FACTOID # 106: United we stand? The United Kingdom and United States are both in the top ten for Gross Domestic Product - and for child poverty.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

Encyclopedia > Jay Chou
This article contains Chinese text.
Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.
Jay Chou

Jay Chou at "Secret" premiere in Seoul, South Korea, January 10, 2008
Chinese name 周杰倫 (Traditional)
Chinese name 周杰伦 (Simplified)
Pinyin Zhōu Jiélún (Mandarin)
Origin Republic of China (Taiwan)
Born January 18, 1979 (1979-01-18) (age 29)
Linkou, Taipei County, Taiwan,Republic of China
Other name(s) President Chou (周董)
Occupation Singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, rapper, director, and actor
Genre(s) Mandopop, R&B, hip hop, pop rap, C-pop,rock
Instrument(s) Piano, Cello, Guitar
Label(s) Sony BMG Asia, Alfa Music
JVR Music
Years active 2000–Present
Influenced Nan Quan Mama
Official site jay2u.com
jvrmusic.com

Jay Chou (traditional Chinese: 周杰倫; simplified Chinese: 周杰伦; pinyin: Zhōu Jiélún; Wade-Giles: Chou Chieh-lun; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiu Kia̍t-lûn) (born 18 January 1979) is a World Music Award-winning Taiwanese musician, singer, producer, actor and director. In 1998, he was discovered in a talent contest where he showcased his piano and song-writing skills. Over the next two years, he was hired to compose for popular Chinese singers. Trained in classical music, he combines Chinese and Western music styles to produce songs that fuse R&B, rock, and pop genres, covering issues such as domestic violence, war, and urbanization. The World Music Awards (founded in 1989) is an international awards show that annually honors recording artists based on their worldwide sales figures, which are provided by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Wade-Giles, sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration) system for the Chinese language based on Mandarin. ... Technical note: Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... The World Music Awards (founded in 1989) is an international awards show that annually honors recording artists based on their popularity, and worldwide sales figures, which are provided by the various organisations including record companies and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). ... This article is about the history, geography, and people of the island known as Taiwan. ... R&B redirects here. ... This article is about the genre. ... This article is about the genre of popular music. ...


In 2000, he released his first album titled Jay under the record company Alfa Music. Since then, he has released one album per year, selling several million copies each. His music has gained recognition throughout Asia, most notably in countries such as China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, and in overseas Chinese communities, winning more than 20 awards each year. He has sold over 25 millions albums worldwide. In 2007, he was named one of the 50-most influential people in China by the British think tank Chatham House. He starred in Initial D (2005) for which he won Best Newcomer Actor in Golden Horse Awards, and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor by Hong Kong Film Awards for his role in Curse of the Golden Flower (2006). His career now extends into directing and running his own record company JVR Music. Jay (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: Jiélún zhuānjí) is the 1st album by the Taiwanese R&B and Rap artist (and composer) mega star, Jay Chou, and was first released on November 7, 2000. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Languages various Religions Predominantly Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, traditional Chinese religions, and atheism. ... Chatham House, also known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in London whose mission is to analyse and promote the understanding of major international issues and current affairs. ... Initial D is a 2005 live-action film based on the Japanese Initial D manga and anime series. ... // The Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards (臺北金馬影展) is a film festival and awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan, Republic of China since since 1962. ... Hong Kong Film Awards (香港電影金像獎), is the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong. ... Curse of the Golden Flower (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), also known literally as When Golden Armor Covers the Entire City, is an Academy Award-nominated 2006 Chinese historical drama film directed by Zhang Yimou. ...

Contents

Early life

Jay Chou grew up in the small town of Linkou, Taiwan. Both his parents were secondary school teachers: his mother Ye Hui Mei (traditional Chinese: 葉惠美; simplified Chinese: 叶惠美; pinyin: Yè Huìměi) taught fine arts while his father Zhou Yao Zhong (Chinese: 周耀中; pinyin: Zhōu Yàozhōng) was a biology instructor. His mother noticed his sensitivity to music and took him to piano lessons at the age of 4. During his childhood, he was fascinated with capturing sounds and songs with his tape recorder, something he carried everywhere with him. In the third grade, he became interested in music theory and also started cello lessons. As an only child, he enjoyed being the family's center of attention; he loved to play piano, imitate TV actors, and perform magic tricks.His parents divorced when he was 14; as a result, he became reclusive and introverted. Although he had friends, he often preferred to be alone listening to music, contemplating and daydreaming. At Dan Jiang Senior High School, he majored in piano and minored in cello. He showed talent for improvisation, became fond of pop music and began to write songs.[2][3] Linkou (林口) is a rural township in the western part of Taipei County, Taiwan Province of the Republic of China. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ...


