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(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-12 15:08

Actor gets the gloves on

Taiwan idol Eddie Peng's new challenge is to play a boxer. In Close to You, a romantic film, which will be released on Friday, he will fight with another Taiwan actor Ming Dow, with his newly-obtained boxing skills and muscle.

Peng has played a dolphin trainer, sculptor and surfing coach among other professionals. To play a convincing boxer, he trained for three months, four hours a day.

Set on a Taiwan university campus, the film combines romance, comedy and suspense.

Taiwanese rock band Mayday provides the soundtrack and lead singer Ashin plays a judge in a singing contest, marking his big screen debut.

 

Singer opens festival

The 1st Beijing Sinology Cultural Festival of the Confucian Temple and Guo Zi Jian (The Imperial College) was launched on August 7 at the Confucian Temple. Singer Ha Hui was invited to present Xin Ya Yue, or New Elegant Music at the opening ceremony. She also announced the first stop of her world tour in September in Israel.

Ha, an associate professor with the Central University of Nationalities, combines traditional Chinese music, ancient poems and modern music elements to promote traditional Chinese philosophies and Sinology.

Chinese artist Ye Jintian, composer Lei Lei, Israeli ambassador Amos Nadai and cultural counselors from the German, Austrian and Swiss embassies attended the opening ceremony.

The festival will last till early October.

 

Premature babies get help

China launched its first nationwide foundation for premature infants last Sunday.

The foundation, called China Premature Infant Aid Foundation, will provide medical assistance for such infants, while trying to help women of childbearing age.

Each year 2 million babies are born prematurely in China. While appropriate medication is essential for their healthy growth, most families are short of financial means or experience to fight against a variety of congenital diseases commonly found in premature infants.

The foundation, a joint effort by China Social Welfare Education Fund and The Premature Infant Mutual Aid Association, has opened accounts with China Everbright Bank for donations. Donors can wire donations to the following accounts:

RMB account: 3506 0188 0000 50322

Dollar account: 3506 1488 0000 02824

HK account: 3506 1388 0000 00679

Please indicate the money goes to "Premature Infant Salvage Foundation".

 

Model for Miss Universe

Chinese model Tang Wen (pictured), 19, is competing for the 2010 Miss Universe in Las Vegas.

A model with the Beijing-based New Silk Road Modeling Agency, Tang has been working hard on English and foreign cultures to stand out in the contest.

Tang acted in Hong Kong director Tsui Hark's Not All Women are Bad in 2008, and in the same year carried the placard for the German team at the Olympics Opening Ceremony.

The pageant has a tradition that every competitor brings a gift from her mother country. Tang has chosen a wooden sculpture, the special artwork of her hometown Yichun in Northeast China.

The pageant will be held at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Aug 23.

 

 

Folk singers awarded

China National Radio (CNR) and the China Musicians Association held the awards ceremony for the country's folk singers in Yisanghuoluo, Inner Mongolia on Aug 5.

There are 14 awards in total. Folk singer Tang Can won the special award. Wang Hongwei and Fang Qiong won the awards for best male and female singers.

The best new male and female singer awards went to Chen Yongfeng and Wang Qingshuang.

Well-known singer Song Zuying sang at the ceremony, which also marked the 70th anniversary of the country's radio industry.