Sources: MingPaoWeekly #2233 /
New TVB series of 40 episodes, Prominent Family (名媛望族), set in the 1920s-1930s era and produced by Chong Wai Kin. The filming will begin in November 2011 with following cast: Damian Lau, Idy Chan, Ron Ng, Kenneth Ma, Fala Chen, etc. Damian’s character will have 5 wives.
Related translation: Hyn5 / AF /

Idy Chan feat. in Shall We Talk? of MPW #2216

May 1, 2011 at 21:50 Comment Comments Off on Idy Chan feat. in Shall We Talk? of MPW #2216
artistes blogs, lifestyle, mingpaoweekly  

Sources: MingPaoWeekly #2216 [Xuan] / Sina / Weibo / Special thanks to JC for the scans


2011.04.29

Idy attended “2011 Mrs. International Pageant – (mrsworld.org)” press conference as Guest of Honour & Ambassador

Sources: MingPaoWeekly #2179 @ Page 66-7

不可有獨立思想 不能常聯絡家人
陳玉蓮收徒注重樣靚身材正

金庸筆下的小龍女特立獨行,現實中的陳玉蓮亦自成一派,「我相信有神的存在,但我不是基督徒或天主教徒,跟隨師父多年,無論靈性與智慧,我都有很大進步。」近半年來,她穿梭國內不斷行善,其中一個重要項目,是「收徒弟」。「面試了好幾百人,幾乎都是家境貧困的女孩,如果可以跟到我,那是非常幸運,可說改變她們的一生。」

三年前拍罷無綫劇集《原來愛上賊》,陳玉蓮又轉趨低調,除了偶爾客串港台節目以外,她全力修行與行善,不常在港;最近海港城與聖雅各福群會復康服務合辦「泥造人 樂造人」陶藝展覽,身為聖雅各福群會陶藝工作室創辦導師的蓮妹,亦因身在內地未能出席開幕禮,找着蓮妹,伊人正身在重慶。「最初,是一位日本陶藝家告訴我,很多大學都有藝術治療,一邊教人、一邊自己學習;智障人士做陶瓷,不應該着重展品得到幾多人讚賞,在反覆將泥土搓爛的過程中,讓我們重新改造、自我反思,就算是我這些所謂『正常人』,一樣要學懂謙虛,真誠地面對批評,勇於承認自己的不是。」

我說,蓮妹積極行善十多年,很偉大,她果然回應得很真:「我係咪好偉大?都係o架!譬如上山區要行幾個小時,很多人說,陳玉蓮可以用錢解決一切,叫人去行不就可以嗎?但我寧願親力親為,這不是要大家覺得我偉大,而是要了解實情,就一定要身體力行,好讓其他人知道,凡事並不是唾手可得。」作為義工,她希望給弱勢社羣最大的幫助,最近的一大動作,是計劃挑選幾個年齡介乎十三至十七歲的小妹妹,收為徒弟。「這個年紀的小朋友,思想未固定,如白紙一張,好教 啲;但兩年前,有一個廿多歲的女孩,剛讀完大學,跟她說我的理念,她立即願意跟我。」跟蓮妹幹些什麼呢?「主要做義工,我也會找專人教她們打功夫、英文、禮儀,當我做代言或其他演藝工作,她們就會做助理;除了照顧起居飲食,我還會定期給錢她們的家人。」

