who the hell is Dashan?

why don't Canadians know who Dashan (meaning "Big Mountain" in Chinese) is? he's apparently one of the most recognized media figures in China..and he's Canadian.

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Dashan, AKA Mark Rowswell, has been called the most famous foreigner in China. He has become a regular fixture on Chinese television and a cultural icon across the nation. Ask anyone in China -- 8 out of 10 will be able to tell you who Dashan is.

Born and raised in Canada, Rowswell began studying Chinese in the mid 1980s, first at the University of Toronto and later at Beijing University. While in Beijing, Rowswell became interested in traditional Chinese performing arts, particularly xiangsheng, a popular form of comic dialogue. A chance opportunity to perform on television soon followed. What Rowswell didn't realize is that this program would be broadcast nationally to an audience of 550 million television viewers, and that his stage name "Dashan" would become a household name literally overnight.

Almost 20 years later, Dashan is still going strong. Having diversified and developed into a multi-faceted performer and television host, Dashan is now considered a cultural ambassador between China and the West, having found a common ground between the two cultures. To many Chinese, Dashan is an international role model and a prominent symbol of "East-meets-West".

Today, Dashan is involved in a wide variety of activities, from hosting television programs and live events, to dramatic acting, public speaking, publishing, education and celebrity endorsement. For more information about Dashan's work, please see Projects.

When he's not working in China, Dashan lives quietly and anonymously with his wife and two children in Toronto, Canada.
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www.dashan.com