Top 10 Best Gong Li Movies
Gong Li is currently the most accomplished Chinese star in the international film circle. In 1987 she cooperated with director Zhang Yimou and starred the film “Red Sorghum”. The movie attained immediate fame and success both in China and around the world and with this film Gong Li soon became a international movie star. Gong Li was also the first Chinese star on the cover of the U.S. “Time” magazine. Her movies “Red Sorghum,” “Farewell My Concubine”, and “Story of Qiu Ju” respectively won the awards of “Golden Bear”, “Palme d’Or” and “Golden Lion Award”. Gong Li is so far the only Chinese movie actress whose starring movies swept the three international film festivals. Now let us check the 10 best Gong Li movies ever.
1. Red Sorghum《红高粱》(1987)
“Red Sorghum” is a 1987 Chinese film directed by Zhang Yimou. The movie is adapted from 2012 Nobel Literature Prize winner Mo Yan’s novel of the same name. The movie is set in the Gaomi in Shandong during the period of the Republic of China, telling the story of a young peasant girl, Jiu’er (Gong Li)’s meandering experience who is finally killed by Japanese invaders. The film made Zhang Yimou a big name in international film circle. This film is also Gong Li’s film debut and made her become famous when the film won the 1987 Golden Berlin Bear.
2. To Live《活着》 (1994)
“To Live” is a 1994 feature film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li and Ge You. The film is adapted from Yu Hua’s novel of the same title. The story happens during China’s civil war period and a series political campaigns after the founding of the New China. It reflects the fate of a generation of Chinese people through the leading role’s ups and downs. In the movie Gong Li successfully plays a long-suffering wife Jiazhen.
3. Ju Dou《菊豆》(1990)
Zhang Yimou’s film “Ju Dou” is adapted from Liu Heng’s novel “Fuxi, Fuxi”. It stars Gong Li and Li Baotian. The movie tells the story of Ju Dou (played by Gong Li), a young girl who is sold to an old cloth dyer as his wife, but falls in love with his nephew. The movie is one of the most thrilling movies even today.
4. Farewell My Concubine《霸王别姬》(1993)
“Farewell My Concubine” is directed by Chen Kaige and starring Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi and Gong Li. The film gives a colorful account of Chen Dieyi’s (Leslie Cheung) perseverance to Peking Opera, and his tempestuous life in the great change time. In the movie Gong Li plays Chen Dieyi’s wife Ju Xian.
5. Raise The Red Lantern《大红灯笼高高挂》(1991)
“Raise The Red Lantern” is a 1991 feature film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li and He Saifei. The film is adapted from Su Tong’s novel “Flock of Wives and Concubines”. It tells the story of several concubines of a wealthy family fight against each other and cause a series of tragic stories during the period of Republic of China.
6. The Story of Qiu Ju 《秋菊打官司》 (1992)
“The Story of Qiu Ju” is a 1992 Chinese rural theme film directed by Zhang Yimou with Gong Li, Lei Kesheng and Liu Peiqi as the leading roles. It is adapted from Chen Yuanbin’s novel “The Wan Family’s Lawsuit”. The film focuses on story of rural woman Qiuju, whose husband is hurt by the village head, starts her legal action in order to fight for breath. The film won the Golden Lion Award of the 49th Venice Film Festival in 1992.
7. Memoirs of a Geisha《艺伎回忆录》 (2005)
“Memoirs of a Geisha” is a 2005 love drama directed by Rob Marshall. The film tells the tragic life of the heroine Sayuri (Zhang Ziyi), who turns into one of history’s most famous Japan geisha from a fishing village girl. The leading cast include Zhang Ziyi, Gong Li, Michelle Yeoh and Ken Watanabe. Gong Li’s performance sweeps across the screen, along with her exit, the movie starts to become boring.
8. Flirting Scholar《唐伯虎点秋香》(1993)
“Flirting Scholar” is a comedy film directed by Stephen Chow and starring Stephen Chow and Gong Li. The film tells the story of a scholar Tang Bohu who indentures himself to an official’s family in order to purse the enchanting servant girl Qiu Xiang (Gong Li) who has caught his heart. The movie was a the super box office hit in Hong Kong in 1993.
9. The Emperor And The Assassin《荆轲刺秦王》(1999)
“The Emperor And The Assassin” is a 1999 film directed by Chen Kaige. The main actors are Gong Li, Zhang Fengyi, Li Xuejian and Sun Zhou. The film tells the story of how ambitious King Yingzheng conquers other six states and unify China. In the film Gong Li plays Lady Zhao.
10. Shanghai Triad《摇啊摇，摇到外婆桥》(1995)
“Shanghai Triad” is a 1995 movie directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li, Li Baotian and Li Xuejian. The film is adapted from the Bi Feiyu’s novel “Shanghai Memories”. It tells the tragic story of young countryside teen Shui Sheng who goes to Shanghai to work for a Triad Boss in the 1930s and is assigned to serve Xiao Jinbao (played by Gong Li), a dancing queen in Shanghai.
