Photo: Georges Biard / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Gong Li is simply one of the greatest screen actresses alive — full stop. Born in Shenyang and trained at the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, she became the face of Chinese cinema's Fifth Generation movement through her collaborations with director Zhang Yimou, and films like Red Sorghum and Raise the Red Lantern showed a raw, commanding presence that required no translation whatsoever. The Story of Qiu Ju proved she could vanish into ordinariness and still rivet you; Farewell My Concubine showed she could hold her own alongside an all-timer performance without blinking. Her Volpi Cup win at Venice in 1992 and France's Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres in 2010 are the kind of recognition that feels understated for someone of her stature. Even when Hollywood called — Memoirs of a Geisha, Miami Vice — she carried herself with a self-possession most stars spend careers chasing.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Gong Li
- Name (Japanese)
- コン・リー
- Reading
- こん・りー
- Born
- December 31, 1965 (age 60)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Snake
- Origin
- Shenyang, People's Republic of China
- Height
- 2 cm
- Occupation
- actor / film actor
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 2010 Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
- 1992 Volpi Cup for Best Actress
- 1993 Berlinale Camera
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Red Sorghum | — | |
| Notable work | Raise the Red Lantern | — | |
| Notable work | Memoirs of a Geisha | — | |
| Notable work | Farewell My Concubine | — | |
| Notable work | The Story of Qiu Ju | — |
6. Links
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/officialgongli/
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC
Frequently asked questions
When was Gong Li born?
Born December 31, 1965 (age 60).
Where is Gong Li from?
Gong Li is from Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
What does Gong Li do?
Gong Li works as actor, film actor.
How tall is Gong Li?
Gong Li is 2 cm.
What is Gong Li known for?
Notable works include Red Sorghum, Raise the Red Lantern, Memoirs of a Geisha.
Actor — see all → · Film actor — see all → · More people from People's Republic of China →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.