RENOWNED Chinese television actor Tang Guoqiang fell off a horse last week and broke four ribs while shooting a historical drama at a shooting location in eastern Zhejiang Province, local media reported yesterday.

Tang was working on a biopic of Tang Dynasty calligrapher Yan Zhenqing (709-785) in Hengdian World Studios in Zhejiang Province on March 19 when the accident happened, according to the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post.

The 56-year-old actor reportedly asked the director to re-film a horse-riding scene he had finished but was not satisfied with. During the re-filming the horse suddenly threw Tang to the ground.

Tang was taken to hospital where he was found to have broken his left collarbone and four ribs. Doctors estimated it would take the actor three months to recover. Tang was being taken to Beijing yesterday for further treatment, the report said.

The drama Tang was working on would face losses of up to 1 million yuan (US$141,751) if shooting was delayed for three months. But director and producer Gong Xiaodong told reporters that he would not consider using stand-ins and was looking forward to Tang’s recovery.(SD-Agencies)