Over 20 years since the iconic Chinese drama My Fair Princess first lit up our TV screens, stars Vicki Zhao, Ruby Lin and Fan Bingbing are still prominent actresses but less is known about Zhou Jie, who shot to stardom playing the royal guard Fu Erkang.
So, where is he now?
Well, according to Chinese media reports, the 49-year-old is now a bona fide farmer.<img alt="" data-caption="PHOTO: Screengrab/Weibo” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”49edecca-3602-4bae-b9c5-656493449844″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/erkang4.jpg”/><img alt="" data-caption="PHOTO: Screengrab/Weibo” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”480cb3b9-03d5-4286-88a3-5c210c5ec13d” src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/farmerzj.jpg”/>From walking red carpets to ploughing farmlands, Zhou’s career change may read like a fall from grace but the Young Justice Bao star is doing very well for himself — media reports estimate that he’s worth more than 100 million yuan (S$19.5 million).
Zhou reportedly owns five companies, a winery and over 165 acres of farmland where he grows organic rice and vegetables.
He also founded his own brand Zhou Xian Sheng (Mr Zhou) in 2014, which started off selling rice and now has several product lines including flour, tea and camellia oil.<img alt="" data-caption="PHOTOS: Screengrab/Weibo” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”1a4439ca-a814-494d-b823-c701b5d33a11″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/zhouxiansheng.jpg”/>
From Screen to Soil: Zhou’s Unlikely Journey
When the Cameras Stop Glowing
After the 2015 thriller The Dangerous Affair, Zhou took a long break from acting, admitting in a recent Weibo post that the entertainment world had become a mismatch: “I’ve been away from a drama for years. Either people think I don’t fit, or I think they don’t fit. You can’t force this stuff. It has to be a two‑way vibe.”
Rumors, Fights, and Name‑Checking
Despite the massive fanfare around My Fair Princess and its sequel, Zhou’s career was marred by whispers of bad blood with co‑stars, a 2008 altercation with a security guard, and claims he fled a 2009 car crash. These incidents kept him in the shadows of the industry.
Choosing a Quiet Life
Instead of pushing back against the noise, Zhou slowly stepped away from the spotlight. He now only pops up in a handful of dramas or films, but that’s only because he’s looking for the calm in the chaos.
So What Exactly Made Him Quit?
When asked, he bluntly said, “I acted because it was fun. I switched to organic food because I needed a different kind of drama. I’m still not sure if I’ll ever perform that last show, but I do want my family a peaceful life.”
Back to the Roots
In the end, Zhou’s story is a reminder: life isn’t always about the silver screen. Sometimes, a quiet plot of tomatoes in a greenhouse can be just as rewarding.
