Coordinates	54°5′20″N18°25′10″N
name	Hero
traditional	英雄
simplified	英雄
pinyin	Yīngxióng
jyutping	Jing1 Hung4
director	Zhang Yimou
producer	Zhang Yimou
writer	Feng LiBin WangZhang Yimou
starring	Jet LiTony LeungMaggie CheungChen DaomingZhang ZiyiDonnie Yen
music	Tan Dun
cinematography	Christopher Doyle
editing	Angie Lam
studio	Sil-Metropole OrganisationChina Film Co-Production CorporationElite Group Enterprises Inc.Zhang Yimou StudioBeijing New Picture Film Co., Ltd.
distributor	Beijing New Picture Film Co. ChinaEDKO Film Hong Kong
released
runtime	99 minutes
country
language	Mandarin
budget	$31 million
gross	$177,394,432 }}

''Hero'' is a 2002 ''wuxia'' film directed by Zhang Yimou. Starring Jet Li as the nameless protagonist, the film is based on the story of Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin in 227 BC.

''Hero'' was first released in China on October 24, 2002. At that time, it was the most expensive project and the highest-grossing motion picture in Chinese film history. Miramax Films owned the American market distribution rights, but delayed the release of the film for nearly two years. It was finally presented by Quentin Tarantino to American theaters on August 27, 2004.

Plot

In ancient China during the Warring States Period, a nameless prefect of a small jurisdiction arrives at the Qin state's capital city to meet the king of Qin. The king has just survived an attempt on his life by three feared assassins (Long Sky, Flying Snow and Broken Sword), and has taken precautions to protect himself, including forbidding visitors to approach closer than 100 paces to his throne. Nameless claims that he had slain the three assassins and he displays their weapons before the king, who is impressed and allows Nameless to sit progressively closer to him and tell him his story.

Nameless recounts approaching Long Sky at a weiqi parlor where he dueled and slew the assassin in front of witnesses. Later, he traveled to a calligraphy school in the Zhao state, where he met Flying Snow and Broken Sword. Nameless asked Sword for a scroll with the Chinese character for "Sword" written on it. Snow and Sword were lovers and Sword was heartbroken when he heard from Nameless that Snow was having a secret affair with Sky. In retaliation, Sword had sex with his servant, Moon, deliberately so that Snow saw them. Snow killed Sword in an outburst of rage, prompting Moon to fight her the next day, to avenge her master. Moon died in the fight after impaling herself on Snow's blade. The following day, the emotionally distressed Snow was killed by Nameless in a duel watched by the Qin army, which were attacking the school.

As the tale concludes, the king expresses disbelief at Nameless' story, based on his knowledge of Sword and Snow's emotional control. The king accuses Nameless of staging the duels with the assassins, who surrendered their lives to him to allow him to gain the king's trust and take the king's life. The king theorizes that Snow injured Sword to prevent him from stopping her from dying in a public duel with Nameless. Moon approached Nameless later with Sword's weapon, declaring that Sword would die together with his lover. Concluding his conjecture, the king suspects that the assassins invested their lives in an unstoppable assassination attempt that would require the assassin to be ten paces away from him.

Nameless admits that he is a native of the Zhao state and that his family was killed by Qin soldiers, and proceeds to describe his unstoppable swordplay technique, which allows him to strike with extreme accuracy within a distance of ten steps. He also confesses that he indeed used this technique to defeat Sky in a non-lethal manner and had proposed it to Snow and Sword. Snow agreed to fake her death at Nameless' hands and wounded Sword to prevent him from interfering. After Snow's apparent death, Sword approached Nameless and told him the story of how he met Snow. Sword explained that the only way to achieving peace within China was to allow all the states to be unified under a common dynasty. In Sword's opinion, the king of Qin was the only man capable of accomplishing this task, and assassinating him would only cause China to disintegrate into anarchy and civil war, thus revealing why Sword gave up his assassination attempt.

The king is deeply moved by the tale and Sword's understanding of his dream to unify China. He throws his sword to Nameless and turns his back on him. The king examines Sword's scroll, and understands that it explains the ideal warrior, who, paradoxically, should have no desire to kill. In the North American theatrical release, Nameless corrects the king by telling him the ultimate ideal is to lay down the sword altogether. In the DVD release, Nameless realizes the wisdom of these words, he abandons his mission and leaves. Meanwhile, Snow realises that Sword had convinced Nameless to forgo the assassination. She denounces Sword as a traitor and attacks him in anger. Sword allows her to kill him to make her understand his love for her and hopes for universal peace. Snow is overcome by guilt and commits suicide with the same sword later. Back at the Qin palace, Nameless awaits death in the courtyard and the king reluctantly orders Nameless to be executed by a shower of arrows, after prompts from his army arguing that setting the example is the only way to drive the unification plan to a successful conclusion. As the film ends, Nameless receives a hero's funeral and the closing text declares the king of Qin eventually unified China under the Qin Dynasty, becoming Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China.

Cast

Jet Li as Nameless (): An unknown prefect of a small province, the revenge-seeking Nameless is orphaned at an early age by the Qin invading forces. Forged into a master swordsman over years of training, Nameless possesses the singular technique "Death at Ten Paces" allowing him to strike precisely within that distance. The degree of control is such that it allows him to perform both an unstoppable critical attack and to inflict apparently critical but nonlethal injuries. He is the primary conspirator behind the elaborate plan to assassinate the king, but ultimately decides that China's unification and peace are more important than vengeance. ''Hero'' also saw Jet Li's first appearance in a film produced by mainland China, since he made his debut in ''Shaolin Temple''.

Tony Leung as Broken Sword (): Broken Sword and Flying Snow are the only assassins to ever infiltrate the king's palace, killing hundreds of his personal guard and very nearly the king himself before halting his attack at the last moment. Sword views the unification of China and the possibility of peace over his personal objectives, views that put him at odds with his lover, Flying Snow. He is a peaceful and wise person. Of all the assassins, he is the only one who Nameless considers to be his equal in terms of swordsmanship.

Maggie Cheung as Flying Snow (): A skilled assassin, Flying Snow is Broken Sword's lover and his near equal as a swordsman. The daughter of a prominent Zhao general who fell in battle against the king, Snow swears revenge against the king, drafting Broken Sword to her cause. Unlike Broken Sword, she harbors the deepest grudge against the king. When Broken Sword convinces Nameless to abandon the assassination attempt on the king, Flying Snow fights and kills him. She commits suicide, out of despair of killing the love of her life.

Chen Daoming as the King of Qin (): An ambitious leader who desires to become the first Emperor of China. Following an assassination attempt, he withdraws into his reinforced palace, which he vacates of all but his most trusted advisors, and always wears his battle armor. (The King of Qin uses an ancient way of saying "I" (), which literally means "lonely person", but consists of the two Chinese characters "寡" which means less, or lacking, and "人" which means man, or person, in ancient Chinese, it has the meaning of "a man who lacks morals" (), since royalty is mostly gained by shedding blood. This way of referring to himself in the third person has a parallel in the Western notion of the "Royal 'We'" or ''Pluralis majestatis''.)

