Zhang Tielin (born 15 June 1957) is a British actor and film director. He is best known for portraying the

Qianlong Emperor The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 17117 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, born Hongli, was the fifth Emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1735 t ...

in the first two seasons of the Chinese television series '' My Fair Princess''.

Early life and education

Zhang was born in Tangshan,

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

and grew up in Weinan. In 1973, he was sent to Lintong District, Xi'an to perform agricultural labour as part of the Chinese government's Down to the Countryside Movement. Three years later, he became a construction worker in Xi'an. In 1978, Zhang enrolled in the Beijing Film Academy and graduated in 1982, after which he worked in the television station

Tianjin Television Tianjin Renmin Guangbo Diantai (), translated as the Tianjin People's Broadcasting Station (TPBS) is a major radio broadcaster in Tianjin, China. They also operate the Tianjin Television station, also known as TJTV. Tianjin Television (TJTV) () ...

. In 1984, Zhang made his debut in the films ''The Burning of Imperial Palace'', ''Reign Behind a Curtain'' and ''Under the Bridge'', of which the third one propelled him to fame.

Career

In 1987, Zhang went to England to further his studies at the British Film Institute and he graduated in 1990. He became a British citizen in 1997. In the early 1990s, Zhang went to Hong Kong to expand his career and signed a contract with film producer Tsui Hark, working together with Tsui on the '' Once Upon a Time in China'' film series. He joined the Hong Kong television network Phoenix Television in 1996 and worked there briefly before returning to the Chinese entertainment industry. His portrayal of the

in the first two seasons of the television series '' My Fair Princess'' boosted his fame. Zhang starred together with actors Wang Gang and Zhang Guoli in many television series and they are collectively known as the "Iron Triangle" in the Chinese entertainment industry. In 2007, Zhang became the dean of the art school of Jinan University in Guangzhou.Zhang Tielin's profile
on the Jinan University website

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Zhang, Tielin 1957 births Living people Male actors from Hebei Chinese male film actors Chinese male television actors 20th-century Chinese male actors 21st-century Chinese male actors People who lost Chinese citizenship Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom British male actors of Chinese descent People from Tangshan People's Republic of China Tibetan Buddhists Tibetan Buddhists from the United Kingdom Jinan University faculty Educators from Hebei Jinan University alumni Qianlong Emperor The Amazing Race contestants