Photo: 張皓安 / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on April 8, 1947 in Meixian District, People's Republic of China, Hou Hsiao-Hsien is a film director, singer and screenwriter. As of 2026, Hou Hsiao-Hsien is 79 years old. Schooling on record includes National Feng-Shan Senior High School and National Taiwan University of Arts. Awards on record include Golden Horse Award for Best Director (1989, 1995, 2015), Asian Film Award for Best Director, Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize (1999) and 3 more.
My Take
Hou Hsiao-Hsien is, for my money, one of the essential voices in world cinema. Three Golden Horse Best Director wins, the Venice Golden Lion for A City of Sadness, and the Cannes directing prize for The Assassin only hint at it. What I truly admire is not the hardware but his faith in stillness: those patient long takes that refuse to explain themselves yet sink into you. He trusts the audience to feel the silence. As a central figure of Taiwan's New Wave, he turned memory and landscape into something quietly monumental. His retirement leaves a real gap, but the work endures.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Hou Hsiao-Hsien
- Name (Japanese)
- 侯孝賢
- Born
- April 8, 1947 (age 79)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Boar
- Origin
- Meixian District, People's Republic of China
- Occupation
- actor / film director / singer / screenwriter / film actor
2. Background
- High school
- National Feng-Shan Senior High School
- University
- National Taiwan University of Arts
Awards & achievements
- 1989 Golden Horse Award for Best Director
- 1995 Golden Horse Award for Best Director
- 2015 Golden Horse Award for Best Director
- Asian Film Award for Best Director
- 1999 Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize
- 2008 Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres
- 2021 Asia's Most Influential Taiwan
- 2015 Order of Brilliant Star
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hou%20Hsiao-hsien
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BE%AF%E5%AD%9D%E8%B3%A2
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q435626
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
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.
Frequently asked questions
When was Hou Hsiao-Hsien born?
Born April 8, 1947 (age 79).
Where is Hou Hsiao-Hsien from?
Hou Hsiao-Hsien is from Meixian District, People's Republic of China.
What does Hou Hsiao-Hsien do?
Hou Hsiao-Hsien works as actor, film director, singer, screenwriter, film actor.
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