不排除收男徒弟

◄校長宣布陳玉蓮想收一名徒弟,幾百個女學生隨即如蟻附羶、蜂擁報名;但接見了所有人,蓮妹說,仍未有一個完全合她心水。

蓮妹收徒的淵源,始於幾年前替港台主持節目,接觸了「青鳥」與「紫藤」兩個關注性工作者團體,有機會跟一些來自四川、重慶、貴州的年輕女生傾偈,留下深刻的印記,決意要幫助她們脫貧。「我不可能幫助所有人,做善事一定要認清自己的能力,好多人做義工,未學懂游泳就跑去做救生員,救人不成淹死了自己。」她收徒的概念獲得貴州政府支持,一間學校的校長對着全體學生宣布:「陳玉蓮想收一個女徒弟,有人願意追隨她嗎?」全校千多名女學生,有三、四百人立即響應,湧到蓮妹面前報名,場面哄動。「大陸有一孩政策,有人提我:『陳玉蓮,父母不會將孩子交給你的!』但若是聰明的話,就知道跟隨我的好處,有些家長一聽我的理念,即時就說:『什麼時候帶我的女兒走?』」為什麼不收男生?她笑:「我不懂帶男生,大家一起生活,還是女生比較容易溝通!不過,我也不排除會收男徒弟,最好性格溫馴、身材健碩,陪着我一起入山區,比較有安全感。」

在貴州見了好幾百人,還是不合蓮妹眼緣,後經朋友介紹,收了兩個小妹妹,共同生活了一個月,蓮妹說她們仍未算正式徒弟。「好多條件都爭,我一定要白裏透紅,身材好,不是model那種,我要豐滿型,男人看女人,看靚女人都會舒服啲,我要天天對着她,當然希望有個漂亮女生在身邊。」蓮妹收徒講求外在條件,又會提供一連串學習機會,是想培育弟子進入娛樂圈嗎?「完全不會排除這個可能性,但也要看她們有沒有這個材料,再因材施教。」

突然好想拍打戲

有幸入門,成為陳玉蓮的弟子,需要遵守什麼戒條?「沒有什麼特別戒條,她想走,隨時都可以,唯一是不可以整天聯絡屋企人,如果我們剛好到她的鄉下做義工,譬如成都,她當然可以回家放假;作為學徒,也要百分百服從,不可以有獨立思想,意見固然可以提出,但不能脫離我們的想法。」有云養一個小孩要四百萬,雖然蓮妹想收十三至十七歲的弟子,但起居飲食與教育經費也屬不菲,錢從何來呢?「沒有任何人捐獻,一分一毫都是我、師父與幾位同修師兄弟一起集資的。」據聞之前蓮妹曾在香港與加拿大分別中過兩次彩票,獲得合共五千萬獎金,故將之回饋社會乎?她有點遲疑,但還是禮貌地笑着回應:「這個好難答你……總之,是我與所有同修一起出錢吧!」

師父認為,蓮妹應該將自己的修行告訴年輕一代,最直接的方法,就是拍一部電視劇,讓更多人認識或記起她,再宣揚自己的理念,是以零七年她復出接拍《原來愛上賊》,之後無綫再為她度身訂造一部功夫劇,卻因檔期間題而押後。「我突然好想拍打劇,TVB好疼我,本來為我開拍一部以太極高手李暉為藍本的古裝劇,檔期都傾好晒,但開拍前TVB說,因為另一部劇要多用十幾天廠期,但我的期完全不可以調動,結果拍不成,我也覺得好可惜。」這股忽然冒起的「打氣」猶在嗎?她哈哈笑:「還在呀!有些人聽完會說:『你這把年紀還拍打戲?』我說很有趣呀,希望稍後有機會成事吧。」

[…and Happy Easter to those who celebrate]

SMW Entertainment #299 Report: Idy Chan

March 16, 2009 at 21:29 Comment Comments Off on SMW Entertainment #299 Report: Idy Chan
magazine  

2009.03.16 Southern Metropolis Entertainment Weekly: #299 [via MingPao / Sohu / YNet /



Thanks Hu Yi for sharing her photo taken on March 7, which Idy went for SMW interview (l-r): Hugo Ng (吴岱融), Eddie Kwan (關禮傑), [?] and Idy

Taiwan Mingpao Weekly #27 Idy Chan forever Little Dragon Girl

December 18, 2008 at 15:03 Comment Comments Off on Taiwan Mingpao Weekly #27 Idy Chan forever Little Dragon Girl
mingpaoweekly  

