Interviewer listens to learn as talk-show format changes
Seated by the window in a quaint roadside eatery in Yanjin county in Henan province, renowned novelist Liu Zhenyun enjoys the crisp taste of a freshly made lyurou huoshao (donkey burger). As he does, he adds a touch of vinegar to the steaming bowl of hand-pulled huimian noodles before him. Sat across the table is veteran talk show anchor, Li Jing.
Celebrated for novels known for their pervasive humor, distinctive literary style and profound social insights, Liu is particularly acclaimed for Someone to Talk To and his contribution to the many film adaptations of his books.
As they savored these local delicacies, Li turned to Liu with a question, “How do you look at life?”
Gazing at the small county town winter streetscape beyond the window, Liu responded, “Life is not meant to be looked at. It’s something that engulfs you”.
Continuing, he explained that an inability to write compelling characters and stories doesn’t stem from a lack of life experience, rather, that doing so requires writers to understand the underlying aspects of life by examining its myriad facets and phenomena.
For Liu, literature is more than a mere reflection of life.
“Literature is about unveiling the philosophical underpinnings behind life. The essence of literature is philosophical,” he added.
This scene unfolded in a recently aired episode of the online show I Hear You, in which Li, driven by her sense of curiosity and desire to ask questions, interviews influential individuals in various professions and immerses herself in their lives.
In Liu’s hometown of Yanjin, Li visited the writer’s old home and saw for herself how Liu collaborated with a group of young actors and theater staff to create a stage play. The production was an adaptation of his book One Day, Three Autumns.
Li’s show disrupts traditional interview norms with fluid scenes and an interviewing style focused on listening. Creating a unique atmosphere for each interview through subtle filming and presentation, it seeks to allow viewers to resonate with the interviewee and find their own answers.
Used to hosting talk shows primarily featuring celebrities from the entertainment industry, in her latest venture, Li has chosen a different path, opting to interview individuals from a variety of fields who pique her curiosity.
“This time, I want a show that’s mine. It should captivate viewers not by relying on a guest’s fame, but by expressing its own charm, bit by bit,” Li says.
For the first episode, Li set out before dawn to climb a mountain with Zhu Zheqin, experiencing the sound of mountain springs and the gentle breeze with the musician, who is also known under her stage name of Dadawa.
Zhu has traveled around Africa and lived in Indonesia, Nepal and the United States and has been involved in documentary filmmaking, collecting endangered folk songs and preserving traditional handicrafts in recent years. It was only last year, when she sang the closing theme for Mongolian director Wuershan’s hit film Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms, that she reentered the public eye.
The two women discuss breaking free of the constraints of social expectations and the ticking of the social clock (a set time schedule the mass expect one individual to follow), and the struggle to become themselves.
In subsequent episodes, Li interviews various people, including well-known financial commentator Ye Tan, who is battling breast cancer, former Chinese goalkeeper Zhao Li’na, actor-turned-businessperson Ren Quan, director Wang Chaoge and photographer Chen Man.
The in-depth conversations also resolve Li’s own confusion. She recalls visiting Liu’s residence in Yanjin and discovering it still filled with simple furniture from some 40 years ago. Even with such humble surroundings, Liu is still able to focus on his writing. Liu’s dedication to writing despite changes to the environment impresses Li.
“This inspired me to single-mindedly persist in making the new show according to my own ideas, without worrying about sponsors or whether it would be popular with the audience. I wanted to enjoy the process,” she says.