Global Times : You once said that working with director Kong Sheng and screenwriter Lan Xiaolong was a "dream come true." How did you feel when you learned you would be participating in "Gezhi Town"?

Xiao Zhan : My first feeling was disbelief, followed by nervousness, because I knew that the story and characters written by screenwriter Lan Xiaolong were very challenging for actors. This nervousness continued after reading the script. The film is called 得闲谨制 (Déxián jǐn zhì) & I played a significant role as De Xian. In the early stages of filming, I was under so much pressure that I had insomnia, spending my nights thinking about how to make everyone understand, accept, and like this character. But later on, I stopped thinking about these things. Our filming set seemed to have a "barrier" that automatically blocked out external noise. I basically didn't look at my phone on set; I just sat there, looked at the surrounding mountains and houses, and then at the crew and actors, and my mindset instantly changed. It was a magical state.

Global Times: What kind of struggle did the character Dexian go through from forbearance to rebellion?

Xiao Zhan: I don't know everyone's specific feelings after watching the movie, but I was pleasantly surprised when I first saw this character. He's not a hero in the conventional sense; in the early stages, he only wanted to protect his "small family," and only later did he want to protect the "greater good." The most important thing I did to prepare for this character was to trace his experiences before the film's story, to understand why he became what everyone calls "neurotic," and why he had such erratic and disjointed thinking.

He went through a period of struggle and growth. At the beginning of the film, De Xian and his great-grandfather fled Nanjing, witnessing the Mo family dwindle from four generations to just two. He must have felt heartache and rebellion, but on that escape ship, his heart was numb. To put it selfishly, he only wanted to survive with his great-grandfather. It wasn't until the Japanese invasion of Gezhi Town that he began to awaken and choose to fight back. As for the details, many people have asked me how the expressions and reactions in the film were designed; they were simply very real, spontaneous reactions in real time.

Global Times: What is it like to play a father and the pillar of the family?

Xiao Zhan: When I was first told I was going to play a father, I thought, "How will I get along with my child? How will I get along with my wife? How will I protect this family?" But when filming actually started, I felt an invisible energy within me, and I unconsciously felt the responsibility and commitment a father should have. I would instinctively take action when a crisis comes. Just like my family and I often have worries about "preparing for a rainy day," we think of ways to deal with difficulties in advance, and I'm like that when I have free time. Although they have lived a stable life in Gezhi Town for three years, he still listens to the radio. He has never forgotten that the outside world is still in danger, so he makes many preparations, transforming the tools in his home into weapons that can be used to defend against external enemies at any time.

Global Times: When filming scenes on a hillside, there was a modern view in the distance. What were you thinking at the time? Which scenes left you feeling heavy-hearted after filming?

Xiao Zhan: I remember Lan Xiaolong saying that scene brought tears to his eyes. During filming, I also felt a sense of "time travel." As an actor, I need to completely believe in the current situation, but what I saw before me were incredibly prosperous and modern skyscrapers, so my feelings were very complex. After filming, my deepest feeling was that the life we live now, which seems so ordinary, was unattainable for people in that era. It was truly difficult. There were so many scenes that deeply moved me. The scene where I pulled the flagpole with Daheyuan (played by Yin Zheng) left me feeling dazed for a long time after filming, still immersed in the story. The final conversation with Xiao Yan (played by Peng Yuchang) in the ruins also left me feeling very heavy.

Global Times: What were your thoughts after seeing the finished film for the first time? How do you understand the meaning of the four characters in the film Title "得闲谨制" (meaning "Leisure and Prudence")?

Xiao Zhan: On December 5th, an hour before the film's press conference in Yichang, I watched the entire film for the first time. Before, when I watched my own performances, I couldn't help but think, "How was my acting? This scene seemed a bit lacking; I wish I could have acted like that scene..." But while watching the film as a whole, I completely forgot about those things. I cried several times during watching, and also laughed out loud. My feelings afterward were very complex. Initially, I thought the title simply meant meticulous production amidst leisure. But when I sat in the cinema and saw the edited and musically-accompanied film on the screen, I had a new feeling. "得闲" /"De Xian" (literally means ''leisurely life") actually represents the yearning of millions of people for a peaceful life, while "谨制"/ "Jinzhi" (literally means caution/prudence) represents the resilience that people develop in adversity.

Global Times: You were moved to tears by the audience's comments at the premiere. Which comments impressed you the most?

Xiao Zhan: I've seen many audience interpretations, including many angles we hadn't considered during the creative process. They're really good, and I can feel how much everyone loves this film. As one of the actors, I'm very grateful and content. The audience member who moved me at the premiere was also a father; he came to see the film with his wife and child. I clearly remember why I was moved—we are a group of people living in the present, and this film tells a story from that era. I play a father and husband from that time, and I'm building an invisible bridge between him and a father and husband in the present, allowing for connection and communication. This audience member found something moving in the story, and I think this work expresses the values we wanted to convey.

Global Times: What have you gained and learned from this collaboration with director Kong Sheng's team?

Xiao Zhan: I think the director is incredibly talented. He's responsible, insightful, and very efficient, giving the actors a tremendous sense of security. He has a very precise understanding of each scene. Before filming, he'll bring the actors to the set for a rehearsal, clearly explaining the key points he wants to convey, the background of the scene, and what we should be thinking while performing. He's like a skilled craftsman threading a needle, connecting all the characters in a scene and ensuring no one goes off track.

Global Times: Many people say they see your determination to step out of your "comfort zone". What do you think of this?

Xiao Zhan: To be honest, I've never really known where my comfort zone is. I've never thought about defining a comfort zone or stepping out of it. What I care about most is whether the role, the script, and the team can move me and give me the motivation to do it. My thoughts during filming and work are very simple: I just want to do my best. Whether I can do it is a matter of ability, but whether I want to do it well is a matter of my attitude.

Global Times: 2025 is coming to an end. How would you summarize this year?

Xiao Zhan: Oh dear, I'm terrified of year-end summaries and new year-end promises (laughs). I'll just use one word—"To be continued."

Source : https://finance.sina.cn/2025-12-23/detail-inhctsyw1021652.d.html?vt=4