MPZK #27 @ ChinaYes

[Credits to 張三 @ bbs.diezi.net for the scans & Thanks Kit for the translation]

[ELLE (hk) February 2008] Idy Chan happy returned On screen, she was Little Dragon Girl (Siu Lung Lui) SLL – an angelic girl who lives in the ancient tomb. Off screen, she cares less of fame and put herself into religion.
In the first half of her life, Idy Chan has played 3 different roles – from a leading TV actress to a kind-hearted volunteer in some charity organizations and a total religious person.

Recently, Lin Mui walked out from her secluded cell and come back to the TV field she had been missing for 14 years. A trip returned to the showbiz; a step into the world again, it is a new path to her.

Idy Chan got popular from the SLL role she portrayed in 1983. 10 years later, she chose to leave the showbiz and live an ordinary life, working as full-time volunteer for more than a decade. 3 years ago, she even put herself into the religion she embraced and followed her master either to travel around the world or to live a secluded life. It was not until half year ago she agreed to film for TVB. Audiences have missed her a lot but also couldn’t hold their curiosity to know how she was doing in the seclusion and rumors of her relationship with her best friend as well as the winning of big sum lotteries.

Stop guessing. Now we have Idy here to lift up the veil and reveal pieces of her life in all these years.

1993 & after: worked as full-time volunteer

After leaving the showbiz, Lin Mui walked in a total different world of hers to the disabled. She always went to St. James’ Settlement to teach the disabled pottery. Hey this woman was not playing for fun. She had been there in service for more than 10 years.

“Why became a volunteer? Well I thought it had something to do with my mom. I was grown up in Tiu Keng Leng where at that time my mom ran a food-catering business. She cooked for about a hundred kids, from kindergartners to high school graduate, no matter they could pay or not. So in some way I would say it was my mom fed them to grown-up. Later my mom fell sick and I truly realized that some people do need a helping hand from others. Therefore I decided to help those needy with my own hands after I left the TV career.”

To date, Idy is still involved in volunteering work but using a different approach. In the past she taught pottery and now she helps sooth humans’ soul with religion. “I remember when I taught pottery, people had fun with just kneading dough and that’s all. But now I hope to open up their heart. I will tell them wise words and hope they could grow from it.”

Lung Gugu didn’t let any chance slip away. She even initiated and talked to those young extras while filming.

“I asked them why they became extras. They told me they needed money to spend on things like karaoke and games. The more I pried, the more they felt uncomfortable. They were afraid if I was a social worker. So they went home and asked their mom about me, only knew that I am Idy Chan who played the SLL role in Wah Jai (Andy Lau 劉德華) version The Return of Condor Heroes 神鵰俠侶 long time ago.”

2004: give up Buddhism for Tao “道”

Lin Mui adopted Buddhism in 1977 when she joined TVB actors training class at the age of 17. A few years ago she started learning Tao. What is Tao about? In a simple term, it is a mixture of Buddhism & Taoism.

“I am a pessimist. At one time I thought I would become a nun. Religion could help people change their perspective in many aspects and in further it would change the surrounding around you and your relationships with others. I was a Buddhist in the past 30 plus years and I thought it was the direction I’d wanted to go but I found it wasn’t. I want to move to a higher level. I want to practice my religion when alive and skip incarnation after death.” Lin Mui recognized a master who is expertise in this area in USA many years ago and later she gave up Buddhism. She even moved to reside with this master and other two soul mates, living a semi-secluded life without connection with family and friends. “It is good to live with my soul mates. Our relationships are much closer than family since we hold same belief which unlike our parents, whom we may have different views.”

However, will Idy Chan, once a sweetheart to many audiences even Chow Yun Fat 周潤發 and Andy Lau 劉德華, be content to live a nun-like life? “I don’t think it is that difficult. Just put in some determination.”