Chou graduated from high school with inadequate grades for university, so he prepared for military service, which was compulsory for all Taiwanese men at the age of 18. However, a sports injury triggered by an unexplainable and severe back pain eventually led to the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis, a hereditary spine inflammation disease; as a result, he was exempted from conscription.[4][5] Meanwhile, he found himself a job as a waiter. Without his knowing, his friend had entered both their names in a talent show called Super New Talent King. Chou played the piano accompaniment for his friend, whose singing was described as "lousy". Although they did not win, the show's host Jacky Wu—an influential character in Taiwan's entertainment business—happened to glance at Chou's music score and was impressed with its complexity. Wu hired him as a contract composer and paired him with the novice lyricist Vincent Fang (Chinese: 方文山; pinyin: Fāng Wénshān).[3] Wu Jing (Chinese: , stage name Jacky Wu, also credited as Jason Wu, b. ... Vincent Fang (Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) born 26 January 1969 in Taiwan, is a lyricist best known for his collaboration with singer-songwriter Jay Chou. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ...


Over the next two years he wrote songs for Chinese pop artists, and also learned recording and sound mixing; his dedication was apparent as he even slept in the music studio. There were no plans to make him a singer because his mentor Wu thought he was too shy and not good-looking. Wu's music studio was later sold to Alfa Music, and the new manager Yang Jun Rong asked him to release his own album. Chou already had an arsenal of songs he wrote for others but had been rejected, so among those he chose 10 for his debut CD Jay that was released in 2000. The album established his reputation as a musically gifted singer-songwriter whose style is a fusion of R&B, rap, classical music, and yet distinctly Chinese. His fame spread quickly not only in Chinese-speaking regions, but in non-Chinese countries as well throughout Southeast Asia.[6][7][8] Since 2000, Chou has released one album per year, each selling several million copies (see Discography), and has been recognized with hundreds of awards.[9] In 2003, he was the cover story of Time magazine (Asia version),[3] acknowledging his influence on popular culture. He has held two world tours, "The One" (2002) and "Incomparable" (2004), performing in cities such as Taipei, Hong Kong, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Las Vegas, and Vancouver. Unlike most singers, Chou has an enormous amount of creative control over his music.[3] He is not only the songwriter but also the producer in all of his albums; since 2005 he is also the music director and also directs his own music videos. Jay (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: Jiélún zhuānjí) is the 1st album by the Taiwanese R&B and Rap artist (and composer) mega star, Jay Chou, and was first released on November 7, 2000. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... Hip hop music is a style of music which came into existence in the United States during the mid-1970s, and became a large part of modern pop culture during the 1980s. ... This article is about Western art music from 1000 AD to the present. ... Jay Chou (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chou Chieh-lun; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiu Kia̍t-lûn) (born 18 January 1979) is a World Music Award-winning Taiwanese musician, singer, producer, actor and director. ...


