Photo: China News Service / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Jiaozi was born on January 1, 1980 in Luzhou, People's Republic of China. Jiaozi is listed as a film director, animation director and film producer. The age as of 2026 is 46. Schooling on record includes West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University.
My Take
Jiaozi is one of the most improbable success stories in modern animation, and that's precisely why he fascinates me. Born Yang Yu in 1980, he trained as a pharmacist at Sichuan University before walking away to chase an animation dream essentially alone. Then he directs Ne Zha and its sequel into Chinese box-office history. What I admire is the audacity of abandoning a stable, respectable path for an uncertain one, and the obsessive craft of a director who handles writing, animation, and producing himself. That kind of total authorship is rare anywhere. I'm genuinely curious to see what he attempts next.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jiaozi
- Name (Japanese)
- 餃子
- Born
- January 1, 1980 (age 46)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Monkey
- Origin
- Luzhou, People's Republic of China
- Occupation
- film director / animation director / film producer / screenwriter
2. Background
- University
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiaozi%20(director)
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q66470849
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 Jiaozi born?
Born January 1, 1980 (age 46).
Where is Jiaozi from?
Jiaozi is from Luzhou, People's Republic of China.
What does Jiaozi do?
Jiaozi works as film director, animation director, film producer, screenwriter.
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