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What does mean he`s a good drinker?Does it mean he drinks a lot?

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It means he has the ability to drink a lot . It doesn't mean he likes to drink a lot.

Keanu Reeves came to China again for the preparation of his co-operation project "Taichi Tiger" with his "Sichuan coach" Tiger Chen. Tiger chen will play the leading part in the movie, with Keanu Revees willingly taking the supporting role. The reporter of Chengdu Commercial interviewed Tiger Chen and confirmed that "Tichi Tiger" will start filming next April. This time "Lao Li"(nick name of Keanu Reeves by Tiger Chen) came to China is for the last stage of the preparation. They went to Hongkong to inspect the filming scene on Dec the 7th, Macau the next day, and back to Beijing on 9th. A formal contract was signed with China Filming Co the day before yesterday.

另据成都商报讯（记者 陈玲莉） 基努・里维斯这次来华，依然是为了他和他的“四川师父”陈虎合作的电影项目《太极虎》而来。该片由陈虎担任主演，基努・里维斯这次亲自参演，甘当绿叶。昨日成都商报记者采访陈虎得知，《太极虎》将于明年4月开机，此次“老李”（陈虎对基努・里维斯的“昵称”）来华，就是为了最后的筹备工作，12月7日两人相约香港地区看景，隔日又取道澳门，9日晚赶赴北京，前日下午和中影正式签约。(成都商报)

Anyone know what that translates to?

I don't know Chinese, so this is just using online dictionaries, Google and such (I'm sure koala can do way better)

Lao Li seems to mean old plum

old used affectionately (like in old chum)

I'm not sure about the meaning of plum in this context, but I'm going to guess (may be wishful thinking) it might have to do something with the Four Nobleman : https://spectacularvancouver.wordpress.com/2007/01/01/plum-blossoms-first-of-four-noblemen-in-chinese-arts/

Plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum were adored by the ancient Chinese literati and artisans, and referred to as the ¡°Four Noblemen.¡± This was because they were used to portray noble characteristics, such as pureness, humbleness, and uprightness.

The first ¡°nobleman¡± is plum blossom which begins blooming in the harshness of winter and continues into early spring. It is seen as bringing vigor and vitality to the world.

The dance ¡°Plum Blossom¡± in the 2006 Chinese New Year Global Gala truly brought the spirit of this flower to the stage. The performance captured the essential nature of plum blossoms, ¡°a fragrance coming from the bitterness and coldness they experience.¡±

The dance themes included: blossoming, braving snow, and heralding the arrival of the spring. Gracefully movements were used by the dancers to depict the peaceful blossoming of plum flowers in the cold winter. Suddenly, a thunderstorm appeared blowing fierce cold winds. The heart of the story is displayed as the dancers represented the inner strength and unyielding courage of plum blossoms. Then, the storm stopped and the sunshine finally burst forth. After experiencing the ordeal, the plum blossoms became even more beautiful.

The beauty of plum blossoms are not just due to their color or that it is the only flower blossoming in the winter. It is also because each gentle petal has grown through the cruelty of the winter storm, and represents the essence of the process of growth.

In the traditional Chinese style of writing, the character for plum blossom was endowed with unique inner meanings and expressed the virtues of courage, strength, and taking fame and wealth lightly. It is said that an artist who creates a fine portrait of plum blossoms should have the noble characters of plum blossoms. So, when painting this flower an artist strives to express their unyielding courage and noble character. Many painters in China love to draw plum blossoms, but not everyone of them does it well.

Shi Zhongren, a monk during the Song Dynasty, was well known for his plum blossoms paintings on thin silk using black ink. It is believed that the reason he painted plum blossom well was because he was a cultivator with a noble personality.

The master of painting this flower was Wang Mian, an artist in the Yuan Dynasty. Wang stated that paintings were poems with no words, and poems were paintings with words. Different from Shi¡¯s style with a few branches and plum flowers, Wang¡¯s paintings contained many branches and plum flowers, expressing uprightness and enthusiasm.

Other artists in the Ming and Qing Dynasties were also famous for their paintings of plum blossoms. Their painting styles may vary considerably, but they shared one similarity þu noble characters.

Whoa, the article Joke got is indeed a very meaningful connection to the surname " Li". Li (plum tree) is one of the four trees symbolic of noble characteristics.

Li is also one of the most common surnames in China, something like Smith(means a metal maker?). I guess Keanu was given this surname because "Li" and "Re" (Reeves) are similar in pronunciations (we do have surname "Ri" but it is less common hence not typically Chinese enough)

As for "Lao", Joke is again spot on. It means old and it is an affectionate and respectable way of addressing people who are older than oneself.

