TV Series from Singapore: "The Guest People"

["ManU" <ManU@singnet.com.sg>]

As requested by Yoon-Ngan, I am placing the storyline of the television
series, "The Guest People", produced by Television Corporation of Singapore
(TCS) here. It is widely believe that neither China, Taiwan or Hong Kong
has produced such a television series before. It is a big hit over here in
Singapore.

Video tapes of Singapore's tv serials can be obtained in Malaysia,
Thailand, certain parts of China, Taiwan and Hong Kong I think. 
For more information, check up http://www.tcs.com.sg or email to
tcsmarcom@tcs.com.sg.
 

                                        11/11/97 - 22/12/97 
                                           weekdays 9 pm 
 
                          Cast: Ann Kok, Christopher Lee, Xie Shaoguang, 
                          Jacelyn Tay, Chen Hanwei, Jason Oh, Chen Huihui 
 
              Many will probably see this as a continuation to the 
              highly successful Price Of Peace, which has just 
              completed. It revolves around the lives of four 
              traditional Hakka young men who come to Nanyang after 
              the second world war to seek an education, struggle for 
              a living and carve a niche for themselves. They soon, 
              however, find themselves entangled in the 
              anti-colonization political milieu.  
 
              With all the hardships in life, the four childhood 
              buddies are determined to make a breakthrough. The 
              physically-able Sun Shizong (Jason Oh) leads the 
              villagers to wipe out the wild boars which threaten 
              farm productivity. Zhang Jinghong(Xie Shaoguang) who 
              possesses an entrepreneurial spirit, persists through 
              the hard times, which sees him being cheated of a piece 
              of land he bought. Secondary school teacher Hu Xusheng 
              (Chen Hanwei) establishes the women's night school for 
              his villagers, while helping his father promote 
              literacy. The earliest to migrate to Nanyang is Zhang 
              Chongzhi (Christopher Lee) who transforms into an 
              outstanding reporter.  
 
              Complementing these young men are three women who 
              epitomise Hakka sophistication. Juxiang (Ann Kok) is 
              the kind of woman who believes in waiting for Mr Right, 
              even though she's already engaged to Shizong whom she 
              eventually rejects. Her devotion is directed at 
              Chongzhi who has already taken a child-bride, Jinyan 
              (Chen Huihui), due to family and religious 
              pressures. Then there's Xusheng who fancies female 
              reporter Deng Ruoqi (Jacelyn Tay) who in turn likes 
              Chongzhi. Despite the hardship and sacrifices that are 
              part and parcel of gaining freedom and independence, 
              these young Hakkas can finally settle down and work 
              together to build a country they can call their own.  
 
              Filmed in China, Singapore and Ipoh, this 30-episode 
              serial promises charming sceneries, mesmerizing Chinese 
              Hakka tunes, special architectural structures in China 
              such as the famous 'Tu Lou', a lot of powerfully 
              charged scenes depicting riots with explosions, and to 
              top it off, a tremendously strong cast.  
 
              According to Executive Producer Joe Ma, the main 
              inspiration for the serial is the admiration he has for 
              the Hakkas, who is a very special group of people 
              unified in strength during the post-war era even when 
              living conditions remain harsh. Nevertheless, floods, 
              droughts, pillages, epidemics and other calamities only 
              help to strengthen their determination and unity. The 
              Hakkas originated from Northern China. They stayed as 
              one even when they were forced to shift to Southern 
              China. Ma cited some famous Hakkas including the ones 
              he strongly admires, namely, Sun Yat Sen, Deng Xiaoping 
              and President of Taiwan Li Denghui.  
 
              The 13 episodes filmed on location in China was no easy 
              task. Dirty surroundings, humid weather, persistent 
              mosquitoes, long travelling hours in bumper-transports, 
              dark early mornings made filming a big sacrifice for 
              both the cast and crew. Ma commended the actors who put 
              in painstaking efforts to ensure smooth filming.  
 
              "This is not just another post-war film," insists Ma, 
              who believes viewers will be riveted to the series as 
              they watch the complicated yet intriguing development 
              of the characters unfolds.