Yearender: Big events in showbiz, a clean breast

　　The year 2015 is almost coming to an end. With less than two weeks remaining, let us recap some of the major events that occurred in China's showbiz in the year of the Sheep.

　　Making a clean breast of it

　　Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, who plays empress Wu Zetian. [Photo provided to China Daily]

　　The buzz over the cuts of the actresses' corseted cleavages in the TV drama The Saga of Wu Zetianattracted attention at home and abroad.

　　Numerous international media outlets, including The New York Times, Wall Street Journaland The Daily Mail, reported on the heated chatter in the Chinese media and blogosphere about how the top-rated domestic TV drama The Empress of China, also known as The Saga of Wu Zetian, was halted after its first week of release for "technical reasons", then released again five days later.

　　When the 80-episode TV serial returned to the screen on the first day of 2015 after the abrupt suspension, scenes featuring actresses' low-cut dresses and corseted cleavages had been cut and replaced by close-up shots of just their pretty faces.

　　A series of "before and after" screen captures of the drama shows that even the Chinese emperor Li Shimin's face had been cut in an "after" scene, when he was leaning his head against the empress' ample breasts.

　　It has been widely speculated that the nation's highest broadcasting regulator had asked for the cuts because the women's costumes were too revealing.

　　When the series aired in Hong Kong, actresses' cleavages were not cut, but covered up with tube-top like attire, added through editing techniques.

　　Sina Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, found that nearly 95 percent of viewers disapproved of the cuts, calling them "unnecessary".

　　　　Traindual: Florals vs. omelet

　　Actress Zhang Xinyu and singer Rihanna. [Photo/Agencies]

　　Since superstar Rihannawore a canary yellow dress at the 2015 Met gala on May 4 in New York, the dress has been widely ridiculed online, with many Photoshopped pictures of its long and wide trail into a pizza and an omelet on a frying pan.

　　Actress Fan Bingbing at 65th Cannes Film Festival. [Photo/Agencies]

　　Coincidentally, when Chinese actress Zhang Xinyu appeared at 68th Cannes Film Festivalwith a traditional Chinese floral printed dress, it lit up the Chinese social media once more. Zhang was mocked for her poor taste in fashion, and her "efforts" to look like Fan Bingbing, who wore a Tang-dynasty inspired dress and a similar hairstyleat the 65th Cannes FilmFestival.

　　Zhang revoked negative comments on her red gown. "Red and green floral prints are memories," Zhang wrote on a post in her Sina Weibo account.

　　Hurdler Liu Xiang(right) and his then-wife Ge Tian. [Photo/Agencies]

　　Divorce of the year

　　Retired star hurdler Liu Xiangcaused a stir on the Internet on June 25 by announcing on his micro blog that he had divorced his wife actress Ge Tian.

　　Liu, who won gold in the 110 hurdles at the 2004 Athens Olympics, said the couple had divorced just nine months after their wedding.

　　"Me and Ge fell in love with each other in May 2014 and got married in September," Liu said on his Weibo account. "Due to incompatibility in our personalities, we decided to end the marriage today, hoping we shall each have (a) more beautiful life in the future. We wish each other the best in the future."

　　Within two hours, more than 100,000 comments were posted by some of Liu's one million-plus followers, while the news became one of the hottest topics with more than 27 million views in just one day.

　　Ge confirmed the divorce in an interview on Sina.com, saying "Everything is subject to what he said."

　　Speculation that Liu's marriage was in trouble has been widespread in the Chinese media for some time, with commentators pointing to signs that they had grown distant from each other. After Ge starred in a controversial scene in a historical TV drama, where she pulled a grenade out from between her legs to bomb the prison cell of where her lover was kept at, her relationship with the hurdler was rumored to have worsened.

　　Related:

　　Internet frenzy a mixed bag for hurdler's bride

　　Wang Xuebing (left), Yin Xiangjie (center) and Mao Ning. [Photo/Agencies]

　　Steep price for getting high

　　Last year, Taiwan-based actor Kai Ko, Jaycee Chan, son of kung fusuperstar Jackie Chan, Li Daimo, who rose to fame from reality music talent show, were just among a few who were caught with using illegal substances.

　　Thereafter, China's showbiz has vowed to remain "clean" and ban anyone who touches drugs from the small and big screen. Effective or not, some still didn't listen.

　　Actor Wang Xuebing, whose film Black Coal, Thin Icewon the Golden Bear from Berlin in 2014, was caught using drugs on March 10.

　　Singer Yin Xiangjie was caught with drugs on Feb 12 and sentenced to seven months in prison and fined 2,000 yuan ($308.8). Yin was released on July 24. In less than four months later, the singer was caught once more, and his urine tested positive for amphetamine. Yin revealed that he has had a history of drug use for more than a decade.

　　Another somewhat outdated singer, Mao Ning, was detained on Nov 27, also for using illegal drugs. Mao admitted he has taken methamphetamine, and his urine samples tested positive for the substance.

