趙薇有趣的大學生活
The Family Magazine
12/2000
Reposted from: The Sky of The Moon
Provided by: CISSY
Zhao Wei stood outside of the examination room, her streams of tears touched the heart of the main teacher in charge of the test...
The general public only knew that Swallow Zhao Wei was able to miraculously become famous overnight because Qiong Yao had given her a rare opportunity; yet that benevolent teacher who first brought Zhao Wei into the performing arts palace was scarcely known. Recently, I, the author of the article, interviewed Cui Xing Qing, a teacher of Acting Department at Beijing Filming School-who was Zhao Wei's main teacher. She told us various interesting events that happened from the time when Zhao Wei was only an ordinary student attending Beijing Filming School to the birth of a new star.
Zhao Wei's Eyes Touched Me
On March of 1996, more than 3000 youngsters, all shared the dream of becoming a star and applied to Beijing Filming School. These applicants, each with their unique talents, had all came from various locations and arrived here through difficult journeys, traveling beyond the mountains and over the seas. Ten minuets before the starting time for the three examinations, a student suddenly ran into my office nervously. She immediately grabbed my hands and said, "Teacher, please come with me, there is a student that have lost her exam admission ticket and is crying desperately in the hallway." At that moment, I was discussing testing conditions of these applicants with other teachers. Upon hearing this request, I told her, "If she have lost her exam admission ticket, then she shouldn't take the test. It is almost time to go in the testing room, how can someone loose such an important paper? Just from this action, it seems that she does not value this test very much." That same student who told me the news immediately said in an almost pleading tone, "Teacher, please go see her. She is really crying badly. Please talk to her. Only you can help her."
With these words, that kindhearted student pulled me toward the stairway. Immediately, I saw a girl with her head leaning on the stair handle crying, her back was shaking continuously as if she had cried for a while. That student, who had brought me over, yelled toward a distance, "Zhao Wei, your rescuer, the main teacher in charge of the test is here." That girl, who was still crying, upon hearing those words suddenly stopped. She turned around, lifted her eyes and looked at me. Her tears, some as large as beans, still hang on her face. At that moment, I felt that I have met this girl before. I observantly stared at those pair of large and talking eyes for almost 30 seconds. "Teacher, I have lost my examination ticket. Please help me! You must let me take the test. If I am accepted, I will study earnestly and with great effort. Teacher, I beg you to help me! Everyone told me that you are the person in charge." This girl, who called Zhao Wei, sobbed as she begged me, streams of tears continuously fell from her face.
I lifted my arm and looked at my watch--2 or 3 minuets till testing begins. As I hurried the surrounding students to enter the testing room, I told a teacher in charge of admission, "Go replace an exam admission ticket for Zhao Wei and allow her to take the test immediately." That teacher looked at me with a frustrated face and said, "Teacher Cui, if we do it this way, we are breaking the testing regulations; not to mention that there has not been any exception, such as replacing an exam admission ticket only couple minuets before the actual test, maybe we have to request permission from the administrators." I replied anxiously, "There is no time to request for any permission. Let's first give her the replacement for the exam admission ticket. If anyone asks about this, have him come to me. I will explain this." Yet this teacher continued to question me, "Teacher Cui, are you really sure about this girl? Do you really have the determination that you are not making a mistake?" I answered firmly, "I am sure that I am not making a mistake. Did you notice? She has a pair of large and talking eyes, a pair of eyes that touched me. Please make a replacement exam admission ticket. If anyone asks, I will take the responsibility." Finally, this teacher reluctantly agreed, "Okay, you are the main teacher in charge. I will listen to you. I do this."
Zhao Wei was really fulfilling. With the highest total scoring on all three tests, she obtained a notice for further test on language comprehension. At that time, all of the main teachers in charge of the test liked Zhao Wei's adorable, innocent, straightforward personality. Thus, in order to ensure that she would be accepted into Beijing Filming School. We requested a "Special Pass" that could allow her to enter the school even if she didn't pass the language comprehension test. What made everyone so happy and excited was that Zhao Wei successfully passed the required scoring on language comprehension at Beijing Filming School with a score of 360. Thus, on July 1, 1996, I welcomed the 23 fortunate students who were accepted, including Zhao Wei. The school officially assigned me as the main teacher in charge of the class.
Zhao Wei's Appearance Is Exactly Same As That of Mine When I Was Young After School started, I heard various discussions about Zhao Wei and me. Some said, "Zhao Wei is definitely a relative from Teacher Cui's family. Look at how similar they are, especially Zhao Wei's eyes, exactly same as that of Cui Xing Qing, and the way she smiles, lifts hands, and every movement, just so similar. Some began to guess, "They are both from Anhui, one is from Wuhu and another from Bangfu. It is very likely that they are relatives." Even my husband, after seeing Zhao Wei, told me, "Zhao Wei really looks like you, more so than our daughter." Thus, I took her and my picture from when I was still young and carefully observed them. Indeed, I really do look like her. We both have the same big eyes, the same curvy eyebrow, the same straight nose--We are definitely very similar. No wonder I had the feeling that I already met her when I saw her the first time.
