Zhang ziyi: The new face of chinese femininity

Abstract

The mainland Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi (b. 1979) graduated from the Central Academy of Drama (the top Chinese institute for acting) and was discovered by director Zhang Yimou, who cast her as the female lead in The Road Home/Wode fuqin muqin (literally, my father and mother, 1999). She was immediately picked up by Ang Lee and appeared in her breakthrough role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon/Wohu canglong (2000). This chapter examines the stardom of Zhang Ziyi, comparing her star image in the West with that of her perception in the Chinese-speaking territories in Asia, in order to shed light on the discourse of femininity from these diverse perspectives.