Zhang Yimou's Milestones
Birth
Zhang Yimou was born in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China, to Zhang Bingjun and Zhang Xiaoyou.
Family hardship and Cultural Revolution
Faced hardship due to family ties to the Nationalist movement; worked as a farm laborer and in a cotton textile mill during the Cultural Revolution; developed an interest in photography and painting.
Sold blood to buy camera
Sold his own blood to buy his first camera, sparking his passion for photography.
Attended Beijing Film Academy
Admitted to Beijing Film Academy after special appeal; studied cinematography and graduated with the class of 1982, part of China's 'Fifth Generation' filmmakers.
Cinematographer for 'One and Eight' and 'Yellow Earth'
Worked as cinematographer on 'One and Eight' and 'Yellow Earth,' helping launch the Fifth Generation movement in Chinese cinema.
Best Actor for 'Old Well'
Starred in and won Best Actor at the Tokyo International Film Festival for 'Old Well.'
Directorial debut 'Red Sorghum'
Directed debut film 'Red Sorghum' starring Gong Li; won Golden Bear at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival.
Personal life
Known for collaborations with Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi; married to Chen Ting with children; recognized for visual storytelling and social themes.
Awards and honors
Won Golden Bear, Golden Lion (Venice), Silver Lion, Grand Jury Prize (Cannes), Peabody Award, and numerous international honors for film and stage.
Directed 'Ju Dou'
Directed 'Ju Dou,' first Chinese film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Directed 'Raise the Red Lantern'
Directed 'Raise the Red Lantern,' nominated for Academy Award and won Silver Lion at Venice Film Festival; received international acclaim.
Directed 'The Story of Qiu Ju'
Directed 'The Story of Qiu Ju,' winning Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival.
Directed 'To Live'
Directed 'To Live,' won Grand Jury Prize at Cannes; banned in China but acclaimed internationally.
Directed 'Shanghai Triad'
Directed 'Shanghai Triad,' nominated for Academy Award and Golden Globe.
Stage direction and opera
Directed stage productions including Puccini's 'Turandot' (Florence, 1998; Forbidden City, 1998; Bird's Nest, 2009), ballet adaptation of 'Raise the Red Lantern,' and Tan Dun's opera 'The First Emperor' at the Metropolitan Opera (2006).
Directed 'Not One Less' and 'The Road Home'
Directed 'Not One Less' (won Golden Lion at Venice) and 'The Road Home' (Silver Bear at Berlin), both acclaimed for realism and storytelling.
Directed 'Hero'
Directed 'Hero,' a martial arts epic starring Jet Li; nominated for Academy Award and became an international box office hit.
Directed 'House of Flying Daggers'
Directed 'House of Flying Daggers,' acclaimed for visual style and nominated for BAFTA and Golden Globe awards.
Directed 'Curse of the Golden Flower'
Directed 'Curse of the Golden Flower,' reuniting with Gong Li and starring Chow Yun-fat and Jay Chou.
Directed Beijing Olympics Ceremonies
Directed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, earning a Peabody Award and global recognition.
Directed 'The Flowers of War'
Directed 'The Flowers of War,' starring Christian Bale; China's most expensive film at the time.
Directed 'The Great Wall'
Directed 'The Great Wall,' a China-US co-production and the most expensive Chinese film to date.
Directed 'Shadow'
Directed 'Shadow,' won Best Director at the Golden Horse Awards and received critical acclaim.
Directed 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Ceremonies
Directed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics.