Aaron Kwok to play Shanxi banker

(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-02-08 10:47

Hong Kong star Aaron Kwok is not one to rest on his laurels, despite his two Golden Horses. He has taken on the role of merchant from North China's Shanxi Province more than 300 years ago.

In The Silver Valley, Kwok plays the son of Kang Wunan, boss of the Shanxi-based Tianchengyuan, a powerful bank in China in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Merchants from Shanxi established the earliest banks of China and are regarded as one the most successful groups of businessmen in ancient China.

The story will not only focus on the father-and-son relations, but also the Shanxi merchants' traditions and the local culture.

As the only Hong Kong actor in the crew, Kwok had to practice his Mandarin even during meals and showers. Although many expressed doubts over the casting of the Hong Kong-born star as a northern Chinese merchant, Kwok's devotion convinced director Yao Shuhua and supervisor Peggy Chiao that they had made the right choice.

The filming has been completed and production is due to be over in October.