SUCH an unnatural state of being, movie stardom - yet the most famous Chinese actress in the world, the lustrous Gong Li herself, insists: ''It's just another job. I've always said so - like you're a journalist, I'm an actress. What's the difference?'' At this point she puts on the same pouty insouciance of her character Songlian at the start of Raise the Red Lantern, when, in a series of tight close-ups, she goes from protesting against being married off to accepting the grim, unromantic fate that is a woman's lot in life. Except Gong is perfectly made up, having emerged from a two-hour make-up session in the dressing room, and looking quite in charge of the situation.
Here is the face that makes men weak and women longing - the alert, oval eyes; the dainty, well-formed nose; the pert lips; the smooth complexion of alabaster white; the strong, determined jaw line.
Her hair is done up in a bun, held in with bejewelled pins and combs, with a long fall lying to one side. Actually, most of this is fake as Gong wears her hair short. She is wearing a satin lavender-and-white Ming lady's outfit, perched on a folding chair on the set of her latest film, a kung fu comedy being shot in Kowloon, Tang Bo Fu Chooses Qiu Xian, which is based on a Ming period classic.
After opening with her provocative statement about the equality of the occupations, Gong stares at you with her dark, brilliant eyes, as if daring you to challenge her self-evident reasoning.
But, you say, there is only one Gong Li. Surely, it must be different.
She brushes that aside. ''If people like my movies, it's because they like the character I'm playing. There's something about these women they identify with, something about their situation that touches them. The women I play are often strong, self-confident and wilful. They know what they want.'' She is twirling the end of her faux -hair between her fingers. ''People see me playing these strong characters, and they think that's me.'' And is that true? Are you like these women? ''People say I am, but . . .'' she shakes her head and gives a short laugh. ''I really don't know myself. I haven't figured that out yet.'' Then does she use her roles as a means of self-discovery? ''Oh, it's nothing that complicated!'' she said dismissively.
Gong is clearly bored with the same old questions about her background, her breaking into films, her early career and she insists she can barely remember the roles she has played. There is a book with all those boring details for reference. She often replies with a sulky equivalent of ''yeah'' or ''that's about right''.