Crienglish have announced that Taiwanese supermodel Lin Chiling has been cast as the female lead Xiao Qiao in John Woo's upcoming historical war drama "The Battle of Red Cliff".

The news has not exactly gone down well in China, with internet protests springing up almost immediately, mainly based around the fact that she has no acting experience and a squeaky, a distinctly modern look, and a child-like voice, all of which would make her inappropriate for the role of an ancient and revered teenage Chinese beauty. So far more than 10,000 people have signed a petition protesting Lin¡¯s role on the popular websitetianya.com, with 80% of an estimated 5,000 people in surveyed by Sina.com adding their displeasure.

Xiao Qiao was the wife of Zhou Yu (175-210), a military commander of the Wu State emperor, and was described by 14th century Ming author Luo Guanzhong in ¡°The Romance of the Three Kingdoms¡± as having a beauty that ¡°can make birds alight and fish drown, the moon hide and the flowers blush for shame at the sight of her face".

Readers can judge for themselves from the above picture, with more available at the source link.

Editor: Donald