Where is Zhang Yimou?

A Nanjing-based newspaper used its front page yesterday to appeal to Zhang, one of China’s best-known movie directors, to answer questions over whether he had more children than the law allowed.

The Oriental Guardian’s sarcastic move came after a family planning authority said last week that it was unable to locate Zhang over alleged breaches of China’s one-child policy.

In May, online reports surfaced that Zhang, 63, who dazzled the world in 2008 with his Beijing Olympic ceremonies and directed many award-winning movies, including “Raise the Red Lantern” and “The Road Home,” had at least seven children with four women and could be liable for a 160 million yuan (US$26 million) fine, based on his income.

Zhang’s wife, Chen Ting, is said to be the mother of three of his children and the family planning commission in her hometown of Wuxi in east China was said to be investigating.

However, the commission said last Wednesday it had done everything possible to contact Zhang and Chen, but could not find them.

Xinhua news agency said an entertainment company official posted a picture online of a visit to Zhang last Wednesday. Netizens who saw the picture alerted the authorities in Wuxi.

In a commentary, Xinhua asked the Wuxi commission: “You cannot find him or you will not find him?”

Xinhua said the commission was brushing aside the issue by simply claiming “failure to find Zhang,” undermining the credibility of the local government and breaching social equality.

“Whether a Chinese resident violated the family planning law is not a difficult problem to find out ... Even if the people cannot be contacted, it is easy to find out whether there is violation through checking residency documents or visiting neighbors or relatives.”

“Family planning is a national law, which must be fair to each person,” the commentary said.

A member of Zhang’s staff told reporters he was busy directing a movie and the company didn’t answer questions on private matters.

In May, Fang Xi, who wrote a biography of Zhang, posted on her microblog that Zhang knew of the allegations but said he didn’t bother to give any clarification. She said he told her: “I’m also wondering where the seven children come from.”

Meanwhile, a man identifying himself as director Chen Jian and Chen Ting’s brother said on weibo.com that the couple’s three children didn’t break the family planning law. He said later that he was the illegitimate son of Chen Ting’s father.

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