　　Related:

　　Tainted actor's film will 'not' be released

　　Singer Yin Xiangjie formally arrested for drug offense

　　Singer Mao Ning arrested for drug use

　　Huba, from Monster Hunt. [Photo/Agencies]

　　Big year for domestic films

　　China's box office sale hit 40 billion yuan ($6.3 billion), posting growth of more than 48 percent from the same period last year.

　　It is the first time box office sales in the world's second-largest film market reached such a benchmark figure, according to China's media watchdog State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.

　　The administration said domestic films pulled 23.7 billion yuan, accounting for more than 59 percent of the total box office earnings.

　　Among the top 10 earners, domestic films, including the live action animation Monster Hunt, animated Monkey King: Hero is back, comedy Jian Bing Manand Goodbye Mr. Loser,took six spots.

　　Related:

　　China's box office sales hit historic 40b yuan

　　China box office to rule by 2018, Imax CEO says

　　Thegossips

　　Many star couples tied knots, or revealed their relationships to the public in 2015.

　　Singer Jay Chouand model Hannah Quinlivan took wedding photos in several European countries, such as France, Germany and the Czech Republic. [Photo/chinanews.com]

　　Jay Chouand Hannah Quinlivan

　　Singer-songwriter Jay Chou married model Hannah Quinlivan in an extravagant wedding ceremony at a church in Selby, Yorkshire, United Kingdom, on Jan 17. Their daughter, the first child for both, was born on July 12 the same year.

　　Related:

　　Jay Chou, Hannah Quinlivan get married in UK

　　Singer Jay Chou welcomes baby girl

　　Chinese actor Li Chen posts a photo of himself with renowned actress Fan Bingbing with a caption which announced they're dating on May 29, 2015. [Photo/Weibo.com]

　　"We"

　　Chinese actor Li Chen posted a photo with actress Fan Bingbing on his Sina Weibo captioned "We" in May, as an announcement of their relationship to the public.

　　The news was read by 420 million Internet users and the Chinese social media began emulating the couple by posting their photos, also captioned "We". Even the official Sina Weibo account of the United Nations posted a photo of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his wife, using the same trendy caption.

　　Related:

　　Fan Bingbing and Li Chen pose for photos

　　Fan Bingbing and Li Chen admit they are dating

　　JD and milk tea

　　JD.com founder Liu Qiangdong and his pregnant wife Zhang Zetian, also known as the "Milk Tea Sister" on China's social media, posed for a series of photos recently. [Photo/Sina Weibo]

　　Founder of JD.com Liu Qiangdong married Zhang Zetian, also known as "Milk Tea Sister" by Chinese Internet users, in a private ceremony on Oct 1 in Australia.

　　The two, with an age gap of almost two decades, have been rumored to be on and off several times prior to their marriage. Zhang is currently pregnant with the couple's first baby.

　　Related:

　　JD.com boss denies 30 million break-up fee

　　'Milk Tea Sister' is expecting

　　Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming (left) and his actress wife Angelababypose during their wedding ceremony at the ShanghaiExhibition Center in Shanghai on Oct 8. [Photo/IC]

　　Ooh, fantastic baby

　　Actor Huang Xiaoming and actress Angelababytied knot in a grand ceremony in Shanghaion Oct 8. Huang presented a princess-like wedding for his wife, also known by her Chinese name Yang Ying, because she has always dreamed of becoming a princess.

　　It is not exaggerating to say that more than half of China's showbiz attended the wedding.

　　Related:

　　Wedding ceremony of Huang Xiaoming and Angelababy

　　Star-studded guests at Huang and Angelababy's wedding

　　Last but not least, let us remember those talented souls who left us in 2015.

　　Undated photo of Yao Beina. [Photo/ifeng.com]

　　Singer Yao Beina: Sept 26, 1981-Jan 16, 2015

　　Yao gained fame after she performed in the second season of Voice of Chinain 2013. Her powerful and penetrating voice won her appraises from famed singer and coach Na Ying, and gained her a much wider fan base than she did prior to her participation. Yao is the voice of many well known numbers, including the Chinese version of Disney's Let it go, the theme song of the mega hit court drama The Legend of Zhenhuan, and that of Feng Xiaogang's film 1942.

　　Yao died of reoccurrence of breast cancer in Shenzhenon Jan 16, at age 33.

　　Related:

　　Late singer's corneas donated

　　Paparazzi's immorality over singer's death

　　Deng Minghe. [Photo/Agencies]

　　Chinese opera performer Deng Minghe: June 8, 2006-April 28, 2015

　　Deng Minghe was a promising star in Yu opera performance. At a tender age of six, he was offered a chance to perform on the Spring Festival Gala, the most watched show in China during the lunar New Year. Deng died of leukemia. He was only eight years old.

　　Zhu Zhixiang. [Photo/Agencies]

　　Writer Zhu Zhixiang: 1941-Sept 8, 2015

　　Zhu Zhixiang, a former member of China Writers Association, was the mind behind cartoon production Black Cat Sherriff, which became a classic domestic anime for many who grew up in the 1980s.

　　Zhu died in Shanghai on Sept 8. He was 74.

　　Related:

　　Top 10 most well-read cities in China

　　The Chinese characters that define 2015