at a department store. From an early age, she spent countless hours watching films in the corner of a local cinema, developing a deep appreciation for the art of storytelling.
In 1989, she was admitted to Zhejiang Art School, majoring in ethnic dance. To help support her family financially, the lively and photogenic Zhou began modeling for calendar covers. Her vibrant energy and Jiangnan charm quickly made her a favorite among local printing houses. Within just six months, she appeared on over a hundred calendar covers, earning about 20 yuan per photo—a considerable amount at that time.
In 1992, renowned painter Pan Honghai was working on his “Jiangnan Girls” oil painting series, searching for a model with delicate features and a touch of stubbornness. Upon a photographer’s recommendation, Zhou arrived at the studio and became his part-time figure model for two years. During this period, Pan created over twenty paintings featuring her. When these works went to auction in 2014, one piece titled “Ancient Wind” fetched nearly two million yuan, while another sold for close to a million. The entire series was valued at more than ten million yuan. Few could have imagined that these paintings would significantly alter her life’s path.
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In 1991, a director flipping through calendar images was captivated by her expressive eyes and invited her to play a fox spirit in the film “The Tomb.” What surprised the director was her natural ease in front of the camera despite being a newcomer—a completely different persona from her everyday self.
However, Zhou did not immediately pursue acting full-time. After filming, she returned to Hangzhou to complete her education. In 1994, she moved to Beijing to chase her dreams. The early days were tough—she sang at bars and even suffered a broken front tooth after refusing to serve drinks to some unruly customers. Despite these hardships, she remained determined to pursue acting.
Her breakthrough came in 1998 with Lou Ye’s film “Suzhou River,” where she played dual roles and earned international acclaim. From then on, her career skyrocketed, delivering hit after hit. In the new millennium, she earned the nickname “queen of transformative roles,” winning all three major Chinese acting awards with her performance in “If You Are the One.” She portrayed the ambitious Sun Na and swept both the Golden Horse and Hong Kong Film Awards, becoming the first mainland actress to win the prestigious “grand slam” of Chinese cinema: the Golden Rooster, Golden Horse, and Hong Kong Film Awards.
Her role as the thousand-year-old fox demon Xiaowei in “Painted Skin” combined allure and innocence, breaking box office records by surpassing 200 million yuan in just 19 days. Meanwhile, her portrayal of the fiery, resilient Jiu’er in “Red Sorghum” left a lasting impression. From her proud defiance during a forced marriage to the heartbreaking sacrifice to save her husband, and finally her fearless demise alongside the enemy amid burning sorghum fields and distilleries—each scene marked a career high point. The TV series achieved over 2.5 billion views in just three weeks, and her Best Actress win at the Magnolia Awards was widely expected.
Yet behind the accolades came criticism. In 2018, at age 44, Zhou’s portrayal of the young character Qing Ying was harshly judged as “frozen-faced and trying too hard to appear youthful.” Her thin eyebrows were mocked as looking like “Korean-style semi-permanent makeup transplanted into a Qing dynasty drama.” She addressed some of these critiques but soon shifted her focus to more art-house films. Her recent project, “First Taste of Solitude,” filmed partly in a tumor hospital, exemplifies this new direction.
Celebrities inevitably face intense public scrutiny—over their work, relationships, and personal lives. Zhou Xun’s romantic history has been as dramatic as her film roles. At 19, she fell for rock musician Dou Peng and gave up a stable position in the Hangzhou Art Troupe to pursue a life in Beijing. The couple lived in a cramped basement and survived by performing in bars. Even after losing a front tooth in a fight, she kept singing. They parted ways after five years due to career uncertainties.
She later dated actor Jia Hongsheng. While accompanying him to auditions, she herself won a role in “Palace of Desire,” though the opportunity did not fully materialize. Subsequently, Zhou was involved with musician Pu Shu. Their passionate relationship was highly publicized, leading many to believe marriage was imminent. Even Gao Xiaosong joked that their filming of “When Flowers Bloom” caused major delays on set. Surprisingly, they split because their “souls were too similar,” an unusual reason that left many puzzled.
Her most painful romance was with actor Li Yapeng. They met while filming “The Legend of the Condor Heroes,” and Zhou publicly declared he fulfilled all her fantasies about men. However, after he declined to propose, fearing early marriage, she was heartbroken. She later witnessed his quick marriage to singer Faye Wong, which added to her emotional pain.
After a two-year hiatus, Zhou began a relationship with Li Daqi, but the long-distance romance eventually ended. She also had a brief one-year relationship with actor Wang Shuo, which went largely unnoticed due to its short duration.
In 2014, at age 40, Zhou married actor Gao Shengyuan at a charity gala, donning a wedding dress for the occasion. However, after six years, they announced their divorce amicably, with no children involved.
Post-divorce, Zhou fully embraced a childfree lifestyle and has not publicly dated since. Now approaching her fifties, she maintains her physique by working out four times a week and has gradually withdrawn from commercial dramas. Yet she lives a life many admire—one that balances intellectual depth and personal authenticity.
She has discussed existential themes with musicians on shows like “The Summer of Bands” and delved into life’s solitude in “First Taste of Solitude.” Zhou Xun faces the natural aging of her appearance without anxiety or pressure. This calm acceptance of life’s changes is a rare and admirable quality.
References:
Zhou Xun, Sina Weibo
iZhouXun, Baidu Encyclopedia
“Zhou Xun’s Early Model Paintings Sold for 1.84 Million! Dedicated to Art at 18!” Traffic Latest Focus, 2019-10-21
“First Taste of Solitude,” Baidu Encyclopedia