While continuing to release an album yearly, he also entered the movie business with his debut role as the lead actor in Initial D, for which he won Best Newcomer at the Golden Horse Awards in 2005.[10] The following year, Chou was cast as a supporting character in the world-wide release of Curse of the Golden Flower, starring international Chinese stars Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li, giving Chou his brief but formal introduction to North American audiences. In February 2007, he finally fulfilled his childhood dream of being a director in Secret, in which he also played the main character.[11] In March 2007, his 8-year contract with Alfa Music ended. Chou, his manager Yang Jun Rong, and lyricist Vincent Fang co-founded a new record company, JVR Music (which is an acronym for Jay, Vincent, Jun Rong) through which Chou will continue his music career and fulfill his goal of fostering new singing talent.[12][13] Initial D is a 2005 live-action film based on the Japanese Initial D manga and anime series. ... // The Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards (臺北金馬影展) is a film festival and awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan, Republic of China since since 1962. ... Curse of the Golden Flower (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), also known literally as When Golden Armor Covers the Entire City, is an Academy Award-nominated 2006 Chinese historical drama film directed by Zhang Yimou. ... Chow Yun-Fat (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) (born May 18, 1955) is a Hong Kong actor. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Gong Gong Li (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) (born December 31, 1965) is a Chinese film actress. ... Secret (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known by its transliteration The Secret That Cannot Be Told, is a Taiwanese romance film released in 2007. ... Vincent Fang (Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) born 26 January 1969 in Taiwan, is a lyricist best known for his collaboration with singer-songwriter Jay Chou. ...


Music career

For album information, see Discography. Jay Chou (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chou Chieh-lun; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiu Kia̍t-lûn) (born 18 January 1979) is a World Music Award-winning Taiwanese musician, singer, producer, actor and director. ...


See also: List of songs written and performed by Jay Chou. This is a list of songs written and performed by the singer Jay Chou. ...


Musical style

Audio samples of Jay Chou songs

Chou's compositions are loosely categorized as pop music. While many of his works fall into contemporary R&B, rap, and rock genres, the term "Chou Style" (traditional Chinese: 周氏風格; simplified Chinese: 周氏风格; pinyin: zhōu shì fēnggé)[14][15] has been popularized to describe his trademark cross-cultural music and his insistence on singing with relaxed enunciation. Taipei Times once described the meaning of "Chou Style": "In what has become the archetypal Chou style, Taiwan's favorite son blends pop, rap, blues and a smorgasbord of esthetic elements of world music to create his dream-like never-never land…"[16] He regularly fuses traditional Chinese instruments and styles with R&B or rock to form a new genre called "Zhongguo feng" (traditional Chinese: 中國風; simplified Chinese: 中国风; pinyin: Zhōngguó fēng; literally "China wind"),[a] some of which are written in the Pentatonic Scale as opposed to the normal seven-note scale (Diatonic Scale) to accentuate an oriental style. Besides his own culture, he also incorporated Spanish guitar in "Red Imitation" (traditional Chinese: 紅模仿; simplified Chinese: 红模仿; pinyin: hóng mófǎng), American techno/electronica in "Herbalist's Manual" (traditional Chinese: 本草綱目; simplified Chinese: 本草纲目; pinyin: Běncǎo Gāngmù), rap with subtle classical music undertones in "Reverse Scales" (traditional Chinese: 逆鱗; simplified Chinese: 逆鳞; pinyin: nìlín), and Bossanova style in "Rosemary" (Chinese: 迷迭香; pinyin: mídiéxiāng), to name a few. Sound effects from everyday life are frequently weaved into his music, such as bouncing ping pong balls, touch tone phone dialing, helicopter blades, dripping rain, and radio static noise.[b] His formal musical training is evident by the use of classical textures in his compositions. For example, counterpoint was used in "Perfection" (traditional Chinese: 完美主義; simplified Chinese: 完美主义; pinyin: wánměizhǔyì) and "Sorry" (traditional Chinese: 對不起; simplified Chinese: 对不起; pinyin: duìbuqǐ), while polyphony can be found in "The Wound That Ends War" (traditional Chinese: 止戰之殤; simplified Chinese: 止战之殇; pinyin: zhǐ zhàn zhī shāng) and "Twilight's Chapter Seven" (Chinese: 夜的第七章; pinyin: yè de dì-qī zhāng). Image File history File links Ju_hua_tai. ... Image File history File links Nunchucks. ... This article is about the genre of popular music. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... Hip hop music is a style of popular music. ... This article is about the genre. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... The Taipei Times is one of the three English-language newspapers in Taiwan, the other two being the Taiwan News and the China Post. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... A pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five pitches per octave as compared to the major scale which is made up of seven distinct notes. ... In music theory, a diatonic scale (from the Greek diatonikos, to stretch out; also known as the heptatonia prima; set form 7-35) is a seven-note musical scale comprising five whole-tone and two half-tone steps, in which the half tones are maximally separated. ... A flamenco guitar is a type of guitar, built for the purpose of playing Flamenco music. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Techno is a form of electronic dance music that became prominent in Detroit, Michigan during the mid-1980s with influences from electro, New Wave, Funk and futuristic fiction themes that were prevalent and relative to modern culture during the end of the Cold War in industrial America at that time. ... For other uses, see Electronic music (disambiguation). ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... This article is about Western art music from 1000 AD to the present. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... For other uses, see Bossa nova (disambiguation). ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... In music, the word texture is often used in a rather vague way in reference to the overall sound of a piece of music. ... For other uses, see Counterpoint (disambiguation). ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Polyphony is a musical texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice (monophony) or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords (homophony). ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ...


