Yan Yikuan (Chinese: 严屹宽; born 24 January 1979), formerly known as Yan Kuan (Chinese: 严宽) and also known as Kevin Yan, is a Chinese actor and singer. He is best known for his roles in the television series ''Taiji Prodigy'' (2002), ''

The Prince of Qin, Li Shimin ''The Prince of Qin, Li Shimin'' is a 2005 Chinese television series loosely based on the early life of Li Shimin, who later became Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty. It focuses on Li Shimin's romance with Ruoxi, a fictitious Sui Dynasty princes ...

'' (2005), '' The Last Princess'' (2008), ''

All Men Are Brothers ''Water Margin'' (''Shuihu zhuan'') is one of the earliest Chinese novels written in vernacular Mandarin, and is attributed to Shi Nai'an. It is also translated as ''Outlaws of the Marsh'' and ''All Men Are Brothers''. The story, which is ...

'' & ''

The Glamorous Imperial Concubine ''The Glamorous Imperial Concubine'' (Chinese: 倾世皇妃) is a 2011 Chinese television series based on a novel of the same title by Murong Yin'er (慕容湮儿). Starring Ruby Lin with Kevin Yan and Wallace Huo, it was Lin's producing debut. ...

'' (2011), ''

Mazu Mazu or Matsu is a Chinese sea goddess also known by several other names and titles. She is the deified form of the legendary figure Lin Mo or Lin Moniang, a Fujianese shamaness whose life span is traditionally dated from 960 to 987. Re ...

'' (2012), ''

Heroes in Sui and Tang Dynasties ''Heroes in Sui and Tang Dynasties'' is a Chinese television series based on Chu Renhuo's historical novel '' Sui Tang Yanyi'', which romanticises the historical events leading to the fall of the Sui dynasty and the rise of the Tang dynasty. The ...

'' (2013), '' The Three Heroes and Five Gallants'' (2016) and ''Treasure Raiders'' (2016).

Career

Yan graduated from the acting department of

Shanghai Theatre Academy Shanghai Theatre Academy () is a public university in Shanghai, People's Republic of China dedicated to dramatic art education. Its predecessor was Shanghai Municipal Experimental Theatre School cofounded by the famous educator Gu Yuxiu (:zh:顾 ...

in 2001 and joined

National Theatre Company of China The National Theater of China or National Theater Company of China (), based in Beijing, is China's national theatrical company, founded on December 25, 2001 with the merger of China National Youth Theater () and China National Experimental Theat ...

. He made his debut in the film ''First Opium War'' (1997), where he had a minor role. However due to his appearance not fitting the role, his scenes were later cut. Yan first gained attention with his appearance in

wuxia ( ), which literally means "martial heroes", is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although is traditionally a form of historical fiction, its popularity has caused it to be adapted f ...

drama ''Taiji Prodigy'' and later historical drama ''

''. Thereafter, he starred in a series of well-received period dramas, such as ''Big Shot'' and ''Golden Years'', which gained him considerable recognition and earned him the title of "Most Handsome Ancient Man" in China. He also starred in '' The Last Princess'' which yield high audience following during its run and led to a surge in popularity for Yan. Yan achieved breakthrough in 2011; his performance in the television adaptation of ''

Water Margin ''Water Margin'' (''Shuihu zhuan'') is one of the earliest Chinese novels written in vernacular Mandarin, and is attributed to Shi Nai'an. It is also translated as ''Outlaws of the Marsh'' and ''All Men Are Brothers''. The story, which is s ...

'', ''

'' and historical palace drama ''

'' garnered much attention for Yan, who later won the Acting Idol award at the

China TV Drama Awards The China TV Drama Awards (), also known as the Domestic TV Series Ceremony, is an award show presented annually on Anhui Television to award excellence in Chinese television. Categories Main Awards *Top Ten Television Series () *Best Web Series ...

. Yan also starred alongside

Liu Tao Liu Tao (, born 12 July 1978) is a Chinese actress from Nanchang, Jiangxi. She is known for her roles in ''Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils'' (2003), ''Madame White Snake'' (2006), ''Mazu'' (2012), ''To Elderly With Love'' (2013), ''Nirvana in Fire'' ...

in mythology drama ''

'', which was a hit in China. Yan then headlined historical drama ''

'' (2013), which marked the turning point of his career. The series earned both positive reviews and high ratings. After the series was broadcast in Taiwan, Yan experienced a surge in popularity in the region. His other notable appearances were in '' The Three Heroes and Five Gallants'' (based on ''

The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants ''The Tale of Loyal Heroes and Righteous Gallants'' (忠烈俠義傳), also known by its 1883 reprint title ''The Three Heroes and Five Gallants'' (三俠五義), is an 1879 Chinese novel based on storyteller Shi Yukun's oral performances. The n ...

'') and ''Treasure Raiders'' (based on

Gu Long Xiong Yaohua (7 June 1938 – 21 September 1985), better known by his pen name Gu Long, was a Hong Kong-born Taiwanese novelist, screenwriter, film producer and director. A graduate of Cheng Kung Senior High School and Tamkang University, Xion ...

's novel of the same name). In 2016, Yan starred alongside an

ensemble cast In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that is composed of multiple principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17 Structure In contrast to ...

Guo Jingming Guo Jingming (; born June 6, 1983), also known as Edward Guo, is a Chinese young adult fiction, young adult writer. In addition to being an author and businessperson, Guo is also a Teen idol, teen pop idol and popular celebrity figure. On the o ...

's epic fantasy film '' L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties''. In 2017, Yan co-starred in the fantasy romance film ''

Once Upon a Time "Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 (according to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'') in storytelling in the ...

'', portraying Demon Lord Qing Cang. He has also been cast in the historical drama ''The Legend of Ba Qing'' co-starring

Fan Bingbing Fan Bingbing (, born 16 September 1981) is a Chinese actress. From 2013 to 2017, she was included as the highest-paid celebrity in the ''Forbes'' China Celebrity 100 list after ranking in the top 10 every year since 2006. She appeared on ''Time'' ...

''.

Personal life

Yan and his girlfriend of five years, actress Sunny Du held their long-awaited wedding in Bali, Indonesia on the evening of 22 March 2014. The couple were engaged for four months before registering for marriage last August. Yan Kuan changed his name to Yan Yikuan in 2013.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Discography

Albums

Singles

Awards and nominations

References

External links

*
Yan Yikuan's official weibo
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Yan, Yikuan Male actors from Shanghai Living people 1979 births Singers from Shanghai Shanghai Theatre Academy alumni Chinese male television actors Chinese male film actors 21st-century Chinese male actors 21st-century Chinese male singers