Dashan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Henry Rowswell
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Dashan (Mark Rowswell) hosting a live broadcast for China Central Television in November 2006
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Mark Henry Rowswell
May 23, 1965 |
| Alma mater | University of Toronto Peking University |
| Occupation | Presenter |
Mark Henry Rowswell, also known by his Chinese stage name Dashan (which means "Big Mountain"), is a famous Canadian performer. He became very well known in China in the late 1980s. Dashan was often seen on China Central Television (CCTV), especially for his performances of xiangsheng. Xiangsheng is a traditional Chinese comedic art form.
Even though he is not as famous in Canada, Dashan became a huge star in Chinese media. He was one of the first non-Chinese people to work regularly on Chinese TV shows. Since 2012, he has focused more on performing live. He has also helped grow the stand-up comedy scene in China.
About Dashan's Life
His Early Education
Mark Rowswell was born in 1965 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He went to Nepean High School. He started learning Chinese in 1979 from a refugee he worked with at a camera store. After learning a few words, Mark bought books and tapes to teach himself more of the language.
Mark then went to the University of Toronto. He first planned to study philosophy. However, he soon changed his major to Chinese studies. His first Chinese name, given by his Canadian teacher, was Lu Shiwei. After graduating in 1988, Mark received a scholarship to continue his Chinese studies at Peking University in China.
First TV Appearances
Mark first appeared on Chinese television in 1988. He co-hosted an international singing contest. Producers chose him because he spoke fluent Mandarin Chinese. He also had a degree in Chinese studies.
After this, he was asked to perform a funny skit on national TV. This was for the CCTV New Year's Gala. This show is watched by hundreds of millions of people. In the skit, Mark played a character named Xu Dashan. This character was a sassy peasant. His performance made him famous overnight because of his excellent Chinese. The name "Dashan" stuck with him.
After some big events in China in 1989, many Westerners left the country. But Dashan decided to stay and continue his career on state television. This decision made his Chinese audience see him as a true friend.
Dashan's rise to fame was very quick. Some people called him an "accidental celebrity." However, he has remained popular in Chinese media for over two decades. Many foreigners appear on Chinese TV now. But no other foreigner has become as recognized and loved in China as Dashan.
Learning Xiangsheng Comedy
After his first TV appearance as "Dashan," Mark began to formally study xiangsheng. His teacher was the famous comedian Jiang Kun. In 1989, Dashan became the first foreigner to be officially accepted into the strict xiangsheng world. This caused some discussion at the time. Xiangsheng is often called "the art of comedic language." It is seen as a very difficult art form, even for native Chinese speakers.
His Work from 1990 to 2012
CCTV New Year's Gala Shows
Throughout the 1990s, Dashan often appeared on TV shows across China. He performed xiangsheng and other funny skits. He was on the CCTV New Year's Gala several times, including in 1998 and 1999. This show is China's most watched TV event of the year. It has an audience of nearly a billion viewers. These appearances made Dashan widely known across China.
Dashan performed xiangsheng less often in the early 2000s. He said that it became harder to meet audience expectations. Also, there were stricter rules about what topics performers could use.
In 2009, Dashan returned to the CCTV New Year's Gala. He performed a xiangsheng skit with Ma Dong. This skit won second prize in the audience choice awards. With this, Dashan became the only foreigner to have appeared on the CCTV New Year's Gala three times.
Dashan made a fourth appearance on the CCTV New Year's Gala in 2011. He performed a skit with foreign students learning Chinese. This skit also won second prize.
Becoming a TV Host
As Dashan performed less xiangsheng, he started working more as a TV host. From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, he hosted many different TV shows and live events. He was especially good at events that needed a host who spoke both English and Chinese.
Dashan also hosted many educational programs. These included the English learning series Dashan and Friends and Dashan's Adventures. He also hosted programs for CCTV International that taught Chinese, like Travel In Chinese.
Acting in Dramas
Sometimes, Dashan has acted in serious roles. He often played famous foreigners from Chinese history. In 2005, he played the main character in a TV series called Palace Artist. He played Giuseppe Castiglione, an 18th-century Italian painter.