Zhao Wei also quickly discovered this similarity between she and me. On the first day of school, while we were doing cleaning, Zhao Wei, as she cleaned a window, said to me, "Teacher Cui, we look so similar. If someone said that we are mother and daughter, I bet that people will believe it." I smiled and replied, "Then, why don't you be my daughter." Zhao Wei smiled also and continuously said, "Okay, okay. I have always earnestly wished for one more mother to love me."
I never thought that out of 23 students in the class, I would love Zhao Wei the most and she would be the one that I would worry most for. Zhao Wei was a dexterous girl with an extrinsic personality but so careless, almost like a boy; mistakes similar to the time when she lost her exam admission ticket repetitiously happened. Once, Zhao Wei was late to class for couple minutes. I asked her why she was late and she replied, "I couldn't find my room key, thus I was not able to close the door to my dormitory, so I was late." Then, I asked her, "Did you bring your homework?" Only till then did she remember about her homework. As she patted her head, she told me, "I forgot to bring them." She playfully stuck her tone out at me and immediately ran back to her dormitory to get them. However, when she ran back into the classroom breathless, she again discovered that she had forgotten to bring the equipment for the skit. Then, she apologized to me and ran back to her dormitory. As you can see, Zhao Wei did not have big problems in her, but only made small mistakes constantly. When she did make these small mistakes, she would stare at you with her large eyes and defend herself with various reasons, making you not to have the heart to criticize her.
I planned Zhao Wei's early television appearance of her road to Stardom for her. In the first semester of 1997, Zhao Wei came to my house with a script from ShangShuan Filming Production Company and said to me, "Teacher, please help me to look at it, I want to act as this character." After I spent one whole day looking over the script, I told her, "This character does not suit you. I advise you not to take this character. If you want to take a character, you must take a good one. First, the script must be good, then the character. Only with these things, you can become famous all over the country with one shot." Zhao Wei nodded, indicating that she accepted my advice.
Then, another night, approximately 8 o'clock, the phone of my house rang and I picked it up. "Teacher Cui, I'm Zhao Wei. The assistant director of Qiong Yao's 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge' found me and asked me to perform a character in it. Can you help me to look at the script?" I replied, "okay." Thus, after half of an hour, Zhao Wei brought to me the script of 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge'. She said to me in a firm and determined tone, "I really want to be on this show. Teacher, you must help me with advices." I replied, "Let me see the script first." There was a great difference between Qiong Yao's script and that of our mainland screen writers, because she only included conversations and left out descriptions for the background. Thus, it took me two days to read through the entire script. As soon as I finished, I found Zhao Wei and asked her, " What character did the filming group ask you to act as?" Zhao Wei replied, "They asked me to act as Zi Wei." I told her, "No, I can't let you act as Zi Wei. If they let you act Swallow, I will let you go perform." Zhao Wei became worried and said, "Teacher, what should I do? They have already planned this. How can I go and change it?" I comforted her by patting her on the head. Zhao Wei again nodded her head, as a pair of large eyes conveyed her helpless plead, so sad and unhappy.
After a couple of days, as I was preparing a lecture in my office, Zhao Wei pushed and opened my office door and came in. "Teacher Cui, are you still keeping your words? You said that if Qiong Yao let me act as Swallow, you would let me go, right?" She said. I replied, "That's right." At that moment, Zhao Wei's eyes radiated a stream of light as her face turned red from excitement. She said to me, "Teacher. I told them what you said. Auntie Qiong Yao allowed me to act as Swallow!" I immediately replied, "You can write out your request to film outside right now. I will sign it right away, then you can take it to the administration for approval as soon as possible." I conveniently handed her a pen and a piece of paper. She was very happy, so excited and glad that tears fell on that piece of paper for requesting her outside filming. When she finished writing, I signed my name and wrote "agreed" immediately.
On the same day, Zhao Wei's request was handed to the administration and obtained their approval. I told Zhao Wei this news and said to her, "Zhao Wei, I believe that you can act out Swallow this character really well. You just act your best, and don't make Beijing Filming School loose face." Zhao Wei blinked her large eyes and smiled, as she nodded her head hardly. Then, she skipped away.
Zhao Wei, Who Deeply Loves Our Group, Touched Us All 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge' had filmed for four month. After the completion of the filming, Zhao Wei came back immediately and participated in various studies and examinations. She was still the original Zhao Wei, and still wore a very simple and pure jean; and she still liked to sit on tables and talk about everything, such as telling us about the interesting events that happened during filming.