Chou's albums have been noted for the lack of change compared to his earlier works, yet he firmly stated that he will not alter his style: "They say I've been standing still … but this is the music I want, and I don't see what I want by moving ahead."[17] To demonstrate his point, he named his 2006 album Still Fantasy after his 2001 album Fantasy. His use of relaxed enunciation has been criticized as "mumbling"[18] which he also insisted will not change;[19] however, recently he has adopted clearer pronunciation for certain songs, such as "Faraway" (Chinese: 千里之外; pinyin: qiānlǐ zhīwài) and "Chrysanthemum Terrace" (traditional Chinese: 菊花臺; simplified Chinese: 菊花台; pinyin: júhuā tái).[20] Enunciation is the act of speaking clearly and concisely. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ...


Lyrics

Strictly speaking, Chou is more often a singer-composer than a lyricist. Several "regulars" write the lyrics for most of his music, but the content and style is unified with his own personality and image, covering a diverse range of topics and ideas. Vincent Fang accounts for more than half of the lyrics in his albums, helping to establish an important element in Chou's music: the use of meaningful, imagery- and emotionally-rich lyrics, sometimes written in the form of ancient Chinese poetry with reference to Chinese history or folklore.[c] In addition to writing romantic hits,[d] he also broaches on war, the Bible, sports, and martial arts.[e] Vivian Hsu is a singer herself and has helped with Chou's earlier hits,[f] while Huang Jun Lang (traditional Chinese: 黃俊郎; simplified Chinese: 黄俊郎; pinyin: Huáng Jùnláng) is noted for his work surrounding unusual themes (such as a detective story and chess game).[g] Chou himself has written lyrics for many love ballads,[h] but has also discussed societal ills such as drug addiction in "Coward" (Chinese: 懦夫; pinyin: nuòfū) and loss of the rural countryside to urbanization in "Terrace fields" (Chinese: 梯田; pinyin: tītián). Domestic violence discussed in "Dad, I am back" (traditional Chinese: 爸,我回來了; simplified Chinese: 爸,我回来了; pinyin: bà, wǒ huílai le) received a great deal of commotion since he was the first to bring up this taboo subject in Chinese music,[21] which helped solidify his status as a pioneer and a unique pop singer capable of approaching serious issues. In the songs "Maternal grandmother" (Chinese: 外婆; pinyin: wàipó) and "Listen to your mother" (traditional Chinese: 聽媽媽的話; simplified Chinese: 听妈妈的话; pinyin: tīng māma de huà), he voiced his high regard for family values. He addressed personal issues about his failure to enter university in "Split" (Chinese: 分裂; pinyin: fēnliè), his resentment towards the paparazzi in "Besieged From All Sides" (Chinese: 四面楚歌; pinyin: sìmiànchǔgē), and preached the importance of individuality in "Popular Imitation" (traditional Chinese: 紅模仿; simplified Chinese: 红模仿; pinyin: hóng mófǎng). This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Bible (From Greek βιβλια—biblia, meaning books, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported papyrus) is the sacred scripture of Christianity. ... Vivian Hsu (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hsu Jo-hsüan; Japanese: ビビアン・スー Bibian SÅ«; born March 19, 1975 in Taichung, Taiwan) is a renowned singer, actress, and model who has gained remarkable popularity in several countries of East Asia, mainly in Taiwan and Japan. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ...