2007: making a screen comeback

Gugu fans were all excited with the good news – Idy Chan is back. In fact she chose a high profile appearance. First, she showed up in Be My Guest 志雲飯局 and received interview by Stephen Chan 陳志雲. Later she appeared in ATV programme “Hong Kong Best 10 Scenics 香港十大自然勝景” as a guest host. And she has just finished filming TVB new series “Catch Me Now 原來愛上賊 (previously named 盜亦有道)”, collaborated with Damian Lau 劉松仁.

When asked why she wanted to return, she said she just tried fooling around.

“I think filming is kind of fun and amused so I decided to come back. I have been living for my religion for a long period and it’s time for application. In the showbiz I could contact many people. I wonder if I’ve learned where to put in my efforts and to let go, at any time. If I could then I am no more a stubborn gal. So now I sort of live a carefree attitude. This is a religious exercise.”

Obviously, the used-to-be rigid Lin Mui has changed to an easy-going person. Just like Idy didn’t film over a decade and suddenly she has to throw herself into this stressful working pattern, filming from dawn till dusk and to tolerate those on-the-fly last-minute scripts change that is different from what she used to. But she didn’t show a bit annoyance.

“Someone has already prepped me so I don’t see any big problem. Actually it won’t be anything if you chose to neglect it. The less you think of hardworking, tiredness & strangeness, the less they will be happen,” she said flatly. And she didn’t miss the chance to make joke on TVB. She said the way TVB filming is most suitable for those who need to play ugly woman roles, just save lots of make up.

“I think it‘s not bad to act those ugly & haggard faces when you are out of shape and filming until 5 or 6 in the morning.”

Idy Chan has always played those beautiful women role on screen and in reality she’s never afraid of aging. Even when she returned the media has never stopped criticize her bad fashion taste & untidy appearance. But she doesn’t take it to heart. “They have freedom to express what they think. They’d already labeled me as a beautiful & stylish TV star so if I show up not up to their standard, they will complaint. I really think people should learn how to accept one true self and live on. For example, some people can’t accept aging and they turn to skincare products & health food, hoping these things could help them look young but it is just an illusion. No matter what you do you can’t change the nature.”

Lin Mui has no longer care about this aging thing. In fact she has stopped using skincare products for many years. She cleans her face only with clear water everyday and even when she was under extremely dry weather in Canada, she just applied cooking oil on her face and her skin still looks as good.

“It is just because for the come back I’ve bought some make- up items like foundations, lipsticks and eye shadows etc. They are my ‘working tool’. But now the filming is finished I don’t know when will I use them again.”

2008: completing the Tao path of live

“Will you film another series after ‘Catch Me Now’?

“I don’t know yet but we will see when the time comes.” She answered vaguely.

No assumption. No planning. It is her living attitude for now.

“Things will happen in the right time. You can’t make any guess so it is meaningless to make out plans meticulously. But don’t take it as you can do whatever things you desire. It is just not responsible.”

While she can’t promise for another series but one thing for sure is she will keep her religious practice. But how she will do it and where to go? She has to listen to her master. In fact, she has been traveled around the world with her master all these time. Last year she spent 5 months in Vancouver and now she is ready to leave HK at anytime.

“TVB is a bit worried if I will be in HK when they start dubbing for ‘Catch Me Now’. I lost my voice while filming there so I have to sync afterward but the timetable has not come out yet. I’m afraid it will collide with my traveling time.”

To support all these traveling expenses, I think one must be very wealthy so did Idy really win the lotteries?

“I will answer you in private,” she gave out a model answer but then added later, “Master will take care of me and we live simply.”

