BEIJING (SCMP): Taiwanese actress and model Lin Chi-ling, widely celebrated as a charity ambassador, received applause on social media after her recent visit to a primary school in rural mainland China, where she presented gifts and donations to the students.
On Nov 12, Lin visited a primary school in Xunxian county in central China’s Henan province. During her visit, she delivered an uplifting speech, encouraging the children to “embrace each day with joy”.
Lin engaged with the students through exercise routines, gifted each child a present, and donated 600,000 yuan (US$83,000) to support the school.
At 49, Lin has served as a charity ambassador for the China Foundation for Rural Development since 2013. Notably, she donated 10 million yuan (US$1.4 million) to the foundation in 2016 and has played a crucial role in funding the construction of dormitory buildings, aptly named “Chi-ling’s Home”, at 18 rural primary schools throughout China.
Thanks to Lin’s contributions, students at these schools can now live closer to their classrooms, eliminating lengthy daily commutes.
In addition to her work with the foundation, Lin founded the Chiling Sister Charity Foundation in 2011, which focuses on supporting the welfare of children and adolescents.
Lin shared that her commitment to charity stems from a desire to give back to her supporters, who have stood by her and helped her “overcome challenges and realise her dreams”.
The star, often referred to as “Taiwan’s top model”, has scaled back her professional pursuits after marrying Akira, a member of the Japanese dance group Exile, and relocating to Japan in 2019.
Akira recently gained attention by taking part in this year’s hit Chinese talent show Call Me By Fire, sparking lively discussions on social media.
Lin’s visit to the school was warmly received by local villagers and online observers, who praised her as “a beautiful and kind person”.
Scouted at the age of 15 in her hometown of Taipei, Lin only officially began her modelling career after earning degrees in Western art history and economics from the University of Toronto.
Lin is renowned for her “perfect body proportions”, standing at 174cm tall with 112cm long legs.
She is also well-known for her sweet, refined voice and elegant tone in her speech. Her voice is the preferred navigation voice in Alibaba’s Amap, known locally as Gaode Map. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.
Making her film debut in Battle of Red Cliff in 2008, directed by John Woo and co-starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Takeshi Kaneshiro, Lin’s international career flourished in the 2000s after she joined a Japanese talent agency in 2005.
A fluent Japanese speaker, she played a leading role in the popular Japanese Getsuku drama Moon Lovers, which aired on Fuji TV in 2010 alongside Takuya Kimura.
When marrying Akira, Lin made the personal choice not to adopt her husband’s surname, a common practice among Japanese wives, stating that her name “represents the culture and love from her supporters”.
In 2022, the couple welcomed their son, Taiyou, which means “sun” in Japanese. - South China Morning Post