Donnie Yen as Long Sky (): a legendary outlaw and accomplished spearman, Sky is the first to be "defeated" by Nameless, who takes Sky's broken spear as proof of his defeat to the king. He is the least seen assassin in the film.

Zhang Ziyi as Moon (): Broken Sword's loyal apprentice, who served her master since she was eight. She is skilled in the twin swords.

Reception and interpretation

Box office

When ''Hero'' opened in Hong Kong in December 2002, it grossed a massive HK $15,471,348 in its first week. Its final gross of HK $26 million made it one of the top films in Hong Kong that year. On August 27, 2004, after a long delay, ''Hero'' opened in 2,031 North American screens uncut and subtitled. It debuted at #1, grossing US $18,004,319 ($8,864 per screen) in its opening weekend. The total was the second highest opening weekend ever for a foreign language film; only ''The Passion of the Christ'' has opened to a better reception.

This movie's theme song was produced by Linxi.

See also

List of historical drama films

References

External links

''Hero'' at LoveHKFilm.com

Is HERO a Paean to Authoritarianism?

Cracking the Color Code of 'Hero'

A comparison of DVD releases

Zhang Ziyi CSC: Hero

Hero from Helloziyi.us

Hero's film review

Category:2002 films Category:Mandarin-language films Category:Chinese action films Category:Hong Kong action films Category:Epic films Category:Fiction with unreliable narrators Category:Miramax Films films Category:Wuxia films Category:Films directed by Zhang Yimou Category:Films set in the Zhou Dynasty

cs:Hrdina (film) da:Hero (film) de:Hero (Film) es:Hero (película de 2002) fa:قهرمان (فیلم) fr:Hero (film, 2002) id:Hero (film) it:Hero (film 2002) he:גיבור (סרט) hu:Hős (film, 2002) nl:Hero (2002) ja:HERO (2002年の映画) no:Hero (film) pl:Hero (film) pt:Herói (filme) ru:Герой (фильм, 2002) fi:Hero (vuoden 2002 elokuva) sv:Hero (film) tr:Kahraman (film) vi:Anh hùng (phim 2002) zh:英雄 (电影)

Coordinates	54°5′20″N18°25′10″N
Name	Jet Li
Tradchinesename	李連杰
Simpchinesename	李连杰
Pinyinchinesename	Lǐ Liánjié
Jyutpingchinesename	Lei5 Lin4 Git6
Ancestry	Beijing, China
Birth date	April 26, 1963
Birth place	Beijing, China
Othername	Lee Yeung Chung /Li Yangzhong李陽中 (Traditional)李阳中 (Simplified)Lǐ Yángzhōng (Mandarin)Lei5 Joeng4 Zung1 (Cantonese) (Chinese producer pseudonym)
Occupation	ActorMartial artistFilm producer
Yearsactive	1982–present
Religion	Buddhist
Spouse	Huang Qiuyan (1987–1990)Nina Li Chi (1999–present)
Hongkongfilmwards	Best Actor2008 ''The Warlords''
Goldenhorseawards	Special Award1995
Hkfcsawards	Best Actor2006 ''Fearless''
Awards	Shanghai Film Critics Awards2008 Best Actor (''The Warlords'')
Website	www.jetli.com }}

Li Lianjie (; born April 26, 1963), better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese martial artist, actor, film producer, wushu champion, and international film star who was born in Beijing, and has taken up Singaporean citizenship in 2009.

After three years of intensive training with Wu Bin, Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team. After retiring from wushu at age 17, he went on to win great acclaim in China as an actor making his debut with the film ''Shaolin Temple'' (1982). He went on to star in many critically acclaimed martial arts epic films, most notably the ''Once Upon A Time In China'' series, in which he portrayed folk hero Wong Fei-hung.

Li's first role in a Hollywood film was as a villain in ''Lethal Weapon 4'' (1998), but his first Hollywood film leading role was in ''Romeo Must Die'' (2000). He has gone on to star in many Hollywood action films, most recently co-starring in The ''Expendables'' (2010) with ''Sylvester Stallone'', in ''The Forbidden Kingdom'' (2008) with Jackie Chan, and as the title character villain in ''The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor'' (2008) opposite Brendan Fraser. He also appeared in the Hong Kong film ''Ocean Heaven'' (2010), directed and written by Xue Xiaolu.

Early life and martial arts career

}}

Li Lianjie was born in Beijing, People's Republic of China, the youngest of two boys and two girls. His father died when he was two years old, leaving the family struggling.

Li was eight when his talent for wushu was noticed at a summer course at school, and he began his practice there. Li participated in the sport of wushu in the non-sparring event. He began his wushu on the Beijing Wushu Team, an athletic group organized to perform martial arts forms during the All China Games. He was coached by renowned wushu coaches Li Junfeng and Wu Bin, who made extra efforts to help the talented boy develop. Wu Bin even bought food for Li's family because they could not afford to buy meat, which was essential for the good physical condition of an athlete. As a member of the team, he received wushu training and went on to win fifteen gold medals and one silver medal in Chinese wushu championships, where, despite his young age, he competed against adults. According to Li, once, as a child, when the Chinese National Wushu Team went to perform for President Richard Nixon in the United States, he was asked by Nixon to be his personal bodyguard. Li replied, "I don't want to protect any individual. When I grow up, I want to defend my one billion Chinese countrymen!" which earned him much respect in his homeland.

Li is a master of several styles of wushu, especially Changquan (Northern Longfist Style) and Fanziquan (Tumbling fist). He has also studied other arts including Baguazhang (Eight trigram palm), Taijiquan (Supreme ultimate fist), Xingyiquan (Shape intent fist), Zuiquan (Drunken fist), Yingzhaoquan (Eagle claw fist) and Tanglangquan (Praying mantis fist). He did not learn Nanquan (Southern fist), because his training focused only in the Northern Shaolin Styles. He has also studied some of wushu's main weapons, such Sanjiegun (Three section staff), Gun (staff), Dao (Broadsword), Jian (Straight sword) and many more.

It is Jet Li's authentic martial arts prowess that enabled his rise to domestic and international fame.

Acting career

Chinese films

The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce. They likened his career to an aircraft, which likewise "takes-off" as quickly, so they placed the name Jet Li on the movie posters. Soon everybody was calling him by this new name, which was also based on the nickname, "Jet," given to him as a young student, due to his speed and grace when training with the Beijing Wushu team. He made his debut with the 1982 film ''Shaolin Temple''. Some of his more famous Chinese films include:

The ''Shaolin Temple'' series (1, 2 and 3), which are considered to be the films which sparked the rebirth of the real Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, China;

The ''Once Upon a Time in China'' series (Chinese title: ''Wong Fei Hung''), about the legendary Chinese folk hero Master Wong Fei Hung.

''Fist of Legend'' (Chinese title: ''Jing Wu Ying Xiong''), a remake of Bruce Lee's ''Fist of Fury.''

The ''Fong Sai Yuk'' films about another Chinese folk hero.

Li starred in the 1995 film ''High Risk'', where Jet Li plays a Captain who becomes disillusioned after his wife is murdered by crime lords. Along the way, he pairs up with a wacky sell-out actor, Frankie (played by Jacky Cheung), and proceeds to engage in a series of violent battles in a high-rise building. The setting is similar to that of ''Die Hard'' and both their Chinese film titles. This movie is notable in that director Wong Jing had such a terrible experience working with Jackie Chan in Jing's previous film ''City Hunter'' that he chose to make Cheung's character a biting satire of Chan. Jet Li would later publicly apologize to Chan for taking part in it.

