Famous Chinese Women

Petite and pretty with delicate features, Chinese women have since long been admired by men all over the world. However living in the patriarchic Chinese society had never been easy for the women who for centuries had been considered as little more than property. The status of the Chinese women had begun to change only during the 20th century when more women gained access to education and opportunities to build a career other than that of being a homemaker. Today China boasts of having a large percentage of working women in its population.

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 1 
Dilraba Dilmurat
(Chinese Model and Actress)
Dilraba Dilmurat
60
Birthdate: June 3, 1992
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ürümqi, China
Dilraba Dilmurat, also known as Dilireba, is a Chinese actor and model of Uyghur descent. She is known for her roles in films such as Mr. Pride vs Miss Prejudice and series such as The Backlight of Love. She has also been featured on Forbes China Celebrity 100 multiple times.
 2 
Liu Yifei
(Best Known for Her Titular Role in the Disney Live-Action Film ‘Mulan’)
Liu Yifei
26
Birthdate: August 25, 1987
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Wuhan, China

Popularly known as Fairy Sister, Liu Yifei is a famous actress, singer, and model. In 2009, she was named among the New Four Dan actresses of China. As a singer, she has released a couple of albums including a Japanese album titled All My Words. In 2020, she was ranked 30th in the Forbes China Celebrity 100 list.

 3 
Fan Bingbing
(Actress, Singer)
Fan Bingbing
19
Birthdate: September 16, 1981
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Qingdao, Shandong, China
Chinese actor Fan Bingbing is best known for her roles in hits such as Cell Phone and X-Men: Days of Future Past. She was featured on Forbes China Celebrity 100 for 4 years. She is a fashion icon and has also served as a judge at the Academy Awards
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 4 
Empress Dowager Cixi
(Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty from 1861 to 1908)
Empress Dowager Cixi
17
Birthdate: November 29, 1835
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Died: November 15, 1908

Empress Dowager Cixi was a Chinese regent and empress dowager. From 1861 to 1908, Cixi served as the de facto supreme ruler of the Qing dynasty. She is credited with overseeing a series of moderate reforms called the Tongzhi Restoration, which helped the regime survive for a long period of time. She also supported military and technological reforms.  

 5 
Zhang Ziyi
(One of the Four Dan Actresses of China)
Zhang Ziyi
34
Birthdate: February 9, 1979
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Chinese actor Zhang Ziyi began as a dancer and soared to fame with her role in the Academy Award-nominated film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Fans also loved her in Rush Hour 2 and Memoirs of a Geisha. Her role in the film The Grandmaster won Ziyi 12 "Best Actress" awards.
 6 
Shen Yue
(Actress, Model)
Shen Yue
30
Birthdate: February 27, 1997
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wugang, Hunan

Shen Yue is a Chinese actress, model, and singer. She is known for playing important roles in TV series like A Love So Beautiful. Also known for her philanthropic efforts, Shen Yue won the Next Generation Influencers for Global Philanthropy award in 2019. The same year, she won the Philanthropy Idol of the Year at the Madame Figaro Fashion Awards.

 7 
Yang Mi
(Chinese Actress and Singer)
Yang Mi
19
Birthdate: September 12, 1986
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Chinese actor and singer Yang Mi soared to fame with the series Tang Ming Huang and later appeared in series such as Chinese Paladin 3 and Swords of Legends. She has also appeared in movies such as Mysterious Island, the Tiny Times film franchise, and The Witness.
 8 
Chloe Zhao
(Known for Her Independent Films 'The Rider' and 'Songs My Brothers Taught Me')
Chloe Zhao
20
Birthdate: March 31, 1982
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Chinese filmmaker Chloé Zhao is best known for directing films such as Songs My Brothers Taught Me and The Rider, both of which earned Independent Spirit Award nominations. Her film Nomadland won her the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. She is also directing the Marvel film Eternals.
 9 
Wu Zetian
(Chinese Empress)
Wu Zetian
17
Birthdate: February 17, 0624
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Lizhou, Tang Dynasty
Died: December 16, 0705

Wu Zetian was a Chinese empress regnant who ruled the Zhou dynasty from 690 to 705. She is the only female monarch in Chinese history. Before ruling the Zhou dynasty, Wu Zetian had served as the de facto ruler of China from 665 to 690. Under her political and military leadership, the Chinese empire expanded beyond its former territorial limits.

