Half Life Fate (TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name = Hald Life Fate


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writer = Eileen Chang
starring = Ruby Lin
Patrick Tam Yiu Man
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first_aired = 2003
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num_episodes = 35
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"Half Life Fate(Aka eighteen Spring)" (zh-tp|t=半生緣|p=Ban Sheng Yuan) is a classic example of a love tragedy, written by famous Chinese author Zhang Ailing. Finally in 2002, this production led as the first re-adapted Zhang Ailing novel to be brought onscreen. The settings take place in the 1930’s tumultuous Shanghai, portraying 14 years of the Gu Manzhen’s poignant life from virtue merriment to abysmal forlornness. Aside, with the cooperation of Ruby Lin, Patrick Tam, Jiang Qinqin, and Li Liqun, this drama became an influential phenomena, breaking the record of having the most channels broadcasted in China simultaneously during the summer of 2004.

Cast

*Ruby Lin as Gu Man Zhen (顧曼楨)
*Patrick Tam as Shen Shi Jun (沈世鈞)
*Jiang Qinqin as Gu Man Lu (顧曼璐)
*Li Liqun as Zhu Hong Cai (祝鴻才)
* Hu Ke as Shi Cui Zhi (石翠芝)
* Chang Chang as Xu Shu Hui (許叔惠)
* Xing Min Shan as Zhang Yu Jin (張豫瑾)

Character Intros

Main Casts

* Gu Man Zhen (Played by Ruby Lin)

Shanghai person. Semblance peaceful, quiet & refined, innermost feelings are strong & resolute, experienced hardships. The college educated Man Zhen works in an office in a factory. Colleague Shen Shi Jun handsome & good-natured, both showed mutual admiration, gradually fell in love. Originally just an ordinary love affair, but because of its occurrence in a debauchery era of old Shanghai, changed into something clandestine & even treacherous & vicious. Manchen is a naive/innocent & kind-hearted person, although had realized brother-in-law wished to have her, but never would have dreamt, that her prostitute elder sister Man Lu, to flatter her husband, devised a trap of getting a son through another woman. Just like that, Man Zhen was imprisoned for a year, & also gave birth to a son. During which Chen Shi Jun came to seek out Man Zhen, Man Lu made a false report that Man Zhen already got married & has left for another region. Shi Jun left in despair. Man Zhen, after several difficulties, only then from the help of a couple in the same delivery room, escaped. But, when Man Zhen obtained news on Shi Jun , he has already held a wedding ceremony three days ago. Ten plus years later, the two met once again. When Shi Jun proposed they continue w/ their unfinished love, after experiencing tribulations, Man Zhen calmly replied: This love no longer exist

* Chen Shi Jun (played by Patrick Tam) Tall and handsome, upright & honest, tenacious, pursues romance, for instance, in front of Man Zhen, he is a silent, considerate lover; but in front of the woman he doesn't love Chen Shi Jun , unknowingly reveal his cruel indifferent side, for instance would say to Cui Zhi, after wholeheartedly making herself look pretty: "Actually, you don't look a bit pretty." And totally ignored how deep this will hurt the other person. But in the end her & Chen Shi Jun got married.

* Gu Man Lu (played by Jiang Qinqin) Man Zhen's elder sister, once was Shanghai's famous prostitute. The grievance & hatred of a prostitute facing competition, a woman whose time has passed trying to hold onto one thing. But none went according to her wishes, the only man she has ever loved in her lifetime Zhang Yu Jin, Zhang Yu Jin couldn't marry her due to his mother's pressure. Zhu Hong Cai is her life-saving straw/hay, unable to have children in the end could not hold on to anything. When Zhang Yu Jin's love transferred to Man Chen, Man Lu's distress of supporting her family since she was 18 was released, she used her own younger sister, to bear a son for Zhu Hong Cai. Finally in end, died from guilt.

* Zhu Hong Cai (played by Li Li Chun)

Semblance solemn/dignified, has a gentry demeanour, but character is actually venomous & opportunistic, to get what he wants would resort to all means, womanizer, a typical loafer of that Shanghai period. After having eyes on Man Lu's younger sister Man Zhen, Man Lu devised a treacherous plan, while Shi Chun returned to Nanjing, Zhu Hong Cai raped Man Chen.

upport Casts

* Shi Cui Zhi (played by Hu Ke)

Live a pampered life, do what she pleases. The person who love her most is Shu Hui, while her husband is Shi Chun

* Xu Shu Hui (played by Chang Cheng)

Character is open-minded & humorous, eloquent, but innermost feelings has a bit of inferior complex, only by outer happiness is he able to conceal his innermost sorrows. His love for Dan Cui Zhi yielded nothing, left for overseas.

* Zhang Yu Jin (played by Xing Min Shan)

Liu On Hospital chief, distant relative of the Gu househould, friends with Man Lu from childhood, and also had a marriage agreement, because family opposed, after ending w/ Man Lu & later fell for Man Chen.

ummary

Ban Sheng Yuan is set in Shanghai, China, during the 1930s. It centers around two sisters from a struggling family, Gu Manzhen(Ruby Lin) and her older sister Gu Manlu(Jiang Qinqin). A college graduate with a friendly and strong character, Manzhen finds true love with one of her colleagues, Shen Shijun(Patrick Tam). Meanwhile, Manlu, the oldest of four children, supports the entire family. At the age of seventeen, Manlu sacrificed her pride and reputation to become a "wu nu". This work paid well for Manlu's family, but others found her work disgraceful and looked down on Manlu. Even her own grandmother did not like Manlu's job. Originally, before she took up her work as a "wu nu", Manlu was to marry a respected doctor named Yu Jing.

At the nightclub where she works, Manlu meets a man named Zhu Hongcai, who seems to be a pretty nice man. While his financial situation is not stable, he is kind towards Manlu and helps her through her problems. Initially, Manlu likes Hongcai, but is not completely interested in him. However, after Hongcai is shot in an effort to help Manlu, the two decide to marry.

Production

* Author: An adaptation of Zhang Ailing's novel
* Production: Mainland China
* Filming locations include Shanghai, Taiwan
* Year in Production: First half of 2002
* Year Release: June 12, 2003

oundtrack

* Album Title : 半生缘新歌+精选("Ban Sheng Yuan" New + Best Selection)The original television drama soundtrack was released on April 2004 in China. This soundtrack contains a total of 18 tracks, produced by BMG Ltd (Taiwan). All songs are sung by lead actress Ruby lin. Tracks 1-5 are composed for this drama, other songs are from Ruby Lin's album's Best Selection.

External links

* [http://rubystation.com/ Ruby Station]
* [http://ent.sina.com.cn/v/f/bsy/index.html Sina Official Site]
* [http://www.hkatv.com/drama/eighteensprings/ HK ATV Official Site]
* [http://www.cctv.com/teleplay/xjkt/2003-09-09/5722.shtml/ CCTV Official Site]

Screenshots

* [http://gurl.f2o.org/categories.php?cat_id=38/ Ruby Lin International Family]
* [http://loveruby.cqbus.com/forum/cgi-bin/topic.cgi?forum=14&topic=51&show=0/ Loveruby]

Where to Order

* [http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/pid-1002842162/aid-739/section-videos/code-c// Yesasia VCD]
* [http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/pid-1002842156/aid-739/section-videos/code-c// Yesasia DVD]