Tiger Chen told some cracking funny stories during Keanu's visit to his hometown Sichuan. .

Here is one of them:
" on the third day, Lao Li was getting better from his cold and four of us went to have tea at wenshu tea house. The tea house was neat and elegant. Lao Li and his assistant liked it very much. I told Lao Li there was someone specializing in cleaning up people's ears. He was very curious and wanted to try. He indulged himself in his first experience of this service, haha. A middle-age man was amused at seeing a foreigner enjoying ear cleaning and took a lot of photos using his mobile phone. The man did not seem to recognize this foreigner he encountered with, so we didn't stop him from taking the photos"

http://tieba.baidu.com/p/279438108

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so this is since December?

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The report about signing the contract was dated last december.

Jet Li's movie only opened yesterday (that's why the hair did not look right). But the photo taken in airport (short hair) seemed to indicate that Keanu is now in China.

Articles from Tiger Chen's blog were dated to 2007.

I am grabbing Chinese articles all over the places. Sorry for the confusion.

thanx for the translations!

There are many references to "talk of the town", which apparently is meant to refer to Keanu. Is that a good translation (I mean, does Tiger Chen mean to call him "talk of the town"), or is Google Translate as way off as it usually is?

The translation refers to Keanu as "talk of the town", "Lao Li" and "Old Lee". The last two are good. "Lao Li" is directly adopted from Chinese and "Old Lee" is an English word-to-word translation.

I am afraid "talk of the town" is way off.

Hi Maria

http://ent.sina.com.cn/m/c/2011-09-29/18153431536.shtml

This article made suggestions that Keanu is in pre-production of Taichi Tiger. But it also mentioned that Keanu "refused to make comments on his own new movie and Jet Li's Legend of the White Snake". The photo used is apparently borrowed from a western source.

The report is not that reliable...I guess.



BTW, Jet Li and Bruce Li have the same surname as our man :-)

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BTW, Jet Li and Bruce Li have the same surname as our man :-)

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Indeed.. I love the nickname : Lao Li :)

I also really want to see Keanu as a Villain as well .

(KOALA) : It's really nice to have a Chinese fan around , being such informative about these things :)

this discussion of you guys were brilliant , the links , translations and explaining , and so on .. it's always good to know more about these stuff .

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I am afraid "talk of the town" is way off.

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Hah, I knew it. But then what would be a better translation? Something like "our famous friend" or whatever?

I myself prefer to call him Our Man, sort of like how a TV news presenter would say "We have someone at the location, and our man reports that etc etc...".

So, "Our (that is, WINM's) Man in China is currently working on a new movie". ;-)

And Koala, you could be WINM's Official Chinese Translator. :-D

In Kongfu world, brotherhood stands for strong male bonding. Very often those brothers are closer to each other than their real families, and can sacrifice their lives for each other.

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, TBH,He quite supprised me,I`d never suppose he`s going to choose kung fu movie for his directorial debut

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I guess this decision really has something to do with Tiger Chen's influence? After reading Tiger's articles on Keanu, I have come to respect their friendship very much. However, it is still hard for me to see how this movie is going to work.

Kongfu film has passed its most glorious period, which lasted more than twenty years. This gene was done to the death. It is very difficult to excite people with a pure Kongfu movie nowadays. Even Ang Lee's "crouching tiger hidden dragon" did not get as much admiration in China as in Hollywood. Hollywood's enthusiasm on Kongfu has died out anyway.

On the other hand, if Keanu really enjoys it and makes it out of his own pleasure and for his friend. Go for it then.

@ koala At the time of that trip Lao Li was translated as "Old Sir". A term of respect is what I remembered.

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ear thing

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what is that?

Hey,this video about ear cleaning was filmed at Tiger Chen's hometown, Chengdu of SiChuan. Keanu might have been there!

Wide& Narrow Lanes is a famous historical and cultural district at Chengdu,Sichuan. Three Qing (the last dynasty of China) styled lanes run through the district in parallel. Wandering about makes you forget the time and your whereabouts, let go the pressure of working 9 to 5, and bring back the good old times. The whole world slows down ~

Sipping tea in the shade of the trees while chatting to your friends, Having your ears cleaned with closed eyes...this is the way to get lost.

BTW, the pretty guide was too conscious of her image and a bit tense in the process of ear cleaning. I am sure keanu was more relaxed :-)