- Title: CHINA: CHINA'S HAIRIEST MAN SETS SIGHTS ON CAREER IN ROCK MUSIC.
- Date: 19th August 2004
- Summary: (L!1) SHANGHAI, CHINA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) YU ZHENGHUAN SAYING: "I was not confident about myself, I didn't have a good attitude. I didn't want to go out in public so I locked myself up at home. I didn't want people to see me and talk about me. But I realised there was no other way. If I carried on like that, it would be the end of my life. I forced myself to face the public, I needed to be more thick-skinned."
- Embargoed: 3rd September 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SHANGHAI, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Entertainment,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA2TP42BBTGX6KVIW2110VPKF9K
- Story Text: China's hairiest man struggles to overcome prejudice by setting his sights on a future in rock music.
Twenty-six-year old Chinese rock musician Yu Zhenhuan is one of the world's hairiest men.
Ninety six percent of his body is covered with hair - a record only surpassed by two Mexican brothers who hold the world record. But the black fuzz that covers Yu hasn't made for an easy life.
Recently, Yu was forced to undergo an operation to remove hair that was threatening his hearing and his health.
And Yu has had to endure years of taunts for his unusual looks. But Yu is now fighting back - determined to carve out a career as a successful rock musician.
"I was not confident about myself, I didn't have a good attitude. I didn't want to go out in public so I locked myself up at home. I didn't want people to see me and talk about me. But I realised there was no other way. If I carried on like that, it would be the end of my life. I forced myself to face the public, I needed to be more thick-skinned," said Yu as he recovered in hospital in Shanghai from the ear operation.
Yu has set up his own Web site - www. maohai.com or Hairboy.com in the hopes of landing a recording contract sometime this year.
And on stage Yu seems to lose all his inhibitions - looking every inch the rock star.
Yu has black fuzz on every inch of his body, save for the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet.
Hailing from the frozen northeastern province of Liaoning, Yu had a tough childhood.
But now he hopes to become an example to others.
"I cherish my hair. It will not affect my life. It will even give hope to others. For example (if) there's a boy who lacks confidence. One day he sees me in the media, a man who's body is covered with black hair but who is very confident. He will admire me and think, that man is so confident about himself, I should learn from him. I am less hairy, I am better than him. I should have better life. My hair gives people power," said Yu.
Yu made his entertainment debut at the age of six in a movie called "A Hairy Child's Adventure".
Yu has already undergone five other operations to remove hair from his nose and his gums because of the condition known medically as atavism.
"As far as I know, he is the first person who has had this operation. We are very experienced, we are experts in ear, nose and throat surgery, we have many years of experience so we are clear about the physiology and structure. This operation was not a big problem for us. It is just a difficult operation. But during the procedure I think it was more difficult than I thought," said Yu's Doctor Chen Jinan.
Before the operation, Yu had problems hearing anything under 40 decibels. Now he can hear anything over 20 decibels.
"(I felt) it got bright suddenly like the sunshine falling in when you open the window," said Yu.
In the future, Yu is hoping to start writing his own songs - and maybe even cut an album. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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