Zhang Fengyi

Biography

Zhang Fengyi (张丰毅), born on September 1, 1956, in Changsha, Hunan, is a celebrated Chinese actor best known for his role in Farewell My Concubine, portraying a stage performer caught between political turmoil and personal longing. He also gained acclaim for playing Jing Ke in The Emperor and the Assassin and the warlord Cao Cao in Red Cliff.

Originally from Tanghe, Henan, Zhang moved to Dongchuan, Yunnan with his veteran father at just one month old. He left high school in 1971 and began performing with a local opera troupe, later joining a singing and dancing team. In 1978, he was admitted to the Beijing Film Academy’s acting department. His film debut came in 1980 with Treasure Hunting in the Desert. A year later, he earned critical praise for his role in Rickshaw Boy, which cemented his status as a rising star in Chinese cinema.