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Meetings with Wu Jing in Hengdian, the City of Films

Author :  Ninnie, in Chinese

Date :  22 -24 August 2001

Translation :  Martial Arts Movies and TV Series - Wu Jing

Original Compilation :  Jing Wu Men

The Chivalry and Tenderness of Jin Yong

Wu Jing enquired if we had seen anything on Mainland's webpages about the upcoming local production, Eagle-Shooting Heroes and all of us replied, "Yes!" Then, Wu Jing asked if we had seen Wandering Insouciantly through the Martial Arts World, how we felt about it and what if he were to act in the drama serial. At that moment, lots of thoughts ran through my mind, yet no words came out from my mouth. It was not until someone said we believed that he would be more suited to act as Yang Guo, did I unconsciously brought up, "What about Linghu Chong?"

I Love Linghu Chong 

"When Yuen Bun was filming Young Hero of the Marshes, he said that he would definitely look for me if he were to shoot Wandering Insouciantly through the Martial Arts World. He said my easy-goiing, relaxed nature resembled Linghu Chong; I did the scenes so effortlessly - I did not need to act and everything was already okay." Our sentiments, exactly! But what resulted in Linghu Chong brushing past Wu Jing? Was it due to his baby face?

Actually, when Zhong Yang Drama Production was doing its first round of cast selection, it did approach Wu Jing and Wu Jing even had his costumes ordered. However, later, the producers and directors had their hesitation and it was decided that Shao Bing would be hired instead. Meanwhile, Wu Jing was helping out a friend doing a cameo part in Love in Turbulent Times.

Around the same time, Yuen Wo Ping related to him about a movie Tsui Hark was making, and there was was fairly reasonable role for him. Actually, Wu Jing was the lead actor in the original script, but his part was later reduced quite a lot. On the other hand, the pay was very low, and he would be required to have his head shaved. Yuen Wo Ping asked if Wu Jing would want to take up the offer, to which Wu Jing said, "Eighth Master, just a word from you, and I will do it willingly."

Later, Zhong Yang Drama Production called Wu Jing, saying that it wished Wu Jing to replace Shao Bing as Linghu Chong. Wu Jing had to decline since he had already agreed with Yuen Wo Ping to do Legend of Zu. And thus, Wu Jing missed his chance of being Linghu Chong.

The Three Major Scenes of Eagle-Shooting Heroes

"What do you think of me acting as Guo Jing?" asked Wu Jing.

We were floored by this question. Basically, I believed in Wu Jing's acting skill, but his appearance and characteristic were not as suitable.

"We don't look alike?" said Wu Jing, seeing that none of us replied.

We nodded our heads saying that Guo Jing is such a block-head and simpleton.

"I possess more air of astuteness and wisdom than Guo Jing?" he was not the least bit humble, but that's what we were thinking.

Wu Jing took the chance to voice out his views on how three major action scenes from the novel could be produced. The first was a scene from Chapter Five, Shooting the Eagles, where Guo Jing subdues the Blood Sweating Horse. The book narrates how Guo Jing makes a gigantic leap, catches hold of the horse, and how he is still able to move about with great agility while air-borne, and even doing somersaults with ease even though the horse is galloping at breakneck speed. Wu Jing was pretty certain of his horse-riding skill, and that he could do it even better if he were allowed to do the scene.

Next was Chapter Thirty-Seven, Descending from the Sky, where Guo Jing leads the Mongolian troop against an enemy fortress. They have been attacking the impregnable fortress for quite some time but have never succeeded in capturing it. Later, thanks to Huang Rong's strategy, they make something similar to modern-day parachutes, and jumping off from a nearby mountain, land inside the fortress. According to Wu Jing's idea, after Guo Jing has landed, he should first single-handedly fight against the enemy soldiers. Wu Jing believed that it won't be difficult shooting the scene, and that long-distance shot could be utilised to show how bravely and invincibly the actor carries out the task against thousands of soldiers. On the other hand, in order to present the best effects, Guo Jing should face the enemies alone, fighting all the way non-stop, in order to demonstrate the intensity of the atmosphere. And in the entertainment circle, there weren't many actors of such capability, who could manage to do this feat convincingly.

The third was the final chapter, Swordplay Deliberation in Mt Hua, where Guo Jing exchanges roughly three hundred blows each with Huang Yao-Shi, Heretic of the East, and Hong Qi-Gong, Beggar of the North. The latter are the top pugilists of the novel and they share the same ranking as Yi Deng, Emperor of the North, and Ou-Yang Feng, Venom of the West. To ensure that this scene, where Guo Jing puts all skills he has learned to test and fights against the two great pugilists, is captured in the most riveting way, one must pay special attention to the martial arts choreography. This is also an assessment of the actor's physical strength and endurance. To use a double would undermine the realism of the scene, since it can't be done as openly. Hence, if the person who acts as Guo Jing does not have proper martial arts background, the ending would have been shot much haphazardly and less efficaciously.

Return of Condor Heroes

It has been a long time since Wu Jing has finished reading Jin Yong's novels and noticing how zealously he spoke about Jin Yong's novels and characters, it's not difficult to imagine that the martial arts trained Wu Jing revels in identifying passionate and concordant emotions among the lights of sabres and shadows of swords, the gratitude, chivalry, love and hatred in the martial arts novels. From the fervent way he talked about the three scenes from Eagle Shooting Heroes, we could see that Wu Jing's mind has already carved out the mind-blowing yet realistic scenes from the fictional world of martial arts, thinking of being the protagonist in this dreamland.

When we said we wished most to see him doing Return of Condor Heroes, Wu Jing, with an air of hysteria, said, "Good foresight! Yang Guo's character is rather close to mine, isn't he known as Frenetic of the West? I can be more frenzied than him at times."

It seemed as if we were witnessing Yang Guo's suaveness when Wu Jing was making the above statement. We said Yu Fei-Hong could be Little Dragon Maiden and that they made a perfect dream couple.

Wu Jing smiled, "You really want to see me acting as Yang Guo? You can go around spreading your words on the web"

On the other hand, Wu Jing also indicated that it was not up to him decide which show to act in, and that he could only took a step at a time. Only when he receives assurances from more people about his acting skills would he be more confident of fulfilling such a chimera should such an opportunity come knocking on the door.

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