HK media bashes actress Zhang Ziyi
(AP)
2006-03-28 17:01
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Hong Kong was a British colony for more than 150 years before it was returned to China in 1997. The city, a global financial center, is much more cosmopolitan than mainland cities, and the population is better educated and more affluent.
A good example of the disdain for mainlanders is found in a 2004 article about Zhang in Next magazine, a popular weekly glossy known for its hard-charging paparazzi.
The publication printed a photo allegedly showing Zhang squatting down to browse the bottom shelf in a store. A snarky picture caption said, "Miss Zhang displays the special trait of our motherland's compatriots" - squatting down, her legs splayed.
People can often be seen squatting in China in crowded places - such as railroad stations - where the ground is too dirty for sitting and there's limited public seating.
Zhang's rapid rise and ongoing success may also feed envy that has made her the favorite dart board for Hong Kong's newspapers and magazines, whose hyper aggressive celebrity coverage makes U.S. supermarket tabloids look like National Geographic.
Many of the Hong Kong publications made sure their knives were extra sharp for the Oscars, where Zhang presented the award for best editing.