Li has two wuxia feature films scheduled for release in 2011, ''The Sorcerer and the White Snake'' and ''The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate'', the latter is helmed by Tsui Hark.

In order to promote tai chi, in 2012 Jet Li will star in a film titled ''Tai Chi'' and will co-produce the movie with Chen Kuo-Fu. Li will portary Tai Chi master Yang Lu-ch'an.

American films

In 1998, he made his American film debut in ''Lethal Weapon 4'' which also marked the first time he had ever played a villain in a film. He agreed to do ''Lethal Weapon 4'' after the producer Joel Silver promised to give him the leading role in his next film, ''Romeo Must Die'' (2000) alongside late singer Aaliyah. The film became a box office hit.

Li turned down Chow Yun-fat's role in ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' (2000) because he promised his wife that he would not make any films during her pregnancy. He also turned down the role of Seraph in ''The Matrix'' trilogy, based on his belief that the role was not one which required his skills and that the films were iconic and stunning enough without adding his name to the cast list.

In 2001, he appeared in two more Hollywood films: ''The One'' which was the first of his films with Jason Statham and ''Kiss of the Dragon'' opposite Bridget Fonda which did moderately well at the box office. In July 2001, Li agreed to produce and star in an action film with Jackie Chan which was to be released in 2002 or 2003, but no further news of their collaboration surfaced until 2006. In 2002, the period martial arts epic film ''Hero'' was released in the Chinese market. This film was both a commercial and critical success and became the highest-grossing motion picture in Chinese film history at the time. In 2003 he reunited with producer Joel Silver for the action thriller film ''Cradle 2 The Grave'' where he starred alongside rapper DMX and fellow martial artist Mark Dacascos. In 2004, Li lent his likeness, voice and provided motion capture work for the video game ''Jet Li: Rise to Honor''.

Li took on a more serious role in the 2005 film, ''Unleashed'' (a.k.a. ''Danny the Dog''), where he portrayed an adult with the mentality of a child who has been raised like an animal. Although his martial arts skills were utilized extensively, it was a somber film with more depth than had been previously seen in Li's films, and co-starred dramatic actors Bob Hoskins and Morgan Freeman.

In 2006, the martial arts film epic ''Fearless'', was released worldwide. Although he will continue to make martial arts films, ''Fearless'' is his last wushu epic. In ''Fearless'', he played Huo Yuanjia, the real-life founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association, who reportedly defeated foreign boxers and Japanese martial artists in publicized events at a time when China's power was seen as eroding. Together with the film ''Fist of Legend'', Li has portrayed both Chen Jun, the student and avenger of Huo Yuanjia (aka Fok Yun Gap), as well as Huo Yuanjia himself. ''Fearless'' was released on January 26, 2006 in Hong Kong, followed by a September 22, 2006 release in the United States where it reached second place in its first weekend.

Li has stated in an interview with the ''Shenzhen Daily'' newspaper that this will be his last martial arts epic, which is also stated in the film's television promotions. However, he plans to continue his film career in other genres. Specifically, he plans to continue acting in action and martial arts films; epic films deal more with religious and philosophical issues.

Li's 2007 Hollywood film, ''War'', was released in August of that year, and re-teamed him with actor Jason Statham, who previously starred with him in ''The One'', and action choreographer Corey Yuen. ''War'' raked in a disappointing $23 million at the box office, becoming one of Li's lowest grossers in America; however, it was a hit on video, accumulating nearly $52 million in rental revenue, more than doubling its box office take. With the exception of ''Romeo Must Die'' and the worldwide release of ''Hero'', most of Li's American films have been only modest hits like ''Kiss Of The Dragon'', ''The One'', ''Unleashed'', ''Cradle 2 the Grave'', and the worldwide release of ''Fearless''. }} In late 2007, Li returned again to China to participate in the China/Hong Kong co-production of the period war film ''The Warlords'' with Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro. This film with its focus on dramatics rather than martial arts netted Li the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor.

Li and fellow martial arts veteran Jackie Chan finally appeared together onscreen for the first time in ''The Forbidden Kingdom'', which began filming in May 2007 and was released to critical and commercial success on April 18, 2008. The film was based on the legend of the Monkey King from the Chinese folk novel ''Journey to the West''. Li also starred as the lead villain in the fantasy action film ''The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor'' with actors Brendan Fraser, Isabella Leong and Michelle Yeoh.

After a one-year hiatus from filmmaking, Jet Li returned to acting in 2009, portraying a mercenary in the film ''The Expendables'', teaming up with action stars Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, Eric Roberts, Steve Austin, Terry Crews, and Randy Couture. It was the third time he had teamed up with Statham.

Personal life

Li is a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism. His master is Lho Kunsang of the Drikung Kagyu lineage of the Kagyu school.

In 1987, Li married Beijing Wushu Team member and ''Kids from Shaolin'' co-star Huang Qiuyan, with whom he has two daughters, Si and Taimi. They divorced in 1990. Since 1999, he has been married to Nina Li Chi (born Li Zhi), a Shanghai-born, Hong Kong-based actress. He has two daughters with her as well, Jane (born 2000) and Jada (born 2002).

Li was in the Maldives when a tsunami hit during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Although it was widely reported at the time that he had died during the disaster, he only suffered a minor foot injury, caused by a piece of floating furniture, while he was guiding his 4-year-old daughter Jane and the nanny holding his 1-year-old daughter Jada to safety. The four of them were by the pool and slightly above the beach when the wave came ashore.

In 2009, Li, who previously had American citizenship, after years working in the United States, was thought to have renounced his American citizenship and taken up Singaporean citizenship, although no official confirmation has been provided by Singapore authorities. On July 28, 2009, the chairman of One Foundation (the Charity fund of Jet Li) announced that Jet Li had indeed become a Singaporean citizen. He was said to have chosen Singapore for its education system for his two daughters.

In 2009 Li launched his own fitness program that he named "Wuji". The programme consists of elements of martial arts, yoga and pilates and Adidas launched a special clothing line for it that bears the initials of "JL".

In his free time he likes to play badminton, table tennis, volleyball, ride his bicycle, read and meditate. He collects rare Tibetan beads. He says he is never bored in his free time.

Views on life and martial arts

}}

Li as a Buddhist believes that the difficulties of everyday life can be overcome with the help of religious philosophies. He thinks that fame is not something he can control; therefore, he does not care about it.

According to Li, everything he has ever wanted to tell the world can be found in three of his films: the message of ''Hero'' is that the suffering of one person can never be as significant as the suffering of a nation; ''Unleashed'' shows that violence is never a solution and ''Fearless'' tells that the biggest enemy of a person is himself. Li thinks that the greatest weapon is a smile and the largest power is love.

