Liu Xiaoqing
Born: 1952-10-30 in Chongqing, Sichuan, China
Known For: Acting
Biography
In her early days Liu worked as a farm labourer, then as a propagandist for the People's Liberation Army and later a stage actor for the Chengdu Military Drama Group. Liu acted in mainland Chinese films before she turned 30 — The Great Wall of the South China Sea (1976), What a Family (1979) and The Little Flower (1980). Her breakthrough role was the ruthless Qing Dynasty Empress Dowager Cixi in The Burning of the Imperial Palace (1983) and Reign Behind the Curtain (1984). Her portrayal of Cixi won her numerous awards in Chinese film festivals and she later reprised the role in two unrelated films, including Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch (1991). She won Best Actress at the Hundred Flowers Award for her role as Hua Jinzhi in The Savage Land, filmed in 1981 but not released until 1987, and again for her role in Hibiscus Town (1986). She holds a record for having won the most number of awards in the actress categories of the Hundred Flowers Award, with three Best Actress and one Best Supporting Actress. Liu left the entertainment industry in the 1990s to focus on business, but later returned to acting in the mid 2000s. One of her latest films was Chunhua (also titled Plastic Flower, released in 2004), in which she played the titular role, Chunhua. She performed in a stage play, The Last Night of Tapan Chin, in China and Taiwan from 2005 to 2008. Liu published a short autobiography I Did It My Way in 1983. She became one of the richest people in China, appearing at 45 on Forbes' list of the 50 richest Chinese businessmen and businesswomen in 1999. She promoted her success by publishing a book titled From A Movie Star to A Billionaire. She was arrested for tax evasion in connection with her company, Beijing Xiaoqing Culture and Arts Company Ltd., in 2002, was fined 7.1 million yuan, and imprisoned for a year. In 2012 Liu Xiaoqing played Sai Jinhua in a performance of the play The Beauty.
Filmography
2025
- The Prisoner of Beauty as Madame Xu
- The Blooming Journey as Self
- Blooming All the Way
- 萌宝助攻:五十岁婚宠
2024
2023
- Fantasy Magician 2
- Ice Sniper 2 as Dan Niang
2021
- Crossroad Bistro as Bai Jinghui
2020
- The Eight Hundred as Sister Rong
2018
- Air Strike as Madam Zheng
2017
2016
- Trump Card
- For a Few Bullets as Jin Sanniang
- The King of Comedy
2015
- Mojin: The Lost Legend as Sister Hong
- I Have a Dream as Ye Chun'er
2014
- 中国好男儿 as 刘晓庆
2012
- Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties as Lady Xiao, Empress Min of Sui
- The Monkey King 3D: Uproar in Heaven as 王母娘娘
- 37 as 蒙古老奶奶红婆婆
- 养女
2011
- Legendary Amazons as 6th Lady Yang / Princess Chai
- The Legend of Wu Zetian as 武则天(中年)
2009
- The Prelude of Lotus Lantern as Wang Mu
2007
- The Shadow of Empress Wu as 武则天
- Wang Zhaojun as 管婕妤
- 春蚕织梦
2006
- Hui Niang Wan Xin as 吴太太
2005
- Lotus Lantern as 王母
- Hero Yongle as Jin Niang
- 阿有正传 as 珍格格
- 281封信
2004
- 我的兄弟姐妹 as Ai Lian
- Plastic Flowers
1995
- Justice Pao
- Empress Wu Cheh Tien as 武则天
1992
- 风华绝代 as Kuang Chunni
1991
- Li Lianying, the Imperial Eunuch as Empress Ci Xi
1989
- The Empress Dowager as Empress Dowager Cixi
- A Dream of Red Mansions as Wang Xifeng
- 红楼梦第一部:宝黛相会(上) as 王熙凤
1988
- A Woman For Two as 春桃
1987
- Hibiscus Town as Hu Yuyin
- The Imperial Cannon Team as 冯玉舒
1984
1983
- Reign Behind a Curtain as 慈禧太后
- The Burning of the Imperial Palace as 慈禧太后
1982
- 心灵深处 as 欧阳兰
1981
- Xu Mao he ta de nü er men as Qi Gu Niang
- The Savage Land as Jin Zi
- Qian wang
1980
- Mysterious Buddha as 梦婕
1979
- Oh! What a Family as 张岚
- The Little Flower as 何翠姑
- Hun Li