# Zhang Ziyi

> Chinese actress and model

**Wikidata**: [Q180852](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q180852)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Ziyi)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/zhang-ziyi

## Summary
Zhang Ziyi is a Chinese actress and model born on February 9, 1979. She is recognized as one of the "Four Dan Actresses," a designation for four bankable young actresses in China. Educated at the Central Academy of Drama and Beijing Dance Academy, she began her professional career in 1996 and has received honors such as the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.

## Biography
- **Born**: February 9, 1979
- **Nationality**: People's Republic of China
- **Education**: Central Academy of Drama; Beijing Dance Academy
- **Known for**: Acting, modeling, and dancing; membership in the Four Dan Actresses
- **Field(s)**: Film, television, theatre, dance, modeling

## Contributions
Zhang Ziyi has contributed to the entertainment industry through her work in the drama fiction and wuxia genres. She is a member of the "Four Dan Actresses," a collective group representing four bankable young actresses in the Chinese film industry. Her professional portfolio spans acting in film and stage productions, modeling, and film directing, with a work period commencing in 1996.

## FAQs
**What is Zhang Ziyi known for?**
Zhang Ziyi is best known as a Chinese actress and model, distinguished as one of the "Four Dan Actresses," a group of four bankable young actresses in China.

**Where did Zhang Ziyi go to school?**
She attended the Central Academy of Drama, a university in Beijing, and the Beijing Dance Academy, an institution of higher education in dance.

**What awards has Zhang Ziyi received?**
She has been awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, which is the first rank of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

**What are Zhang Ziyi's professions?**
In addition to being a film actor and model, she is also a dancer, stage actor, and film director.

**When did Zhang Ziyi start her career?**
Her work period began in 1996.

## Why They Matter
Zhang Ziyi matters as a prominent representative of Chinese cinema, holding the status of one of the "Four Dan Actresses," which signifies her commercial success and influence in the industry. Her recognition with the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres highlights her cultural impact beyond national borders. By participating in genres such as wuxia and drama fiction, she contributes to the global dissemination of Chinese storytelling and artistic expression.

## Notable For
- **Four Dan Actresses**: Member of the group of four bankable young actresses in China.
- **Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres**: Recipient of this French cultural order.
- **Multi-disciplinary Career**: Works as an actor, model, dancer, stage actor, and film director.
- **Genre Work**: Notable for performances in drama fiction and wuxia genres.
- **Education**: Trained at the prestigious Central Academy of Drama and Beijing Dance Academy.

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Zhang Ziyi was born on February 9, 1979, in the People's Republic of China, a sovereign socialist state in East Asia established in 1949. She pursued higher education at two notable institutions: the Beijing Dance Academy, an institution for higher education in dance founded in 1954, and the Central Academy of Drama, a university in Beijing established in 1950.

### Career and Occupations
Zhang Ziyi's professional work period began in 1996. She has established a diverse career within the arts, holding multiple occupations that span different media and performance styles.

*   **Acting**: As an actor, she performs in dramatic or comic productions across film, television, theatre, or radio. Specifically, she is a film actor who appears in movies and a stage actor who performs live before in-person audiences.
*   **Modeling**: She works as a model, employed to display, advertise, and promote products or serve as a visual aid.
*   **Dance**: She is a dancer, using her body to express herself through movement.
*   **Directing**: Her roles also include film director, where she controls the artistic and dramatic aspects of a film production.

Her work encompasses specific genres, including **drama fiction**, a genre of narrative fiction revolving around human inner feelings, and **wuxia**, a genre of Chinese fiction involving martial arts adventures.

### Recognition and Affiliations
Zhang Ziyi is affiliated with the "Four Dan Actresses," a group recognized for comprising four bankable young actresses in China. She has received international accolades for her work, including the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. This award is the first and lowest rank of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, an order of merit awarded by the French Republic.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. BnF authorities
3. datos.bne.es
4. [首頁 - 金馬獎 - 入圍得獎](http://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/awards/nw?serach_type=award&sc=8&search_regist_year=2013)
5. [Source](http://www.asianfilmawards.asia/nominees-and-winners/8th-afa-nominees-and-winners/8th-afa-nominees-and-winners/)
6. [Source](http://french.china.org.cn/culture/txt/2013-06/27/content_29250486.htm)
7. International Standard Name Identifier
8. Virtual International Authority File
9. MusicBrainz
10. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
11. Discogs
12. Munzinger Personen
13. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
14. Autoritats UB
15. The Movie Database