Frankly, I didn’t anticipate an answer from her mouth to prove if she had won the lotteries. But as an ex-Gugu fan, I am really happy for her to have found a way out from the ups and downs she’s experienced in life, even this path maybe beyond most people comprehension. (by Fanny Lam)

[Idy is such a beautiful person inside and out and I’m forever admiring her. It’s totally so cute how she’s prying on young extras while filming and they didn’t know who she was. It’s obviously she’s been opening up a lot compared back in the old days. I do believe that we’re born to suffer and Idy seems to become enlightened on the whole WHAT-IS- LOVE LIFE thing. Blah!]

Happy Spring 2008!
ELLE hk February 2008 Issue

Thanks to Cheung Sam @bbs.diezi.net for the scans

2007.10.22 Updates…

October 22, 2007 at 16:25 Comment Comments Off on 2007.10.22 Updates…
catch me now, mingpaoweekly, tvb  

[The Sun E+] Silent body language wins over sound dialogues. Idy Chan is definitely not an old person, but the way Fala Chen as if helping a senior and could imply as “I respect you, support you, it’s not because you can walk straight.”

“Thieves With Principles (lit.)” will be one of the first serials aired on TVBhd, a new TVB channel, which starts in 2008. Read the news here.

Kit also just finished translating the Mingpao Weekly #2022 back in August. Browse back and read the complete translation. Or click HERE

[Many special thanks to Kit for taking time & helping on translation, your help is much appreciated. Please apologize for any grammatical mistakes as English isn’t the first language for both Kit and I. And forgive any awkward English grammars and translation due to my limited & self-taught Chinese. Thanks all of your continued support.]

2007.09.11 Three screen beauties back in the news – Return of Little Dragon Girl: Idy Chan

September 18, 2007 at 9:11 Comment Comments Off on 2007.09.11 Three screen beauties back in the news – Return of Little Dragon Girl: Idy Chan
andy lau, atv, chow yun fat, gba, hk10scenes, mingpaoweekly, roch1983, tvb  

[Extract from The Electronic New Paper] These classic Asian beauties, who hogged TV screens in the ’70s and ’80s, retired at the peak of their careers to get married. But they’ve all been in the spotlight recently, reports AVIS WONG

She was once known as Hong Kong’s Marilyn Monroe.

But the pictures we have seen of Cherie Chung recently were not those of a glowing beauty. They were those of a grieving widow.

Cherie, 47, lost her husband of 16 years to cancer on 24 Aug.

Though friends worry about her health, she has retained her elegant composure, at least in public.

The classic beauty was third runner-up in TVB’s Miss Hong Kong pageant in 1979 and made her film debut in Johnnie To‘s first film, The Enigmatic Case, the following year.

She went on to star in more than 50 movies, working with many top leading men, most notably Chow Yun Fat and Leslie Cheung in her last film, Once A Thief, in 1991.

She retired to marry advertising guru Mike Chu, who is best known for his creative work in the Titus watch commercials and for creating Titus’ famous Chinese tagline: ‘I don’t care for eternity, I only care for the moments we once shared.’

After marriage, she was active in charity work, especially in promoting environmental protection.

Aside from a few select endorsements, she turned down all acting offers as she wanted to lead a peaceful, normal life.

But in February this year, tabloid pictures of the couple revealed a thin and gaunt-looking Mike.

In May, Cherie was spotted taking her 53-year-old husband – who looked to have lost 20kg and donned thick clothing despite the hot summer weather – to a traditional Chinese clinic and to see a qigong master.

Despite rumours that he had colon cancer, Cherie kept giving the excuse that he was on a diet.

The two have no children but shared a loving relationship and were considered a model couple in showbiz.

A Taiwanese friend reportedly said: ‘Cherie once told her husband that she would still want to marry him in her next life.

Mike humorously replied to her, ‘Why won’t you let me take a break?’. They were indeed a great couple.’

Mike reportedly left HK$50 million ($9.8m) to Cherie.

RETURN OF LITTLE DRAGON GIRL – IDY CHAN

WITH those crow’s feet, freckles and slightly pudgy figure, Idy Chan is a far cry from her most famous screen persona, Little Dragon Girl.

