Eat to ‘lift’: Svelte Pursuit Of Jade star Tian Xiwei says her big appetite keeps her strong
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Pursuit of Jade actress Tian Xiwei (right) arriving at Gucci’s Marina Bay Sands flagship store on May 22.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
SINGAPORE - The leading lady of C-drama chart-topper Pursuit of Jade received a warm welcome to Singapore.
At the launch of the Generation Gucci collection at Italian luxury brand Gucci’s Marina Bay Sands flagship store on the evening of May 22, Tian Xiwei was greeted by hundreds of fans who crowded three floors of the mall.
Taking questions from The Straits Times, the 28-year-old Chinese actress said she identifies with her Pursuit Of Jade character, the headstrong butcher’s daughter Fan Changyu.
“We have a lot of similarities, for instance, we look very alike,” she joked in Mandarin. “Maybe I’m also optimistic like her and as resilient.”
She continued: “As for our differences, there are also a lot. I’m not as good at killing pigs as she is, even though I learnt a bit of it. But she’s a butchering pro.”
Laughing, Tian added that she studied butchery for a day.
The 1.68m-tall artiste has a strongwoman image at odds with her svelte figure. She has hoisted many a male co-star in her roles, including her 1.9m-tall Pursuit Of Jade on-screen partner Zhang Linghe, whom she carried on her back in one memorable scene.
The secret to her strength is food. She said: “I tend to eat more than other people but I also digest more, so maybe I’m especially good at converting (food) into muscle or fat, which makes me stronger.”
Lately, hamburgers have been her favourite.
Tian’s star is rising in fashion too. Her association with Gucci has helped her uncover more sides to herself and try more styles, “cool, elegant, serious and trendy”, she said.
Pre-Gucci, her personal style leaned more towards comfort, she added.
Chinese actress Tian Xiwei in the Generation Gucci collection.
PHOTO: GUCCI
Pursuit Of Jade is C-drama’s first real challenge to K-drama’s throne. The 40-episode historical romance was an international smash hit, becoming the first Chinese title to reach No. 5 on Netflix’s global weekly top 10 (non-English) chart and stay there for four consecutive weeks. It was also the platform’s top-ranked drama in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand, outperforming a slew of South Korean titles.
A crowd waiting for Pursuit of Jade actress Tian Xiwei to arrive at Gucci’s Marina Bay Sands flagship store on May 22.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Outside the venue, fans like student Kiera Tay camped for hours to catch a glimpse of Tian.
The 19-year-old said: “I love her because she’s beautiful. I love her acting, her line delivery and how she always meets fans with a smile.”
Lab technician Vennie Tan, 27, chimed in: “She’s very real and sincere. She’s always considering the fans.”
Their efforts were rewarded as later in the night, Tian waved and blew kisses to the holdouts. While exiting the store, she strutted up and down the corridor as if it were a runway, eliciting liberal screams from her fans.
Pursuit of Jade actress Tian Xiwei arriving at Gucci’s Marina Bay Sands flagship store on May 22.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Tian, also known as “China’s sweetheart”, made her acting debut in 2018 in the youth romance series Waiting For You In A Long Time. Her breakout role in period romcom New Life Begins (2022) was followed by hit shows Romance On The Farm (2023) and Guardians Of The Dafeng (2024).
The It girl fronted Gucci’s 2024 Lunar New Year campaign for the Year of the Dragon with Chinese actor Zhou Yiran and attended the brand’s Spring/Summer 2025 show at Milan Fashion Week.
Pursuit Of Jade heart-throb Zhang is a Gucci ambassador and both have been photographed in looks from the Generation Gucci collection, including its standout bags.
Generation Gucci is creative director Demna’s sophomore collection for the house, first unveiled in December 2025.
Additional reporting by Mark Cheong