About Wushu Li said that he believes the essence of martial arts is not power or speed but inner harmony and considers it a sad development that today's Wushu championships place greater emphasis on form than on the essence of being a martial artist. He believes Wushu now lacks individuality and competitors move like machines, whereas according to his views Wushu should not be considered a race where the fastest athlete wins. He would like to see Wushu as a form of art, where artists have a distinctive style. Li blames the new competition rules that, according to him, place limitations on martial artists.

Li believes that Wushu is not primarily for self-defense and instead of trying to play the hero people should think about peaceful resolutions of conflicts and call the police if necessary: "A gun outdoes years of martial arts training in a split second. Like I've said many times before, it is important to differentiate between movies and reality. The hero in movies may be able to knock the gun off his opponent and save the day, but in real life – probably that is not the case." He has also stated that he has never had to use his martial arts skills in a real life fight and he does not wish to, either.

Philanthropy

Li has been a "philanthropic ambassador" of the Red Cross Society of China since January 2006. He contributed 500,000 yuan (US$62,500) of box office revenues from his film ''Fearless'' to the Red Cross' psychological sunshine project, which promotes mental health.

In April 2007, touched by his life-shaking experience in the Maldives when he was close to dying during the 2004 tsunami, Li formed his own non-profit foundation called The One Foundation. The One Foundation supports international disaster relief efforts in conjunction with the Red Cross as well as other efforts, including mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Since the starting of the foundation, Li has been involved with recovery efforts in seven disasters, including the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan. Wu Jing was a One Foundation volunteer and help in the effort.

Li discussed his commitment to philanthropy in an interview with the December 2009 issue of Alliance magazine, stating that "grassroots Non-government-organizations can help the government in its blind spots. Government relief is not always detail-oriented. Grassroots NGOs can’t be as big as a government effort, but they need to be flexible and independent."

In September 2010, Jet Li was appointed by the International Red Cross as the first Good Will Ambassador. He posted online saying "Today I signed a deal with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies – IFRC to become the FIRST goodwill ambassador in the history of this humanitarian organization. I am very honored! At the same time, I will not pause to celebrate, but instead keep pushing forward.. and do my best to help the world! Thank you all once again for your support and belief in me!"

It was also announced that Jet Li would be meeting Bill Gates and Buffet to talk about charity work. "Three days ago, I received an email from Gates, hoping I could make time because he and Buffett hoped I could go for a 30-minute chat before the dinner about the future we face as human beings, so I will go," Li said.

Filmography

Considering US box office statistics, the most successful Jet Li film as of August 2010 is ''Lethal Weapon 4'', which grossed over 130 million dollars domestically, while the second is ''The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor'' with over 102 million dollars. ''Hero'' is the third most successful foreign language film in the US, and one of the best critically acclaimed Li movies. ''Fearless'' is the sixth most successful foreign language film of all times in the US. From a critical point of view, the best acclaimed Li movie is ''Fist of Legend'' (Rotten Tomatoes: 100%) and the worst is ''War'' (Rotten Tomatoes: 12%).

See also

Cinema of China;

Cinema of Hong Kong.

References

Further reading

Ducker, Chris, and Stuart Cutler. ''The HKS Guide to Jet Li''. London: Hong Kong Superstars, 2000.

Marx, Christy. ''Jet Li''. Martial Arts Masters. Rosen Publishing Group, 2002. ISBN 0823935191.

Parish, James Robert. ''Jet Li: A Biography''. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 2002. ISBN 1560253762.

Farquhar, M.(2010) ‘Jet Li: "Wushu Master" in Sport and Film’ in Jeffreys, Elaine. & Edwards, Louise (eds.), Celebrity in China, Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong pp. 103–124. ISBN 9622090885

External links

Jet Li's Foundation: The One Foundation Project

Jet Li Biography (HKCinema)

Jet Li Biography (HKFilm)

Jet Li discusses The One Foundation

Interview At FarEastFilms.com

Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:Best Actor HKFA Category:Chinese actors Category:Chinese wushu practitioners Category:Chinese martial artists Category:Hong Kong film actors Category:Hong Kong Buddhists Category:Hong Kong film producers Category:People from Beijing Category:People's Republic of China Buddhists Category:Immigrants to Singapore Category:Singaporean Buddhists Category:Tibetan Buddhists from Singapore

ar:جيت لي ast:Jet Li az:Cet Li bo:ལི་ལན་ཅིའེ། bg:Джет Ли ca:Jet Li cs:Jet Li da:Jet Li de:Jet Li et:Jet Li el:Τζετ Λι es:Jet Li fa:جت لی fr:Jet Li ko:이연걸 hr:Jet Li id:Jet Li it:Jet Li he:ג'ט לי ka:ჯეტ ლი sw:Jet Li lv:Džets Lī hu:Jet Li mn:Жет Ли my:ဂျက်လီ nl:Jet Li ja:ジェット・リー no:Jet Li pl:Jet Li pt:Jet Li ro:Jet Li ru:Ли, Джет sq:Jet Li simple:Jet Li sl:Jet Li sr:Џет Ли sh:Jet Li fi:Jet Li sv:Jet Li ta:யெற் லீ th:หลี่ เหลียนเจี๋ย tr:Jet Li uk:Джет Лі vi:Lý Liên Kiệt zh-yue:李連杰 zh:李连杰

Coordinates	54°5′20″N18°25′10″N
Name	Donnie Yen
Tradchinesename	甄子丹
Simpchinesename	甄子丹
Pinyinchinesename	Zhēn Zǐdān
Jyutpingchinesename	Jan1 Zi2daan1
Ancestry	Taishan, Guangdong, China
Origin	Hong Kong
Birth date	July 27, 1963
Birth place	Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Occupation	Actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer
Yearsactive	1983 - present
Spouse	Cecilia Cissy Wang (2003 - present)
Website	http://www.DonnieYen.asia
Goldenbauhiniaawards	Best Action Choreography2006 ''Dragon Tiger Gate''
Goldenhorseawards	Best Action Choreography2003 ''The Twins Effect''2007 ''Flash Point''
Hongkongfilmwards	Best Action Choreography2003 ''The Twins Effect''2005 ''SPL: Sha Po Lang''2008 ''Flash Point''
Awards	Iron Elephant AwardsBest Actor 2009 (''Ip Man) }}

height
weight lb	165
weight class	Lightweight Weltereight| height
style	Wushu, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Taekwondo, Boxing, Muay Thai, Amateur Wrestling, Wing Chun, Judo, Kickboxing
stance	Orthodox stance
rank	6th degree black belt in Taekwondo Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Medalist at world Wushu tournament
website	http://www.donnieyen.asia/ }}

Donnie Yen (born 27 July 1963) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer, and world wushu tournament medalist. Apart from being a well-known film and television actor in Hong Kong, Yen has also gained international recognition for appearing in many films together with other prominent and internationally-known actors such as Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh.

Yen is widely credited by many as the person responsible for popularizing the traditional martial arts style known as Wing Chun. He played the role of Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man in the 2008 film ''Ip Man'', which was a box office success. This has led to an increase in the number of people taking up Wing Chun, leading to hundreds of new Wing Chun schools to be opened up in mainland China and other parts of Asia. Ip Chun, the eldest son of Ip Man, even mentioned that he is grateful to Yen for making his family art popular and allowing his father's legacy to be remembered.