After all, it has been a good 24 years since she was catapulted to fame playing the surreal beauty opposite Andy Lau‘s Yang Guo in the 1983 TVB adaptation of Louis Cha’s The Return Of The Condor Heroes.

Idy Chan and Andy Lau in a recent game show on Hong Kong TV

Now 47, Idy has been under the spotlight lately, granting interviews to the Hong Kong media and making public appearances.

Most recently, she promoted an Asia Television Hong Kong travel programme with Athena Chu.

She even walked the red carpet with actor Simon Yam at the 12th annual Golden Bauhinia Awards on 1 Sep and presented the Best Actress award.

Her recent appearances begged the question: Is she returning to showbiz?

It has been 14 years since she retired from the scene.

Idy told the Hong Kong media: ‘I never thought about quitting acting before. Now, I don’t know whether I will act or not either. I’ll just let things run their natural course.’

She told Ming Pao Weekly that she’s interested in acting again, but kissing and intimate scenes are out.

Idy married casino executive Peter Chan Siu-Moo in 1984 at the height of her career and settled in New York.

Even though the couple divorced in 1992, she remained inactive in showbiz, only making the occasional appearance on TV shows in China and Hong Kong.

She was also an active charity volunteer.

Then in 1999, she was rumoured to have secretly married 1980s singer Louis Castro after she told the media that she has been seeing a mysterious ‘tall, gentle and caring’ man for five years.

But soon, the paparazzi found that she was living with famous advertising director Maisy Choi. According to the tabloids, the female relationship lasted 11 years, ending in 2005.

Once known for her icy and sullen image, Idy is now chatty and more adept at dealing with the media.

‘Many reporter friends tell me they had wanted to slap me in the past because I didn’t know how to answer their questions and had always put on a black face then.

‘But they just loved asking me about Chow Yun Fat, so what could I have said?’ she told Ming Pao Weekly.

She and Yun Fat had dated for five years – from 1978 to 1983 – during the early days of their TV careers.

Idy has not worked in recent years and it was reported that she struck the lottery twice, winning about HK$17 million ($3million) in Canada, and another HK$30 million in a Hong Kong lotto 11 years ago.

But she told reporters that ‘the rumours will stop with the wise’.

DEPRESSED OVER MARRIAGE? – LIN CHING-HSIA [Brigitte]

LIN CHING-HSIA may have retired and been married for 13 years, but the former queen of Taiwanese romance films is still a popular paparazzi target.

And the rumour mill has been churning overtime when it comes to her marriage.

The 53-year-old was recently spotted by the tabloids at the International Financial Centre in Hong Kong with her friends, former Taiwanese actress Hsieh Ling Ling and retired Hong Kong actress Amy Tao.

They had gone to watch Jay Chou’s latest movie, Secret, and Ching-hsia had reportedly seen the movie twice.

She looked radiant and happy. But it wasn’t always so.

The tabloids had said last year that Ching-hsia had moved out of her marital home in Hong Kong and was staying in an apartment in Kowloon Tong alone.

The reports also said that despite being married to billionaire businessman Michael Ying, she did not have a property or car to her name.

They have two daughters, aged 10 and 6, but the reports alleged that Michael was dating a divorcee from Shanghai and that the woman bore him a son.

When Ching-hsia’s father died in May last year, the media noted that the couple had little interaction despite attending the funeral together.

Then, she was purportedly hooked on ballroom dancing and was spotted hanging out at clubs, dancing and having supper with younger men in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

But in March this year, she reportedly moved back home.

Last month, a Taiwanese report said she visited the Hong Kong Mood Disorders Center at the Prince Of Wales Hospital in Shatin, Hong Kong, but friends have denied she is depressed.

aviswong@sph.com.sg

[Citation needed for several items in this article, use your own judgment on these stories. Quite coincident that both husbands of Cherie & Brigitte have the same English name & million-/billionaire businessmen]

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