Dashan (大山) is the Chinese stage name adopted by Canadian Mark Rowswell. Mr. Rowswell is distinctive in being one of the most recognized Westerners in China, yet being virtually unknown in the West. His Chinese name, as given by his Canadian Chinese-language teacher, is Lu Shiwei (路世伟).

Roswell graduated from the University of Toronto in 1988 when he came to China as an overseas student at the Peking University, studying Chinese language. He appeared on CCTV's annual television program celebrating the Chinese New Year Chunjie Wanhui (1988), one of the first foreigners ever to do so. This appearance gained him wide recognition throughout China, since the Chunjie Wanhui is seen in a large percentage of Chinese households.

Adopting the name Dashan ("big mountain" in Chinese), he later became the first foreigner ever to perform crosstalk (xiangsheng), which he did with his teacher. He continues to be a popular performer and on-air personality on Chinese state television.

Roswell's wife is Chinese and he has a pair of son and daughter.

In 1995, the National Film Board of Canada produced a documentary, directed by Guy Nantel , called Dashan, Ambassador to China's Funny Bone[1].

External links

• Dashan's homepage [2]