Wong Jim

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Wong Jim

Chinese name 黃霑 (Traditional)
Chinese name 黄沾 (Simplified)
Pinyin huang2 zhan1 (Mandarin)
Jyutping wong4 zim1 (Cantonese)
Birth name Wong Jum-sum (traditional Chinese: 黃湛森; Cantonese Yale: Wong4 Jaam3 Sam1)
Born February 21, 1940(1940-02-21)
Panyu, Guangzhou, China
Died November 24, 2004 (aged 64)
Hong Kong
Occupation composer, actor, movie director, scriptwriter
Genre(s) Cantopop
Hong Kong musical tongue twister
Instrument(s) Piano
Years active 1960s - 2000s
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wong.

Wong Jim, James Wong Jim PhD, MPhil, BA (1940 – November 24, 2004) was a renowned Cantopop lyricist and writer based primarily in Hong Kong. He was also a well known in Asia as a columnist, actor, film director, scriptwriter and talk show hosts. He took part in creative directing positions within the entertainment industry in Hong Kong. Wong was also an alumnus of La Salle College. Many fans like to call him "Uncle Jim"

Wong died of lung cancer after a four-year battle at the age of 64 in November 24, 2004 at 00:46.[1]

Contents

[edit] Education

Wong was born in Panyu, in what now is part of Guangzhou, China and migrated to Hong Kong with his family in 1949. He completed his secondary education at La Salle College. In 1963, he graduated from Chinese Department, Faculty of Arts of the University of Hong Kong. Wong obtained the degree of Master of Philosophy from the University of Hong Kong in 1983 for his study in Cantonese opera (A study on the problems of Cantonese opera). In May 2003, in the midst of his fight with lung cancer, he completed his doctorate study at the Department of Social Science, University of Hong Kong. The title of his thesis was "The rise and decline of cantopop : a study of Hong Kong popular music(1949-1997)".[2]

[edit] Career and contributions

Exhibition of Dr James Wong's works during Hong Kong University CAS Openday in October, 2005
Exhibition of Dr James Wong's works during Hong Kong University CAS Openday in October, 2005
Music Blanket is one of James Wong's favourite personal collection
Music Blanket is one of James Wong's favourite personal collection

Wong had participated in a variety of media fields including advertisement, movie and music. He was best known for his achievements as a lyricist of Cantonese songs in Hong Kong. Beginning from the 1960s, he was the lyricist for over 2,000 songs, collaborating with composer Joseph Koo (aka. Gu Gaa-fai) on many popular TVB TV drama theme songs, many of which have become classics of the genre. His works had pushed the development of Cantopop to unprecedented popularity. Joseph Koo, might be one of his closest friends, but James Wong acknowledges that Koo is the exact opposite of him, saying that he (Wong) is handsome (in nature), while Koo has a terrible reputation, he curses or uses vulgar while Koo doesn't know how to curse!

At the same time of being well known and praised for his creative works in the entertainment and advertisement fields, Wong was also famous for his vulgar and indelicate image. His vulgar includes jokes that lightly touch on adult topics. In one of his last concerts, he sung ones of his songs intended for advertisements. This one, "Leung Go Gau Sai So" has one particular line where he emphasises the word for mother, lo-mo. On that night he also said he loves si-lai (married women, he said, his mother was a si-lai and he loves si-lai so badly, his si-lai at home said he could only one si-lai. His charismatic nature blends perfectly with his jokes that makes everyone laugh until they fall off their chairs. He had a series of best-seller books on adult-oriented jokes. He was regarded as the one breaking the cultural barrier to taboos in Hong Kong during the conservative environment in 1970s. He is best remembered as the person who came up with the slogan "Two kids are good enough" for The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong.

Wong hosted several TV programs, mostly interviews or talk shows oriented towards adults, on both TVB and ATV. One of the talk shows called "Off-guard Tonight" (今夜不設防), co-hosted by Wong and his close friends Chua Lam and Ni Kuang on ATV, is particularly remembered.

Since 1990s Wong's creative works had become less popular, and many entertainment company had introduced less Wong's songs. Some TV shows hosted by Wong were also unpopular. Wong had decided to turn back to Hong Kong University to take the Doctor degree, about the popular culture of Hong Kong. His essay is now in the library of Hong Kong University.

On November 24 of 2004 at 00:46, he passed away in Union Hospital in Hong Kong Shatin. At this moment, Hong Kong people reflected back and agreed to his career and accomplishment. For the following few days the news of his death had become the headline of medias in Hong Kong and his compositions were played throughout the week. A remembrance ceremony took place at Hong Kong Stadium, over 15,000 attended this ceremony.[3]

[edit] Important works in lyrics

  • It's a Small World (世界真細小) Chinese adaptation
  • Below the Lion Rock (獅子山下)
  • The Bund of Shanghai (上海灘), theme song from TV series The Bund
  • When I'm Asked (問我)
  • Both are forgetten in the mist (兩忘煙水裡)
  • Tao (道), theme to the Tsui Hark-produced A Chinese Ghost Story
  • A laugh in blue sea (滄海一聲笑), theme to Tsui Hark's The Swordsman
  • A Man Should Stand Strong (男兒當自強), theme song to Tsui Hark's Once Upon a Time in China series about Wong Fei Hung; set to the traditional Chinese tune On the General's Orders (將軍令)
  • No need to remember old dreams (舊夢不須記)
  • Childhood(童年)
  • Work Hard (奮鬥)

[edit] Awards

Wong received numerous awards for his works.

- Music Awards

  • 1981 忘記他, The best cantopop, 4th Top Ten Chinese Golden Pop Music, RTHK
  • 1982 兩忘煙水里, The best cantopop, 4th Top Ten Chinese Golden Pop Music, RTHK
  • 1989 Best Lyricist, 2nd Hong Kong Artist Awards (香港藝術家年獎)
  • 1990 Golden Pin, 13th, Top Ten Chinese Golden Pop Music, RTHK
  • 1991 Hall of Fame, RTHK (Radio and Television Hong Kong)
  • 2000 Hall of Fame Award, CASH (Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong).
  • 2002 Hall of Fame Award for 25th Anniversary, 25th Top Ten Chinese Golden Pop Music, RTHK

- Film Awards

[edit] Filmography as actor

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hong Kong Government statement on Wong's death (Chinese only). Hong Kong Government (24 November 2004). Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
  2. ^ Hong Kong University has dedicated a memorial page for Dr James Wong Jim in honor. Hong Kong University. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
  3. ^ Memorial Service at Hong Kong Stadium. China Daily (6 December 2004). Retrieved on 2007-06-14.

[edit] External links

Awards
Preceded by
Paula Tsui		 Golden Needle Award of RTHK Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award
1990		 Succeeded by
Roman Tam
Languages