TAIPEI - Taking the high road, Taiwanese model Chiling Lin signalled on Weibo on Friday (July 29) that she would not be drawn into an online quarrel with actor Edison Chen.

Separately, the producer of a reality show that Chen's girlfriend failed to be cast in said Lin was not responsible for the decision.

More than a day after Chen, 35, posted crude and cryptic messages about Lin, 41, on Weibo, she wrote that happiness "is not character but capability", and that she chooses to be happy and positive.

She said: "Not fighting is compassion. Not arguing is wisdom. Not hearing is peace. Not seeing is ease. Forgiveness is relief. Contentment is letting go."

Chen began the attack on Wednesday (July 27), making unprintable remarks on Lin's looks, smell and ambition, then saying she "knows" why he was calling her names.

Taiwan Apple Daily, citing sources, said the incident was related to his girlfriend, Chinese model Shu Pei Qin. The report said Qin, 25, was not cast in the Chinese fashion reality television show Hey Muse, despite rumours that she was being considered.

Lin is returning in the upcoming third season of the show with Qin's friend, Chinese Victoria's Secret model Sui He.

Chen is said to be speaking up for Qin because he believes Lin is the reason his girlfriend was dropped from consideration.

On Thursday, Hey Muse producer Cao Qing denied the rumours, said Apple Daily. She said Qin had never been a candidate for the cast. She also shared on Weibo photos of her cast, including Lin and He, and wrote: "All groundless nonsense, please stay away from our family of goddesses!"

Making a public appearance in Shanghai on Friday, Chen did not back down, said Apple Daily. He said he decided to attack Lin online after making three attempts to communicate with her a month ago and receiving no response.

He said he would give her another chance to explain herself, or his words could turn nastier. "If you respect me, I will respect you."

But he said it was strange that she did not know what had happened, and wondered: "Could it be that people around her didn't tell her?"

On Friday, Cao gave a different story, said Apple Daily. She said the show had a role for a supermodel, which Chinese models Liu Wen, Fei Fei Sun, He and Qin were recommended for. "We finally selected Sui He. The selection was made by the production team, independent of other artists."