 10 
Gong Li
(Chinese Actress)
Gong Li
26
Birthdate: December 31, 1965
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Shenyang, China
Gong Li is best known for her roles in Ju Dou, Raise the Red Lantern, The Story of Qiu Ju, and the live-action version of Mulan. She was the first Asian to head the jury at both the Berlin and Venice film festivals and served as a FAO goodwill ambassador.
 11 
Xi Mingze
(Daughter of Xi Jinping)
Xi Mingze
61
Birthdate: June 27, 1992
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Funian, Sichuan

Xi Mingze is the daughter of the Chinese President and Paramount Leader Xi Jinping. She prefers to keep a low profile, and made her first public appearance alongside her parents in 2013. In 2008, she had volunteered as a relief worker in Hanwang, Mianzhu after the Great Sichuan earthquake.

 12 
Zhao Liying
(Chinese Actress)
Zhao Liying
26
Birthdate: October 16, 1987
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Langfang, China
Chinese actor Zhao Liying, or Zanilia Zhao, soared to fame with her roles in series such as Legend of Lu Zhen, The Journey of Flower, and Legend of Fei. She won the 2006 Yahoo Search Star Game and has also appeared in films such as Crazy New Year's Eve
 13 
Victoria Song
11
Birthdate: February 2, 1987
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Qingdao, Shandong, China

Victoria Song is a Chinese actress, singer, dancer, TV presenter, model, and author. Over the years, she has received several awards, such as an MBC Entertainment Award and China TV Drama Awards. In 2017, 2019, and 2020, she was named on the Forbes China Celebrity 100 list. Also a philanthropist, Victoria Song has worked alongside organizations like UNICEF and Red Cross.

 14 
Joan Chen
(Actress Who Gained Fame for her Role in 'The Last Emperor')
Joan Chen
4
Birthdate: April 26, 1961
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Shanghai, China
Chinese-American actor Joan Chen initially came to be known for the films Little Flower and The Last Emperor and later appeared as Jocelyn 'Josie' Packard in the series Twin Peaks. She also delivered a multiple-award-winning role in The Home Song Stories and directed Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl.
 15 
Tang Wei
(Actress)
Tang Wei
8
Birthdate: October 7, 1979
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Wenzhou, China
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 16 
Tiffany Tang
(Actress)
Tiffany Tang
12
Birthdate: December 6, 1983
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Hanghai, China

Tiffany Tang is a Chinese singer and actress. One of the most decorated Chinese actresses of her generation, Tiffany Tang has won several prestigious awards, such as Beijing TV Drama Award, China TV Drama Awards, and Huading Awards. She has also been named on Forbes China Celebrity 100 lists on several occasions.

 17 
Hannah Quinlivan
(Taiwanese Australian Model and Actress)
Hannah Quinlivan
9
Birthdate: August 12, 1993
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Taipei, Taiwan
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 18 
Sally Phillips
(English Actress, Television Presenter, and Comedian)
Sally Phillips
6
Birthdate: May 10, 1969
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hong Kong
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 19 
Faye Wong
(Singer-Songwriter Best Recognized as the 'Best Selling Canto-Pop Female' by Guinness World Records in 2000)
Faye Wong
4
Birthdate: August 8, 1969
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Beijing, China

Faye Wong is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actress. She is popularly known as  the "Diva of Asia." Her music features a combination of alternative music and mainstream Chinese pop. She is widely popular in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore. As an actress, she has starred in the films Chungking Express and 2046.

 20 
Nancy Kwan
(Chinese-American Actress who was Instrumental in the Acceptance of Actors of Asian Ancestry in Major Hollywood Film Roles)
Nancy Kwan
8
Birthdate: May 19, 1939
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hong Kong
Born to a British mother and a Chinese father, Nancy Kwan became a symbol of the rise of Asian artists in Hollywood. She earned her breakthrough role in The World of Suzie Wong while still a budding ballerina. Following her son’s death due to HIV, she began promoting AIDS awareness.
 21 
Amy Tan
(American Author Known for Her Novels: ‘The Joy Luck Club’ and ‘The Bonesetter’s Daughter’)
Amy Tan
9
Birthdate: February 19, 1952
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Oakland, California, United States
 22 
Li Na
(Chinese Former Professional Tennis Player and the First Grand Slam Singles Champion from Asia)
Li Na
7
Birthdate: February 26, 1982
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wuhan, China

Li Na is a Chinese former tennis player. A former world No. 2, Li Na won two Grand Slam singles titles over the course of her career. She achieved international recognition in 2011 after becoming the first Asian Grand Slam singles champion. In 2019, she became the first Asian-born player to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. 