In 2006 and 2007, Dashan played the lead role in Red Star Over China. This was a play about the American reporter Edgar Snow. In 2007 and 2008, he starred in a Chinese play based on the French comedy The Dinner Game. He won an award for best supporting actor for this role.
Beijing Olympics Role
Dashan worked with the Canadian Olympic Committee for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He helped the Canadian team as an attaché.
Cultural Ambassador
Dashan has often gone beyond being just a performer. He has become a cultural ambassador between China and Western countries. He has done this both informally and officially.
Dashan was the Commissioner General for Canada at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo.
In 2012, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited China. He announced that Dashan was named Canada's Goodwill Ambassador to China. This was because Dashan had helped build understanding between the two countries.
Dashan's Current Work
In recent years, Dashan has mostly moved away from TV. He now focuses on performing live shows and using social media.
Dashan Live Shows
Since 2012, Dashan has been working to bring stand-up comedy to China. He performs in small clubs and at universities. In 2014, he announced plans for a traveling show.
This show later became his solo comedy special called Dashan Live. He has toured this show across China and to Chinese communities in other countries.
In 2015, Dashan performed at a temporary Chinese comedy club in Flushing, Queens. He was the only Mandarin performer at the 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. This is a very large comedy festival in Australia.
Dashan sees his stand-up as a mix of Western stand-up and Chinese xiangsheng. In 2022, he started another show called Dashan’s Comedy Friends. This show features different Chinese-language comedy acts. It has been performed in Toronto, Canada, and in Silicon Valley, USA. Local performers are often invited to join him on stage.
Narration Work
Dashan's unique voice is used for many Mandarin Chinese narration projects. He has narrated children's stories like Guess How Much I Love You. He also narrated Peter and the Wolf for the New York Philharmonic in Shanghai. He performed an original Mandarin version of The Carnival of the Animals with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
In 2011, the National Gallery of Canada launched an audio tour. Dashan recorded this tour. He speaks in Mandarin about the gallery's Canadian art collection.
In 2024, Dashan returned to China to act in a play. It was an adaptation of Stephen King's The Shawshank Redemption. He played the role of "Red," who narrates the story. He said the play is mostly about hope.
Endorsements and Guest Appearances
Dashan's name and image are often used in commercials. He has endorsed companies like Canadian Ford automobiles. Dashan also works as a spokesperson for several charity groups. These groups focus on cancer prevention and protecting the environment.
University of Toronto Role
In 2014, Dashan was appointed to the Governing Council of the University of Toronto. He was reappointed for another three-year term in 2017. He also serves on the university's Asia International Leadership Council.
Dashan's Family Life
Dashan married Gan Lin in 1993. As of January 2016, they have two children. Since the late 1990s, Dashan has spent his time between China and Canada. His family has a farm near Newmarket, Ontario. They also have a cottage near Algonquin Provincial Park.
Awards and Honors
- In 1995, a documentary called Dashan, Ambassador to China's Funny Bone was made about him.
- In 1998, China's New Weekly Magazine named Dashan one of the "Outstanding People of the Past 20 Years."
- In 1999, Time magazine chose Dashan as one of the "Leaders for the 21st Century."
- In 2000, the University of Toronto named Dashan one of "100 Alumni Who Shaped the Century."
- In 2004, Dashan received a "Special Recognition Award" from the Canadian Cancer Society. This was for his work on a cancer prevention program.
- In 2004, Dashan was chosen as one of "Ten Outstanding Young Adults of Beijing." He was the first foreigner to receive this high honor.
- In 2006, Dashan received the Key to the City of Ottawa. This recognized his work in helping China and Canada understand each other better.
- In 2007, Dashan was appointed a member of the Order of Canada. This is Canada's highest civilian honor.
- In 2008, Dashan won the White Magnolia Award for Best Supporting Actor. This was for his role in The Dinner Game. He was the first Westerner to win this Chinese performing arts award.
- In 2009, Thompson Rivers University gave Dashan an Honorary Doctorate. This was for his efforts to connect cultures through education.
- In 2018, Dashan received an honorary degree from the University of Alberta.