Collaborations

Chou began as a songwriter for other singers and continued this area of work even after he debuted his own career in singing. He has composed frequently for Jolin Tsai, Landy Wen, and occasionally for other Taiwanese singers such as Coco Lee, S.H.E, Vivian Hsu, Lee-Hom Wang, Will Liu, Valen Hsu, and Hong Kong pop stars Edmond Leung, Gigi Leung, Jordan Chan, Edison Chen, Karen Mok, Leo Ku, Eason Chan, and Joey Yung. He has also written for singers outside of his generation—over one dozen songs for his mentor Jacky Wu, later also for Taiwanese singer Jody Chiang (Chinese: 江惠; pinyin: Jiāng Huì), and Hong Kong singers Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau, Lui Fong (traditional Chinese: 呂方; simplified Chinese: 吕方; pinyin: Lǚ Fāng), Aaron Kwok, and Kenny Bee.[22][23][24][25] He initiated the band Nan Quan Mama in 2004, selecting band members and overseeing their album production. The group has been noted for sounding too similar to their mentor;[26] as a result, Chou has reduced his involvement in the band,[27] but continues to help increase their exposure to mass audiences by inviting them as guests performers for his own concerts and music videos.[28][29][30][31] He has performed live duets with Landy Wen,[29] Jolin Tsai,[32] and former girlfriend news anchor Patty Hou,[33] but only two studio recordings have been formally placed in his own albums: "Coral Sea" (Chinese: 珊瑚海; pinyin: shānhú hǎi) in 2005 with Lara Veronin (of Nan Quan Mama)[34] and "Faraway" (Chinese: 千里之外; pinyin: qiānlǐ zhīwài) in 2006 with Fei Yu-Ching, who began his career in the 1970s.[35] Besides working with singers, Chou's longest-running collaboration is with lyricist Vincent Fang, as they both started their careers in the music field in 1998. The compilation album Partners (traditional Chinese: 拍檔; simplified Chinese: 拍档; pinyin: pāidàng) featured 12 songs, each consisting of Chou's musical and Fang's lyrical compositions.[36] Fang has written the words to than more 40 of Chou's songs, acted as the chief editor of his book Grandeur de D Major (traditional Chinese: D調的華麗; simplified Chinese: D调的华丽; pinyin: D diào de huálì), and together are now business partners (with Chou's manager JR Yang) for the record company JVR Music.[37][12] Jolin Tsai (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Tsai I-lin) is a Golden Melody Award winning Taiwanese Mandopop singer. ... Landy Wen (Chinese: 温岚; pinyin: ; born 17 July 1979) is a popular Taiwanese singer. ... CoCo Lee is the stage name of Ferren Lee-Kelly (李美林 Pinyin: Lǐ MÄ›ilín; also 李玟 Lǐ wen) (born January 17, 1975). ... S.H.E is a Taiwanese girl group whose members are Selina Ren, Hebe Tian and Ella Chen. ... Vivian Hsu (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hsu Jo-hsüan; Japanese: ビビアン・スー Bibian SÅ«; born March 19, 1975 in Taichung, Taiwan) is a renowned singer, actress, and model who has gained remarkable popularity in several countries of East Asia, mainly in Taiwan and Japan. ... Lee-Hom Wang (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; born May 17, 1976; also referred to as, Wang Leehom, or just Leehom) is a four time Golden Melody Award-winning Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter and actor who has achieved highly recognized success in Taiwan, Mainland