Yen is considered to be Hong Kong's top action star; director Peter Chan mentioned that he "is the 'it' action person right now" and "has built himself into a bona fide leading man, who happens to be an action star." Yen is widely credited for bringing mixed martial arts (MMA) into the mainstream of Asian culture, by choreographing MMA in many of his recent films. Yen has displayed notable skills in MMA, being well-versed in Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Seen as one of the most popular film stars in Asia in recent years, Yen is currently the highest paid actor in the whole of Asia.

Early life

Yen's mother, Bow-sim Mark (麥寶嬋), is a Wudangquan (internal martial arts) grandmaster, while his father, Klyster Yen (甄雲龍), is a newspaper editor. When Yen was two years old, his family moved to Hong Kong, and then to Boston, Massachusetts, United States when he was 11. His younger sister, Chris Yen, is also a martial artist and actress, and appeared in the 2007 film ''Adventures of Johnny Tao: Rock Around the Dragon''.

At a young age, under influence from his mother, Yen developed an interest in martial arts and began experimenting with various styles, including tai-chi and other traditional Chinese martial arts. Yen focused on practicing wushu after dropping out of school. His parents were concerned that he was spending too much time in the Boston Combat Zone, that they sent him to Beijing on a two-year training program with the Beijing Wushu Team. When Yen decided to return to the United States, he made a side-trip to Hong Kong and met action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping there.

Yen also came from a family of musicians. His mother is a soprano, in addition to being a martial arts teacher in Boston, while his father is a violinist. Since young, he was taught by his parents to play musical instruments, including the piano. He also knows hip-hop dancing and breakdancing.

Career

Yen took on the role of a stuntman in his earliest films, ''Shaolin Drunkard'' (1983) and ''Taoism Drunkard'' (1984). At the age of 20, he took on his first acting role in the 1984 film ''Drunken Tai Chi'', and the film helped to make Yen more notable, even though it was not a critical success.

After filming ''Drunken Tai Chi'' and ''Tiger Cage'' (1988), Yen made his breakthrough role as General Nap-lan in ''Once Upon a Time in China II'' (1992), which included a dramatic fight scene between his character and Wong Fei-hung (played by Jet Li). Yen and Li appeared together again in the 2002 film ''Hero'', where Yen played a spear (or qiang) fighter who fought with Li's character, an unnamed swordsman. The film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar at the 2003 Academy Awards but lost to the German film ''Nowhere in Africa''.

In 1995, Yen starred as Chen Zhen (Cantonese: Chan Zan) in the television series ''Fist of Fury'' produced by ATV, which is adapted from the 1972 film of the same title that starred Bruce Lee as Chen Zhen. Yen reprised his role as Chen Zhen in the 2010 film ''Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen''.

In 1997, Yen started a production company called Bullet Films, and made his directorial debut in ''Legend of the Wolf'' (1997) and ''Ballistic Kiss'' (1998), in which he played the lead character. Yen went on to choreograph fight scenes and appeared in minor roles in some Hollywood films, such as ''Highlander: Endgame'' (2000) and ''Blade II'' (2002).

In 2003, Yen co-starred with Jackie Chan in ''Shanghai Knights''. His role of the antagonist, Wu Chow, was originally offered to Robin Shou, who played his on-screen nemesis in ''Tiger Cage 2'' (1990), but Shou turned down the offer due to scheduling conflicts and Yen took the role.

Yen choreographed most of the fight animation in the 2004 video game ''Onimusha 3'', which featured actors Takeshi Kaneshiro and Jean Reno. Yen continued to be active in the Hong Kong cinema in the 2000s, starring as Chu Zhaonan in Tsui Hark's wuxia epic film ''Seven Swords'', and as Ma Kwun in Wilson Yip's brutal crime drama film ''SPL: Sha Po Lang'' in 2005. Both films were featured at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival. Later that year, Yen co-starred with Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue in Wilson Yip's ''Dragon Tiger Gate'', an adaptation of Wong Yuk-long's manhua series ''Oriental Heroes''. Yen also worked as action choreographer in ''Stormbreaker'', starring Alex Pettyfer. Yen's continued to work with Wilson Yip in ''Flash Point'' (2007) in which he starred as the lead character and served as producer and action choreographer for the film. He won the Best Action Choreography at the Golden Horse Film Awards and the Hong Kong Film Awards for his performance in ''Flash Point''.

In 2008, Yen starred in ''Ip Man'', a semi-biographical account of Yip Man, the Wing Chun master of Bruce Lee. ''Ip Man'' marked Yen's fourth collaboration with director Wilson Yip, reuniting him with his co-stars in ''SPL: Sha Po Lang'', Sammo Hung and Simon Yam. ''Ip Man'' became the biggest box office hit to date which featured Yen in the leading role, grossing HK$25 million in Hong Kong and 100 million yuan in China. In July 2011 it was announced that Yen and Cecilia Cheung would be cast in a Hong Kong remake of ''Mr. & Mrs. Smith'', titled ''Assassin Couple'', with a reported pay of 30 million yuan.

In August 2011, while Yen was on a vacation with his family in the United States, he reportedly received an invitation by producer Avi Lerner to star in ''The Expendables 2''. It was stated that Yen is considering the offer, and have many films at hand, and will not decide until he sees if the script appeals to him or not.

Action choreography

Apart from being an acclaimed martial artist and actor, Yen is also a world class action choreographer, and his on-screen choreography has been recognized through the numerous awards he has attained.

In recent years, Yen was successful in including mixed martial arts (MMA) into his action choreography in various films, a feat most other action directors have been unsuccessful at accomplishing so far. ''Flash Point'', a film fully choreographed by Yen using MMA was a huge success. His work as a choreographer won him "Best Action Choreography" awards at the 27th Hong Kong Film Awards and the 2008 Golden Horse Film Awards. Another notable MMA film involving Yen is ''SPL: Sha Po Lang''.

Yen was the fight choreographer for the 2010 film ''Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen''. For this film, Yen mentioned that he included Jeet Kune Do elements as a tribute to Bruce Lee, who played Chen Zhen in the 1972 film ''Fist of Fury''. Furthermore he incorporated many MMA elements in the film, coupled with the utilisation of Wing Chun. MMA is an interdisciplinary form of fighting utilising elements of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing and wrestling, which is evident in the film. Yen also stated that the concept behind Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do is similar to that of MMA, hence the incorporation of many forms of martial arts is a necessity in this film.

Due to his notable success in action choreography, he is invited to choreograph most of his latest and upcoming films such as ''The Lost Bladesman'', ''Wu Xia'' and ''The Monkey King''.

Martial arts history, style and philosophy

Yen describes himself as a mixed martial artist, and this is evident from his style. He has learnt wushu since young, under his mother's teachings. He then went on to learn taekwondo in his teenage years, and currently holds a 6th degree black belt in taekwondo. When he was a teenager, he obtained a medal in a wushu competition held in the United States, known as Boston Combat Zone. The Beijing wushu team had a scouting in the United States at the same time, inviting Yen over to Beijing, China, where he began training at the Beijing Sports Institute, the same facility where champion-turned actor Jet Li trained, this is where the two of them crossed-path for the first time.

