Jan 7, 2009
Ziyi caught topless
Online photos appear as China cracks down on Internet
pornography
By Peh Shing Huei
BEIJING: More than 80 pictures of well-known Chinese actress Zhang
Ziyi sunbathing topless and frolicking on a beach have appeared
online, sending netizens here wild yesterday.
The photos first appeared on the Internet on Monday - the same day
that the Chinese government sent out stern warnings to 19 top
websites over issues of pornography and vulgarity.
The photos, taken by a Los Angeles-based paparazzi agency, showed
Zhang on the Caribbean island of St Barts with her fiance, Israeli
investor Vivi Nevo, last Friday.
The star of the Hollywood film Memoirs Of A Geisha was shown taking
off her red bikini and lying face down, with her buttocks
exposed.
Nevo was shown stroking and nuzzling her buttocks. Zhang was also
shot lying on her back, with her breasts clearly revealed.
There were also less revealing pictures of her strolling along the
beach with Nevo, who reportedly has a private beach on the
island.
The pictures were posted on numerous Chinese websites, attracting a
flood of comments from netizens on the star, who was recently named
by The Beijing News as China's most beautiful person in 2008 -
edging out fellow celebrities Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Zhou
Xun.
The website operators quickly deleted many of the revealing
pictures and, in a sign of caution amid the official crackdown on
pornography, some forums even took down comments left by netizens
on the issue. But as of yesterday evening, some of the photos could
still be found on less popular websites, an indication of the
government's difficulties as it attempts to get tough on adult
content in cyberspace.
Sichuan province's Huaxi City newspaper said its reporter had
exchanged text messages with Zhang's representatives and the
actress was shocked and furious when she learnt of the pictures.
The Beijing-born star is in the United States.
Zhang's manager did not dispute the authenticity of the pictures in
her statement to the media. She said: 'Ziyi and her fiance were
holidaying on a beach as a part of normal life and as a matter of
personal privacy.
'I sympathise with all celebrities whose privacy is invaded. It is
difficult for them to enjoy vacations and ordinary, everyday
life.'
While mainland actresses have appeared nude in films - including
Joan Chen, Bai Ling and Tang Wei recently in Lee Ang's Lust,
Caution - Zhang is believed to be the first major star to be caught
undressed by the paparazzi.
Her expose comes a year after the Edison Chen photo scandal, when
the Hong Kong-based actor's collection of intimate shots with
various female stars shook the Chinese entertainment industry last
January.
Chinese netizens were not sympathetic towards Zhang, slamming her
for her modest assets and for being a shameless
exhibitionist.
Some even accused her of bringing shame to China and staging the
shoot to generate publicity for herself.
'Her figure is really poor and she really showed off her
weaknesses. She should be more considerate towards the sentiments
of the public,' said one netizen.
'What a disgrace to the Chinese people,' said another.
But there were a few who spoke up on behalf of the actress, whose
recent film Forever Enthralled banked more than 100 million yuan
(S$22 million) in China.
'It is very normal for Western magazines to shoot actresses
sunbathing nude on beaches. Zhang is not the first. She is just the
first Chinese actress,' said one.
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81 pictures of Zhang Ziyi taken by paparazzi