China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Thailand and the... Will Liu (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: ; born October 7, 1972) is a popular singer both in Mainland China and Taiwan. ... Valen Hsu (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known as Xiu Xiu, is a Taiwanese singer born on September 20, 1974. ... Edmond Leung (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Cantonese: Leung4 Hon3 Man4), born 05 November 1971) is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer, songwriter, and actor. ... Gigi Leung Wing Kei (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: Liáng YÇ’ngqí; Cantonese Yale: Leung Wing-Kei; born 25 March 1976) is a Hong Kong singer and actress. ... Jordan Chan Siu Chun (Traditional Chinese: 陳小春, Pinyin: Chen Xiaochun, Simplified Chinese: 陈小春) is a Chinese actor and musician from Hong Kong. ... Edison Chen is a Chinese Canadian Hong Kong movie actor, singer, pop icon currently on indefinite leave from his career, founder of , and the CEO of Clot Media Division Limited. ... Karen Joy Morris, or Karen Mok Man-Wai (莫文蔚, born in June 2, 1970) is a Hong Kong-based actress and singer. ... Leo Ku Kui-Kei (Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: , born 18 August 1972),died 23 July is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actor. ... Eason Chan Yik-Shun is a prominent male singer and is a part of the skilled class (實力派) in Hong Kongs music industry. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Wu Jing (Chinese: , stage name Jacky Wu, also credited as Jason Wu, b. ... Jody Chiang (Chinese name: 江蕙), born 01 September 1964, is a Taiwanese music singer. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Jacky Cheung Hok-Yau is a Hong Kong singer and actor from the mid-1980s to the present. ... Andy Lau Tak-Wah (born September 27, 1961) is a Hong Kong Cantopop star, movie actor and producer. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Aaron Kwok Fu-Shing (Chinese: 郭富城; Pinyin: Guō Fùchéng; Cantonese: Gwok3 Fu3 Sing4; born October 26, 1965) is a popular Hong Kong singer and film actor. ... Kenny Bee (born February 23, 1953) (Chung, Chun To; Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: , Pinyin: Zhong Zhentao) is a Hong Kong-based musician and actor. ... Nan Quan Mama (南拳媽媽) is Taiwanese music group. ... Landy Wen (Chinese: 温岚; pinyin: ; born 17 July 1979) is a popular Taiwanese singer. ... Jolin Tsai (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Tsai I-lin) is a Golden Melody Award winning Taiwanese Mandopop singer. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Lara Liang Veronin (Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Liáng XÄ«n Yí, born 2 May 1988 in California, United States), a Russian-Taiwanese-American student from the Taipei American School class of 2006, is the lead female vocalist in the popular Taiwanese band Nan Quan Ma Ma (南拳媽媽), whose second album, Nan... Nan Quan Mama (南拳媽媽) is Taiwanese music group. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Fei Yu-Ching (sometimes spelled Fei Yu Chin or Fei Yuqing, traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Tongyong Pinyin: ; born 17 July 1955), is a Taiwanese ballad singer. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ...