Yen later went on to discover and to seek knowledge on other martial arts style, he would later obtain belts from judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and went on to study the art of parkour, wrestling, Muay Thai, kickboxing and boxing under various trainers. His exposure of mixed martial arts (MMA) was heightened when he went back to the United States from 2000 to 2003, while making his Hollywood debut, he also took time off to learn the various martial arts form. The progress was evident when he returned back to Asia, where he implemented his new found knowledge of MMA showcased in films such as ''SPL: Sha Po Lang'' (2005) and ''Flash Point'' (2007).

Near the end of 2007, Yen added a new arsenal to his martial arts system. He was offered the role of Wing Chun grandmaster and Bruce Lee's mentor, Ip Man, in a 2008 film named after the grandmaster. He worked hard and studied Wing Chun under Ip Man's eldest son, Ip Chun for 9 months before tackling the role.Ip Chun has since praised Yen for his effort, and complimented that Yen is a great martial artist and a fast learner, and has managed to grasp the full concept of Wing Chun much faster than anyone he has taught.

Yen believes in practical combat, and in his opinion, MMA is the most authentic type of practical combat. He has particular interest in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has obtained a purple belt. He has mentioned that he would have entered the Octagon, joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship if he did not have a recurring shoulder injury.

Yen's philosophy is that, even though there are many technical aspects of the various martial arts form, however the most effective form of combat is when the strength of the martial arts are added together, when various martial arts work together harmoniously. The essence of martial arts is the flow, the flow or images, the flow of music, the flow of communication between an artist and the audience. Martial art is a form of expression, an expression from your inner self to your hands and legs. Yen has a famous quote, "When you watch my films, you're feeling my heart."

Personal life

Yen married Cecilia Cissy Wang in Toronto in 2003. Wang was the winner of the 2000 Miss Chinese Toronto Pageant, including the "Miss Vitality" and "Miss Perfect Figure" awards. They have a daughter, Jasmine, born in 2004, and a son, James, born in 2007. In April 2010 his wife reportedly had a miscarriage.

Yen has stated that he is a big fan of the MMA organization Ultimate Fighting Championship, and has watched almost every UFC event available.

See also

Donnie Yen filmography

Cinema of Hong Kong

Cinema of China

References

External links

Donnie Yen's Sina blog site

"An Action Star Moves to the Lead," New York Times article

Donnie Yen profile page at Hong Kong Cinemagic

Category:1963 births Category:People from Guangzhou Category:Chinese choreographers Category:Hong Kong actors Category:Hong Kong film directors Category:Hong Kong film producers Category:Hong Kong kung fu practitioners Category:Hong Kong wushu practitioners Category:Chinese practitioners of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Category:Chinese Muay Thai practitioners Category:Living people Category:Taishanese people Category:Cantonese people Category:Best Action Choreographer HKFA Category:American film directors of Hong Kong descent Category:American people of Chinese descent Category:Hong Kong emigrants to the United States Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States

ar:دوني ين da:Donnie Yen de:Donnie Yen es:Donnie Yen fr:Donnie Yen ko:견자단 id:Donnie Yen it:Donnie Yen jv:Donnie Yen sw:Donnie Yen hu:Donnie Yen ja:ドニー・イェン pl:Donnie Yen ru:Донни Йен fi:Donnie Yen sv:Donnie Yen th:เจิน จื่อตัน tr:Donnie Yen vi:Chân Tử Đan zh:甄子丹

Coordinates	54°5′20″N18°25′10″N
name	Josey Scott
background	solo_singer
birth name	Joseph Scott Sappington
alias	Saliva Man
born	May 03, 1972
origin	Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
genre	Alternative MetalGrunge (Early Material)Hard RockNu Metal (Early Material)Post-GrungeRapcoreSouthern Rock
occupation	Musician
instrument	Vocals, Guitar, Drums, Bass Guitar
label	Island Records
associated acts	Saliva, BlackBone, Nickelback Three 6 Mafia, Lil Wyte
website	http://www.saliva.com }}

Josey Scott (born Joseph Scott Sappington May 3, 1972) is the lead vocalist of Post-grunge/hard rock band Saliva. In addition to Saliva, Scott co-wrote and performed "Hero" (which was used as one of the theme songs to the 2002 film ''Spider-Man'') with Chad Kroeger of Nickelback.

Career

Prior to Saliva, Scott fronted a Memphis-area heavy metal band called BlackBone in the early 1990s. He also plays drums and guitar.

Scott made a cameo appearance on Jay-Z's "Takeover" from his 2001 album ''The Blueprint''. He has also recorded with Lil Wyte ("Homicidal, Suicidal" and "Crazy"), Three 6 Mafia ("Getting Fucked Up" and "Mosh Pit"), and The X-Ecutioners ("(Even) More Human Than Human").

Scott has had minor roles in television and film. He played Rodney Gronbeck, a LAPD computer expert, in the TNT crime drama ''Wanted''. He also has a cameo appearance in the film ''Hustle & Flow'' as Elroy, the corner-store employee who sells marijuana to D-Jay, the main character played by Terrance Howard.

Josey Scott sang the song "If You Wanna Get To Heaven" in the straight-to-DVD feature film ''The Dukes Of Hazzard: The Beginning'', the song features when the General Lee is pulled from the water.

Scott appeared as a hidden character in the video game "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003", which features three Saliva songs on the soundtrack: "Raise Up", "Superstar", and "Superstar II (EA Mix)", which is exclusive to the game.

Awards and Nominations

Grammy Awards

!Year	!Nominated work	!Award	!Result
align=center	"Hero"	Best Rock Song
align=center	"Hero"	Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group
align=center	"Hero"	Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media

MTV Video Music Awards

!Year	!Nominated work	!Award	!Result
align=center	"Hero"	Best Video from a Film

References

External links

Official Saliva website

Josey Scott on TV.com

WMP March Artist of the Month - interview with Josey Scott, lead singer for Saliva, February 8, 2007

Category:Living people Category:1972 births Category:American Christians Category:American male singers Category:American rock guitarists Category:American rock singers Category:Nu metal singers Category:People from Memphis, Tennessee Category:Musicians from Tennessee

de:Josey Scott it:Josey Scott pt:Josey Scott sv:Josey Scott

Coordinates	54°5′20″N18°25′10″N
name	Zhang Yimou張藝謀
tradchinesename	張藝謀
simpchinesename	张艺谋
pinyinchinesename	Zhāng Yìmóu
origin	China
birth date	November 14, 1951
birth place	Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
occupation	Film director, producer, cinematographer and actor
spouse	Hua Xie
goldenroosterawards	Best Director1999 ''Not One Less''2000 ''The Road Home''Best Actor1988 ''Old Well''
awards	BAFTA Best Film not in the English Language1991 ''Raise the Red Lantern''1994 ''To Live''Golden Bear - Berlin Film Festival1987 ''Red Sorghum'' Silver Lion - Venice Film Festival1991 ''Raise the Red Lantern'' Golden Lion - Venice Film Festival1992 ''The Story of Qiu Ju''1999 ''Not One Less'' Grand Jury Prize - Cannes Film Festival 1994 ''To Live''BSFC Award for Best Director2004 ''House of Flying Daggers'' NSFC Award for Best Director2004 ''Hero'' ; ''House of Flying Daggers'' }}

Zhang Yimou (born November 14, 1951) is a Chinese film director, producer, writer and actor, and former cinematographer. He is counted amongst the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers, having made his directorial debut in 1987 with ''Red Sorghum''.

