[2011.07.24] BRIGITTE LIN CONTINUES HER DREAM OF A LIFE IN WRITING

Brigitte Lin (Lam Ching Ha) yesterday promoted her book with a forum at the Hong Kong Book Fair for 800 attendees. Even standing room was full with 50 reporters covering the event, which also opened up two nearby halls that could hold 500 and 1500 people to broadcast the forum live. Also attending were Ching Ha's friends Tsui Hark. Shi Nansun, Tao Man Ming, Yofan, Cally Kwong Mei Wan, Lam Yin Nei and William Chang Suk Ping.

The event took part in two parts, Ching Ha talking about her experience after writing the book and Ching Ha signing autographs. The entire audience applauded to welcome her while Lam Ching Ha waved to the fans and smiled. She also said in Putonghua, "Don't call me Great Beauty, being a beauty is very tiring. I am a writer now. At age 17 after graduation I stepped into the entertainment circle, inside the window. Now I step out of the entertainment circle, into the world outside the window." Ching Ha said that Chiung Yao was a huge influence on her. "Chiung Yao once gave me some books to read. She said that she knew I would write a book but didn't know that I wrote so well. The publisher also said that no writer was this good in the last 38 years."

Ching Ha said that her life was like a dream. She entered the film industry because of movies. Later she became a star, which was a beautiful dream that she dared not imagine and now came true. She now hopes to appear in another role but she is still dreaming. Ching Ha in particular thanked Yonfan, Shi Nansun and others for their support, and read an essay to thank Chang Suk Ping. Speaking of her good friend Tsui Hark, Ching Ha pointed out that he did not mind what she wrote. James Wong Jim once asked her to write a column, at the time Ching Ha did not dare to write. Now for Wong Jim she wrote LAUGHTER IN THE SEA.

The host asked whether Ching Ha has permitted her daughters to see her film ASHES OF TIME (DUNG CHE SAI DUK). She joked, "Honestly, they don't dare to watch my movies, in the movies I am always fighting and killing." Ching Ha in the book also said that when her father passed she was depressed; in the book she also displayed her calligraphy art. She explained, "One year I wanted to look for Spring banners but the good looking ones were all gone. I worked hard to learn calligraphy. When I first learned to write the word father I spent over ten hours."

Ching Ha said that now she has learned to paint and when she turns 60 she could become an artist; she also said that she was interested in writing short stories later. She said, "When I was making movies I didn't have time to read. Once I passed by a bookstore, a girl introduced two books to me. Later that I began to keep a habit of reading."

In addition, Ching Ha pointed out that Director Tsui Hark was very "cruel". When they worked together on THE SWORDMAN II (DONG FONG BUT BAI) they shot on a snowy mountain. The weather was so cold that even the extras ran off. At the time Tsui Hark said that they had to shoot no matter what, finally Ching Ha was so cold that her face began to swell and could not go on.