Other works

Movie career

Chou formally entered the film industry in 2005 with the release of the movie Initial D (頭文字Ｄ). He has since acted in three other movies, directed one film and more than a dozen music videos. Chou, who once said "I live because of music",[38] ventured into movies because he felt the need for a new challenge. As fans have grown concerned that movies will compromise his music career, Chou has repeatedly reassured that movies are a source of inspiration and not a distraction; at the same time, he realizes the need to balance both careers and maintain his place in the music field to garner the continued support of fans.[39][40][41][42] Initial D is a 2005 live-action film based on the Japanese Initial D manga and anime series. ...


Acting

Entry into acting was an unexpected move for Chou.[40] His high school English teacher thought he was capable of very few facial expressions,[3] and the director of Hidden Track (2003, a movie in which Chou had a cameo role) said that his strong individualistic personality will not make him a good actor.[43] In 2005, Chou’s first role as the lead actor in Initial D served two purposes: to launch his acting debut, and to increase his exposure to Japanese audiences.[44] This film is based on the Japanese manga Initial D, where Chou played Takumi Fujiwara, a gifted touge racer who is quiet and rarely shows expression. Some reviewers criticized his bland acting[45] while others felt he performed naturally, but only because the character’s personality closely mirrored his own.[46][47] His performance in Initial D won him Best Newcomer Actor in Golden Horse Awards and Hong Kong Film Awards.[48][49] Chou’s second film was Curse of the Golden Flower (2006). As a supporting character, he drew much of the attention from the Chinese reporters; Chou’s involvement in this movie was announced in its own press conference,[50] separate from the meeting held for Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li, and the other actors. Chou portrayed Prince Jai, the ambitious second eldest prince and general of the Imperial army whose personality epitomizes Xiao (孝), the Chinese virtue of filial piety. In this internationally-released film, North American audiences see Chou for the first time. According to Chinese movie critics, comments about his acting ranged from "lacks complexity"[51] to "acceptable,"[52][53] but was critically praised by Western reviewers.[54][55][56][57][58] His performance in Curse of the Golden Flower was nominated Best Supporting Actor in the Hong Kong Film Awards.[59] For his third movie, he is the lead actor and director for Secret. Another movie, Kung Fu Dunk is also to be released in 2008. Initial D is a 2005 live-action film based on the Japanese Initial D manga and anime series. ... For other uses, see Initial D (disambiguation). ... Touge ) is a Japanese word literally meaning pass. ... Initial D is a 2005 live-action film based on the Japanese Initial D manga and anime series. ... // The Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards (臺北金馬影展) is a film festival and awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan, Republic of China since since 1962. ... Hong Kong Film Awards (香港電影金像獎), is the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong. ... Curse of the Golden Flower (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), also known literally as When Golden Armor Covers the Entire City, is an Academy Award-nominated 2006 Chinese historical drama film directed by Zhang Yimou. ... Chow Yun-Fat (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) (born May 18, 1955) is a Hong Kong actor. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Gong Gong Li (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) (born December 31, 1965) is a Chinese film actress. ... Filial piety is extended into the afterlife. ... Curse of the Golden Flower (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), also known literally as When Golden Armor Covers the Entire City, is an Academy Award-nominated 2006 Chinese historical drama film directed by Zhang Yimou. ... Hong Kong Film Awards (香港電影金像獎), is the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong. ... Secret (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known by its transliteration The Secret That Cannot Be Told, is a Taiwanese romance film released in 2007. ... Kung Fu Dunk (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) is a Chinese live-action film set to be released by 2008. ...


Directing

Promotional poster for Secret featuring Chou as a director for the first time.
Promotional poster for Secret featuring Chou as a director for the first time.

Chou's acquired his first directing experience in 2004 through music videos. He initially experimented with a song by the group Nan Quan Mama titled "Home" (Chinese: 家; pinyin: jiā) where he was involved throughout the entire process from research to editing. After learning the difficulties of being a director, he refused to direct again even at the request of his record company.[38] However, his interest resurfaced again as he directed music videos for 4 of the 12 songs in own album November's Chopin in 2005,[60] and later television advertisements.[61][62] By 2006, he had taken responsibility for the storyboard, directing, and editing of music videos for all his songs.[39] It is unclear how the public appraises his work, since music videos are rarely the subject of critical review; however, director Zhang Yimou said that Chou's directing abilities may surpass his own in the future, after viewing several of Chou's music videos.[63][50] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Secret (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known by its transliteration The Secret That Cannot Be Told, is a Taiwanese romance film released in 2007. ... Nan Quan Mama (南拳媽媽) is Taiwanese music group. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Jay Chou Novembers Chopin (Traditional Chinese: 十一月的蕭邦; Simplified Chinese: 十一月的萧邦; Hanyu Pinyin: ) is the 6th album by the Taiwanese R&B and Rap artist (and composer) mega star, Jay Chou, and was first released on 1 November 2005, on par with Jays norm of releasing one major album per year. ... Zhang Yimou (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ;  ) (born November 14, 1951) is an internationally acclaimed Chinese filmmaker and one-time cinematographer. ...


In February 2007, Chou finally directed his first movie Secret. The story he wrote is based loosely on his relationship with a high school girlfriend, with a plot focused on music, love, and family.[64] He stars as the lead actor of the film with Kwai Lun-Mei‎ as the female lead, and Hong Kong veteran actor Anthony Wong as Chou’s father. Despite previous experience in filming music videos, Chou admits that movies are comparatively more challenging due to storyline and time constraints.[64] This movie was released in July 2007.[65] Secret (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known by its transliteration The Secret That Cannot Be Told, is a Taiwanese romance film released in 2007. ... Kwai Lun-Mei (Chinese: ; pinyin: , born in December 25, 1983) is a Taiwanese actress. ... Anthony Wong Chau-Sang (Chinese: ; pinyin: , born September 2, 1961 under the name Anthony Perry) is a Hong Kong actor. ...


Book: Grandeur de D Major

Chou published his first book titled Grandeur de D Major (traditional Chinese: D調的華麗; simplified Chinese: D调的华丽;