Zhang has won numerous awards and recognitions, with Best Foreign Film nominations for ''Ju Dou'' in 1990 and ''Raise the Red Lantern'' in 1991, Silver Lion and Golden Lion prizes at the Venice Film Festival, Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. In 1993, he was a member of the jury at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival.

One of Zhang's recurrent themes is the resilience of Chinese people in the face of hardship and adversity, a theme which has been explored in such films as, for example, ''To Live'' (1994) and ''Not One Less'' (1999). His films are particularly noted for their rich use of colour, as can be seen in some of his early films, like ''Raise the Red Lantern'', and in his wuxia films like ''Hero'' and ''House of Flying Daggers''. He is currently directing an upcoming historical drama war film called 13 Flowers of Nanjing.

Early life

Zhang Yimou was born in Xi'an, the capital city of Shaanxi province, China. Zhang's father, a dermatologist, had been an officer in the Nationalist Kuomintang army under Chiang Kai-shek during the Chinese Civil War, and an uncle and an elder brother had followed the Nationalist forces to Taiwan after their 1949 defeat. As a result, Zhang faced difficulties in his early life.

During the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, Zhang left his school studies and went to work, first as a farm labourer, and later at a cotton textile mill in the city of Xianyang. During this time he took up painting and amateur still photography.

Early career

When the Beijing Film Academy reopened its doors to new students in 1978, following the abandonment of policies adopted during the Cultural Revolution, Zhang, at 27, was over the regulation age for admission, and was without the prerequisite academic qualifications. After a personal appeal to the Ministry of Culture, and showing a portfolio of his personal photographic works, the authorities relented and admitted him to the Faculty of Cinematography. Zhang graduated with the class of 1982, which also included Chen Kaige, Tian Zhuangzhuang, and Zhang Junzhao. The class went on to form the core of the Fifth Generation, who were a part of an artistic reemergence in China after the end of the Cultural Revolution.

Zhang and his co-graduates were assigned to small regional studios, and Zhang was sent to work for the Guangxi Film Studio as a cinematographer. Though originally intended to work as director's assistants, the graduates soon discovered there was a dearth of directors so soon after the Cultural Revolution, and gained permission to start making their own films. This led to the production of Zhang Junzhao's ''One and Eight'', on which Zhang Yimou worked as director of photography, and Chen Kaige's ''Yellow Earth'', in 1984. These two films were successes at the Hong Kong Film Festival and helped to bring the new Chinese cinema to the attention of worldwide audiences, signaling an departure from the earlier propagandist films of the Cultural Revolution. ''Yellow Earth'' is today widely considered the inaugural film of the Fifth Generation directors.

In 1985, after moving back to his home town of Xi'an, Zhang was engaged as cinematographer and lead actor for director Wu Tianming's upcoming film ''Old Well'', which was subsequently released in 1987. The lead role won Zhang a Best Actor award at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Film director

1980s

1987 saw the release of Zhang's directorial debut, ''Red Sorghum'', starring Chinese actress Gong Li in her first leading role. ''Red Sorghum'' was met with critical acclaim, bringing Zhang to the forefront of the world's art directors, and winning him a Golden Bear for Best Picture at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival in 1988.

''Codename Cougar'' (or ''The Puma Action''), a minor experiment in the political thriller genre, was released in 1989, featuring Gong Li and eminent Chinese actor Ge You. However, it garnered less-than-positive reviews at home and Zhang himself later dismissed the film as his worst.

In the same year, Zhang began work on his next project, the period drama ''Ju Dou''. Starring Gong Li in the eponymous lead role, along with Li Baotian as the male lead, ''Ju Dou'', garnered as much critical acclaim as had ''Red Sorghum'', and became China's first film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

1990s

After the success of ''Ju Dou'', Zhang began work on ''Raise the Red Lantern''. Based on Su Tong's novel ''Wives and Concubines'', the film depicted the realities of life in a wealthy family compound during the 1920s. Gong Li was again featured in the lead role, her fourth collaboration with Zhang as director.

''Raise the Red Lantern'' received almost unanimous international acclaim. Film critic Roger Ebert of the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' noted its "voluptuous physical beauty" and sumptuous use of colours. Gong Li's acting was also praised as starkly contrasting with the roles she played in Zhang's earlier films. ''Raise the Red Lantern'' was nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 1992 Academy Awards, becoming the second Chinese film to earn this distinction (after Zhang's ''Ju Dou''). It eventually lost out to Gabriele Salvatores's ''Mediterraneo''.

Zhang's next directorial work, ''The Story of Qiu Ju'', in 1992, once again starring Gong Li in the lead role. The film, which tells the tale of a peasant woman seeking justice for her husband after he was beaten by a village official, was a hit at film festivals and won the Golden Lion award at the 1992 Venice Film Festival.

Next, Zhang directed ''To Live'', an epic film based on the novel by Yu Hua of the same name. ''To Live'' highlighted the resilience of the ordinary Chinese people, personified by its two main characters, amidst three generations of upheavals throughout Chinese politics of the 20th century. It was banned in China, but released at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Prize, as well as earning a Best Actor prize for Ge You. ''To Live'' was banned in China by the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television, due to its critical portrayal of various policies and campaigns of the Communist government.

''Shanghai Triad'' followed in 1995, featuring Gong Li in her seventh film under Zhang's direction. The two had developed a romantic as well as a professional relationship, but this would end during production of ''Shanghai Triad''. Zhang and Gong would not work together again until 2006's ''Curse of the Golden Flower''.

1997 saw the release of ''Keep Cool'', a black comedy film about life in modern China. ''Keep Cool'' marked only the second time Zhang had set a film in the modern era, after ''The Story of Qiu Ju''.

As in ''The Story of Qiu Ju'', Zhang returned to the neorealist habit of employing non-professional actors and location shooting for ''Not One Less'' in 1999 which won him his second Golden Lion prize in Venice.

Shot immediately after ''Not One Less'', Zhang's 1999 film ''The Road Home'' featured a new leading lady in the form of the young actress Zhang Ziyi, in her film debut. The film is based on a simple throw-back narrative centering on a love story between the narrator's parents.

2000-present

''Happy Times'', a relatively minor film by Zhang, was based loosely on the short story, ''Shifu: You'll Do Anything for a Laugh'', by Mo Yan. Starring popular Chinese actor Zhao Benshan and actress Dong Jie, it was an official selection for the Berlin International Film Festival in 2002.

Zhang's next major project was the ambitious wuxia drama ''Hero'', released in China in 2002. With an impressive lineup of Asian stars, including Jet Li, Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Zhang Ziyi, and Donnie Yen, ''Hero'' told a fictional tale about Ying Zheng, the King of the State of Qin (later to become the first Emperor of China), and his would-be assassins. The film was released in North America in 2004, two years after its Chinese release, by American distributor Miramax Films, and became a huge international hit. ''Hero'' was one of the few foreign-language films to debut at number 1 at the U.S. box office, and was one of the nominees for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2003 Academy Awards.

