Mention Justice Bao, and Taiwanese actor Jin Chao Chun probably comes to mind.
The star is easily the most iconic Bao Zheng in TV history, having starred in several adaptations of the series over 23 years.
Chao Chun, 72, first appeared in the 1993 long-running drama Justice Bao. His last protrayal was in 2012’s Arbiter of Kaifeng Mystery, which was also his last drama before he faded out of showbiz.
Following his retirement from acting, Chao Chun revealed that he had a 9cm tumor in his head, which significantly affected his daily life.
He eventually underwent brain surgery to remove the tumor.
Since then, Chao Chun has maintained a low profile, making the occasional appearance on social media.
The last time he was seen in public was at director Zheng Shaofeng’s funeral, where he appeared thinner and needed the help of a walking stick.
Subsequently, there were many rumours of his passing, prompting his Justice Bao co-star Hong Kong actor Kenny Ho to come out to rubbish the fake news last year.
Recently, Chao Chun surprised fans when he made an appearance on Hong Kong producer Gary Yeung’s YouTube programme Xiao Hong Chui Shui Zhan.
He donned his iconic Bao Zheng costume and makeup, even reenacting his signature “Open the guillotine!” line from the classic drama.
Chao Chun, who appeared to be in good spirits, reminisced about his time portraying Bao Zheng in the 1993 adaptation, which spanned over 600 episodes.
When Gary brought up Chao Chun’s alleged “no sex” policy while filming the series, the star chuckled.
“I wasn’t able to have much sex initially. When we portray a respectable character, we make certain promises to ourselves. So, I made a vow that when I’m playing Bao Zheng, I would not have sex,” explained Chao Chun.
Does this mean that Chao Chun, who has been married to Taiwanese actress Chi Chen since 1987, abstained from sex for more than two decades?
“Of course not, we won’t be filming for 12 months a year!” he laughed.