the quality of works and tire the viewers. Going on like this, neither the reputation nor the benefit can be kept. So the top priority of Peter’s work is to reduce in quantity and demand better quality. Namely, consider the script and characters carefully, take more time to work out classical drama, give up unimportant plays and commercial activities. In this way, Peter’s path to “superstar” will be broader.

”Clear style and deep meaning is absent in Peter’s songs”
Peter Ho succeeded in transforming from a singer to an actor. The success is so complete that his former status has been forgotten by public. His latest two albums,“Like To Talk To You”and “Only Care About You”, both sold well. However, clear style and deep meaning is absent in Peter’s songs. He needs a special, distinct character of his album to remain the success that he has achieved.