Zhang followed up the huge success of ''Hero'' with another martial arts epic, ''House of Flying Daggers'', in 2004. Set in the Tang Dynasty, it starred Zhang Ziyi, Andy Lau, and Takeshi Kaneshiro as characters caught in a dangerous love triangle. ''House of Flying Daggers'' received acclaim from critics, who noted the use of colour that harked back to some of Zhang's earlier works.

Released in China in 2005, ''Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles'' was a return to the more low-key drama that characterized much of Zhang's middle period pieces. The film stars Japanese actor Ken Takakura, as a father who wishes to repair relations with his alienated son, and is eventually led by circumstance to set out on a journey to China. Zhang had been an admirer of Takakura for over thirty years.

2006's ''Curse of the Golden Flower'', saw him reunited with leading actress Gong Li. Taiwanese singer Jay Chou and Hong Kong star Chow Yun-fat also starred in the period epic based on a play by Cao Yu.

Zhang's recent films, and his involvement with the 2008 Olympic ceremonies, have not been without controversy. Some critics claim that his recent works, contrary to his earlier films, have received approval from the Chinese government. However, in interviews, Zhang has said that he is not interested in politics, and that it was an honour for him to direct the Olympic ceremonies because it was "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

On May 24, 2010, Zhang was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree by Yale University, and was described as "a genius with camera and choreography."

There are high expectations for Zhang's 2012 "The 13 Women of Nanjing" as it is his most expensive film to date, budgeting for $90.2 million.

Stage direction

Starting in the 1990s, Zhang Yimou has been directing stage productions in parallel with his film career.

In 1998, he directed an acclaimed version of Puccini's opera ''Turandot'', firstly in Florence and then later at the Forbidden City, Beijing, with Zubin Mehta conducting. He reprised his version of Turandot in October 2009, at the Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing, and plans to tour with the production in Europe, Asia and Australia in 2010.

In 2001, Zhang adapted his 1991 film ''Raise the Red Lantern'' for the stage, directing a ballet version.

Zhang has co-directed a number of outdoor folk musicals under the title ''Impression''. These include ''Impression, Liu Sanjie'', which opened in August 2003 at the Li River, Guangxi province; ''Impression Lijiang'', in June 2006 at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang, Yunnan province; ''Impression West Lake'', in late 2007 at the West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province; ''Impression Hainan'' in late 2009, set in Hainan province; and ''Impression Dahongpao'' set on Mount Wuyi, in Fujian province. All five performances were co-directed by Wang Chaoge and Fan Yue.

Zhang also led the production of Tan Dun's opera, ''The First Emperor'', which had its world premiere at the Metropolitan Opera on 21 December 2006.

2008 Beijing Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies

Zhang Yimou was chosen to direct the Beijing portion of the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, alongside co-director and choreographer Zhang Jigang.

Zhang was a runner-up for the Time Magazine Person of the Year award in 2008. Steven Spielberg, who withdrew as an adviser to the Olympic ceremonies to pressure China into helping with the conflict in Darfur, described Zhang's works in the Olympic ceremonies in ''Time magazine'', saying "At the heart of Zhang's Olympic ceremonies was the idea that the conflict of man foretells the desire for inner peace. This theme is one he's explored and perfected in his films, whether they are about the lives of humble peasants or exalted royalty. This year he captured this prevalent theme of harmony and peace, which is the spirit of the Olympic Games. In one evening of visual and emotional splendor, he educated, enlightened, and entertained us all."

Filmography

As director

Year	English title	Chinese title	Notes
1987	''Red Sorghum''	红高粱	Golden Bear
1988	''Codename Cougar''	代号美洲虎	(co-director)
1990	''Ju Dou''	菊豆
1991	''Raise the Red Lantern''	大红灯笼高高挂
1992	''''	秋菊打官司	Golden Lion
1994		活着
1995	''Shanghai Triad''	摇啊摇，摇到外婆桥
1995	''Zhang Yimou''		Segment of the anthology, ''Lumière and Company''
1997		有話好好說
1999	''Not One Less''	一个都不能少	Golden Lion
1999	''''	我的父亲母亲	Jury Grand Prix
2000	''Happy Times''	幸福時光
2002		英雄
2004	''House of Flying Daggers''	十面埋伏
2005	''Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles''	千里走单骑
2006	''Curse of the Golden Flower''	满城尽带黄金甲
2007	''Movie Night''		Segment of the anthology, ''To Each His Cinema''
2009	''''	三枪拍案惊奇
2010	''''	山楂树之恋
TBA	''13 Flowers of Nanjing''	13南京鮮花

As cinematographer

Year	English title	Chinese title	Notes
1982		红象
1983	''One and Eight''	一个和八个
1984	''Yellow Earth''	黃土地
1986		老井
1986		大阅兵

As actor

Year	English title	Chinese title	Notes
1986		老井	Sun Wangquan
1987	''Red Sorghum''	红高粱
1989	''Fight and Love with a Terracotta Warrior''	古今大战秦俑情	Tian Fong
1997		有话好好说	Junk Peddler

See also

Cinema of China

Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize

Zhang Jigang

References

Further reading

Gateward, Frances (editor): ''Zhang Yimou: Interviews'' Conversations with Filmmakers Series, University Press of Mississippi, 2001. ISBN 1578062624.

Colamartino, Fabrizio & Marco Dalla Gassa : "Il cinema di Zhang Yimou" Le Mani, 2003, ISBN 978-88-8012-244-9. (Italian)

External links

Zhang Yimou at Senses of Cinema's Great Directors Critical Database

Zhang Yimou at the Hong Kong Movie Database

;Interviews and articles

Text of interview with Zhang Yimou, 2002

Zhang Yimou's Qin Shi Huangdi Complex - Cui Weiping, 2007

Zhang Yimou's Interview on the Southern Weekend on August 14, 2008.

The Minimal and the Exotic: The Contrasting Worlds of Zhang Yimou podcast of a lecture by Prof. John Orr, University of Edinburgh

Music from the Films of Zhang Yimou

Youtube: NYTimes.com - Behind the Scenes: Zhang Yimou

Zhang Yimou for Jean Paul Gaultier

Category:BAFTA winners (people) Category:Beijing Film Academy alumni Category:Chinese cinematographers Category:Chinese film directors Category:People from Xi'an Category:1950 births Category:Living people

ar:زانج ييمو ca:Zhang Yimou cs:Čang I-mou da:Zhang Yimou de:Zhang Yimou el:Τζανγκ Γι Μόου es:Zhang Yimou eo:Zhang Yimou fa:ژانگ ییمو fr:Zhang Yimou ko:장이머우 id:Zhang Yimou it:Zhāng Yìmóu he:ג'אנג יי-מו jv:Zhang Yimou lt:Zhang Yimou hu:Csang Ji-mou nl:Zhang Yimou ja:張芸謀 no:Zhang Yimou nn:Zhang Yimou pl:Zhang Yimou pt:Zhang Yimou ru:Чжан Имоу fi:Zhang Yimou sv:Zhang Yimou th:จาง อี้โหมว tr:Zhang Yimou vi:Trương Nghệ Mưu zh:张艺谋