Riding back to the spotlight

Despite the industry's inclination toward shorter production cycles and quicker profitability, she personally prefers to adopt a more deliberate approach, valuing meticulous work over quantity.

"I reminisce about the days when I dedicated myself to my projects," she says.

To search for talented young musicians to write songs for her, she once immersed herself in the hutong communities in Beijing as she went grocery shopping and cooked for members of a young band.

They engaged in lengthy conversations to understand each other's musical ideas before deciding to collaborate.

However, in the fast-paced commercial landscape, it has become increasingly challenging to find songs that truly resonate with her.

She consciously avoids overwhelming herself with an excess of fast-paced projects. Starting from 2005, she has rekindled her passion for the theater and become actively involved onstage, gradually fading away from the screen.