 23 
Zhou Xun
(Actress, Singer)
Zhou Xun
12
Birthdate: October 18, 1974
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Quzhou, Zhejiang, China
Chinese actor Zhou Xun made headlines in late 2020 when she split up with her actor husband Archie Kao after a 6-year marriage, following divorce rumors. The Cloud Atlas star is one of China’s Four Dan Actresses and has received major accolades such as the Golden Rooster Award.
 24 
Ni Ni
(Actress)
Ni Ni
2
Birthdate: August 8, 1988
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: China
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 25 
Peng Shuai
(Chinese Former Professional Tennis Player)
Peng Shuai
6
Birthdate: January 8, 1986
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Xiangtan, China
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 26 
Tu Youyou
(chemist, pharmacologist, inventor, university teacher)
Tu Youyou
3
Birthdate: December 30, 1930
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ningbo

Chinese phytochemist and malariologist Tu Youyou is best remembered for her Nobel Prize-winning discovery of the anti-malarial drug qinghaosu, or artemisinin. She is the first Chinese female Nobel laureate. A tuberculosis infection in her younger days had inspired her to step into medicine. She later studied traditional Chinese medicine, too.

 27 
Zhao Wei
(One of the Most Popular Actresses in China)
Zhao Wei
12
Birthdate: March 12, 1976
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wuhu, China

Zhao Wei is a Chinese actress, filmmaker, pop singer, and businesswoman. One of the most popular Chinese actresses, Zhao is also one of the highest-paid actresses in China. Renowned for her performance in popular films like Shaolin Soccer, Zhao Wei is widely considered the first national idol of Mainland China since the Chinese economic reform in 1978.

 28 
Carrie Lam
(Politician)
Carrie Lam
4
Birthdate: May 13, 1957
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Wan Chai, Hong Kong, England

Carrie Lam is a Hong Kong politician who has been serving as the Chief Executive of Hong Kong since 2017. From 2007 to 2012, she served as the Secretary for Development. From 2012 to 2017, Lam was the Chief Secretary for Administration. A controversial leader, Carrie Lam's administration witnessed the criminalization of the Hong Kong National Party.

 29 
Peng Liyuan
(Wife of Xi Jinping)
Peng Liyuan
20
Birthdate: November 20, 1962
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Linyi, China
Chinese folk singer Peng Liyuan, or The Peony Fairy, was already a star before she became China’s First Lady, as the wife of President Xi Jinping. She has been part of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and is known for her songs in support of the Communist Party.
 30 
G.E.M.
(Chinese-born Hong Kong Singer-Songwriter)
G.E.M.
4
Birthdate: August 16, 1991
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Shanghai, China
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
 31 
Jiang Qing
(Chinese Political Figure Who Played an Important Role During 'The Cultural Revolution')
Jiang Qing
10
Birthdate: March 19, 1914
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Zhucheng, Weifang, China
Died: May 14, 1991

Jiang Qing was a Chinese actress, communist revolutionary and major political figure who played an important role during the Cultural Revolution in China. She is also remembered for forming a Maoist political faction called the Gang of Four. Jiang Qing married Mao Zedong and played a prominent role in propagating Mao's brand of Communist ideology.

 32 
Ruth Graham
(Philanthropist, Poet, Author)
Ruth Graham
3
Birthdate: June 10, 1920
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Qingjiang, Kiangsu, China
Died: June 14, 2007

American Christian author Ruth Graham had met evangelist Billy Graham at Wheaton College, and they got soon after. Daughter of medical missionary parents, Ruth had grown up in China. She was an avid philanthropist and had raised her five children almost singlehandedly while Billy was mostly touring as an evangelist.