I remember one night, Zhao Wei came to my house and handed me a big pile of 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge's DVD. After a few days, Zhao Wei came over again, but brought a big boy behind her. I asked Zhao Wei, "Who is he?" She replied, "The Fifth Brother, teacher, do you know?" I shook my head. Zhao Wei really desperately wanted me to know his identity. She continued, "From the group-Little Tigers, Well-Behaved (Guai Guai) Tiger!" I shook my head again. Zhao Wei continued to give me hint patiently: "Green Apple Theme Park!" I replied, "I kind of know a little about it." I realized that the boy was somewhat embarassed. At that time, my 15 years old daughter walked out from her bedroom and said, "Mom, he is the Well-Behaved (Guai Guai) Tiger from the Little Tigers who sang 'Green Apple Theme Park' in Taiwan. He is the actor that acted as The Fifth Brother in 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge'."
Later, we sat on the sofa and watched 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge'. Those kids began to talk and laugh together. The Swallow on television screen was vivacious, refreshing, brave, and so adorable. In the beginning of 1998, Zhao Wei and I followed the filming group of 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge' first to Hong Kong and then Taiwan to promote for the film. At 10 o'clock in the morning, the airplane landed at TaoYuan airport. Couple of hundred people came to welcome us. At that time, almost every single Taiwan media came to the airport to interview us. Zhao Wei was so popular in Taiwan that the filming company was forced to hire 4 security guards, and the number would later increase to 8, to protect the safety of the entire filming group and workers through the entire trip.
In 1997, our class obtained the honor of being an "excellent group" in the city of Beijing. This was the first time that Beijing Filming School obtained any type of honor as this because students of performing arts school were often considered very unorganized in people's impression. Thus it was hard to believe that we could obtain such a group honor as this one. Zhao Wei, like the other 22 students, was proud of our adorable group. Likewise, when it was time to donate blood, Zhao Wei and others all went to the blood station. In 1998, when an extremely large flood hit, Zhao Wei also donated money and items as her other classmates.
In the second semester of 1998, during the time that Zhao Wei was filming 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge II', I visited her at the filming area of Beijing Film Production Company. I saw her and it seemed that exhaustion had filled her face, yet when the filming started, she had no choice but to be alerted and refreshed. I felt really sorry and asked her, "Is this tiring?" She replied, "Teacher, I have always wanted to take part in the rehearsal for our class graduation performance. I really miss that feeling of being in school, when everyone is so simple and pure, not so complex like the filming group. Everyday, we have to work from morning till next day morning 4 or 5 o'clock before we finish. I can only sleep two or three hours a day. I really want to go back to school and see everyone." I told her that when she finishes filming each day, she should only sleep and not think too much about other things.
Three days later, as I was rehearsing our graduation performance -- the famous classical drama 'Beijing People'-- with the students, without knowing, Zhao Wei came in and sat quietly beside me. When I realized her, I said to her, "Zhao Wei! How can you come?" She replied quietly, "The director was sick, the other actors/actresses went home and slept, so I came here. I missed all of you too much. The feeling of returning to school is so good. I have watched all of you for a while. The student of our class is performing very well."
In June 2000, this class, the class of 96, was near their graduation. Students thought of the idea of making a memory book as a graduation souvenir for the students of entire class. When Zhao Wei heard this news, she quickly agreed to be responsible for the $40,000 to $50,000 cost. Thus, when I collected everyone's picture and information, I handed them to Zhao Wei. At that time, I was a bit worried, because she had always been so careless that she would leave things here and there. Thus, I purposely told her, "You must not lose everyone's information." She replied, "Please don't worry, teacher! I will not lose them." A period of time passed by. After Zhao Wei finished her thesis presentation, she returned to Shanghai to film 'Love & Rain' on the same night. Ever since the day she took all the information of her classmate, there had not been any news about this whole thing. I was determined that this had failed. Then, suddenly one day, someone called me and said, "The memory book that Zhao Wei asked us to make is almost complete. We hope that Teacher Cui can look at it. Because Zhao Wei is busy with the filming, she does not have to come." When it was time for all the students of our class to say their last good-byes, everyone was gathered together and had lunch, someone called me and told me that the 500 memory books that Zhao Wei had ordered had arrived. Through this event, Zhao Wei had left an extremely wonderful memory to the entire student body; thus, drawing a perfect period to end her four years life as a college student. In the memory book, Zhao Wei wrote down this message to everyone, "I deeply love this group. Our life as a student here has left a vivid impression in me. In the days to come, I wish everyone to be successful. No matter what time or at what place, I will always pray and wish happiness and prosperity to my adorable classmates."