 33 
Soong May-ling
(First Lady of the Republic of China (1950 - 1975))
Soong May-ling
1
Birthdate: March 5, 1898
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Shanghai, China
Died: October 23, 2003
Soong May-ling was a Chinese political figure best remembered as the wife of President Chiang Kai-shek. She played an important role in the politics of China and held several honorary and active positions. She also played a prominent role during the Second Sino-Japanese War, rallying several Chinese people against the invasion of the Japanese.  
 34 
Hou Yifan
(Chinese Chess Grandmaster and Second Highest Rated Female Player of All Time)
Hou Yifan
2
Birthdate: February 27, 1994
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Xinghua, China

Hou Yifan is a Chinese chess player who won two gold medals at the 2010 Asian Games. Hou, who achieved the grandmaster title in 2008, is the second-highest-rated female chess player ever. Hou is also the youngest ever player to win the Women's World Chess Championship title. She is also regarded as the greatest female chess player of her generation.

 35 
Wengie
(Chinese Australian YouTuber, Vlogger and Pop Singer)
Wengie
12
Birthdate: January 9, 1986
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Chinese-Australian YouTuber Wengie has earned a phenomenally huge fan base on YouTube with her DIY, beauty, fashion, and prank videos. She has also experimented with music, releasing tracks such as Baby Believe Me. She also manages a channel that is exclusively dedicated to content related to her two cats. 

 36 
Liu Wen
(Chinese Model)
Liu Wen
5
Birthdate: January 27, 1988
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Yongzhou, Hunan, China
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 37 
Li Ziqi
(YouTube Culinary Vlogger)
Li Ziqi
0
Birthdate: July 6, 1990
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Mianyang, China
 38 
Liu Tao
(Actress, Singer)
Liu Tao
6
Birthdate: July 12, 1978
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Xihu District, Nanchang

Chinese actor Liu Tao is best known for the comedy series My Fair Princess III and the wuxia series Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. Her performance in the melodrama To Elderly with Love won her a Golden Eagle “Best Actress” award. The mother of two is married to entrepreneur Ke Wang.

 39 
Jane Zhang
(Chinese Singer & Songwriter)
Jane Zhang
0
Birthdate: October 11, 1984
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 40 
Betty Sun
(Actress)
Betty Sun
3
Birthdate: September 26, 1982
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Shanghai
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 41 
Isabella Leong
(Actress)
Isabella Leong
3
Birthdate: June 23, 1988
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Portuguese Macau
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 42 
Yang Jiang
(Chinese Playwright and Translator Who Wrote Several Successful Comedies)
Yang Jiang
1
Birthdate: July 17, 1911
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Died: May 25, 2016

Yang Jiang was a Chinese author, translator, and playwright. Yang Jiang is credited with writing several successful comedies. A prolific translator, Yang was the first Chinese to come up with a proper Chinese version of Don Quixote. Her translation is considered the definitive translation of the popular novel in China.

 43 
Carina Lau
(Actress)
Carina Lau
7
Birthdate: December 8, 1965
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 44 
Tina Guo
(Chinese-born American Erhuist and Cellist)
Tina Guo
2
Birthdate: October 28, 1985
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Shanghai, China
 45 
Quan Hongchan
(Chinese Diver and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Quan Hongchan
3
Birthdate: March 28, 2007
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Mazhang District, Zhanjiang, China
 46 
Huang Shengyi
(actor, entrepreneur, singer,model)
Huang Shengyi
0
Birthdate: February 12, 1983
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Shanghai
 47 
Wang Qiang
(Chinese Tennis Player)
Wang Qiang
1
Birthdate: January 14, 1992
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tianjin, China

Chinese tennis star Wang Qiang had begun playing tennis at the tender age of 9. She was initially trained in Japan and grew up idolizing Steffi Graf. Best known for her serve and her speed, she became the second-highest-ranked player from her country, after Li Na, when she ranked 12th in singles.

 48 
Zhu Zhu
(Chinese Singer and Actress)
Zhu Zhu
4
Birthdate: July 19, 1984
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 49 
Sharla Cheung
(Hong Kong Film Producer and Actress)
Sharla Cheung
3
Birthdate: February 7, 1968
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Shanghai, China
 50 
Zhang Weili
(Chinese Mixed Martial Artist)
Zhang Weili
1
Birthdate: August 13, 1989
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Handan, Hebei, China
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)