Gong Li Family Tree: The Story Behind China's Most-Famous Actress

Gong Li (Chinese: 巩俐), born 31 December 1965 in Shenyang, Liaoning, China, is widely regarded as China's most internationally-famous actress — long collaboration with Zhang Yimou; Red Sorghum (1987), Raise the Red Lantern (1991), Farewell My Concubine (1993), To Live (1994), Memoirs of a Geisha (2005). 2014 ICOMOS UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.

The Family's Roots: An Academic Chinese Family

The Gong family is from Shenyang, Liaoning, China (later raised in Jinan, Shandong).

Her Parents

Father: Gong Zhenghan — economics professor.

Mother: Zhang Suying — teacher.

Her Siblings

Gong Li is the youngest of five children.

Her First Husband: Ooi Hoe Soeng

Ooi Hoe Soeng (Huang Hexiang) — Singaporean tobacco merchant. Married Gong Li in 1996; divorced 2010.

Her Long-Term Partner / Second Husband: Jean-Michel Jarre

Jean-Michel Jarre, born 24 August 1948 — French electronic-music composer and musician (son of Maurice Jarre, famed film composer). Married Gong Li in May 2019.

The Gong / Jarre Family Tree at a Glance

Father: Gong Zhenghan — economics professor.

Mother: Zhang Suying — teacher.

Siblings: 4 elder.

First Husband: Ooi Hoe Soeng (m. 1996, div. 2010) — Singaporean.

Husband: Jean-Michel Jarre (b. 24 August 1948; m. May 2019) — French composer.

Father-in-law: Maurice Jarre (1924–2009) — Oscar-winning film composer (Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago).

Gong Li:

  • Born 31 December 1965, Shenyang
  • Central Academy of Drama (Beijing, 1985–89)
  • Films: Red Sorghum (1987 — debut, with Zhang Yimou), Ju Dou (1990), Raise the Red Lantern (1991), The Story of Qiu Ju (1992 — Venice Volpi Cup Best Actress), Farewell My Concubine (1993), To Live (1994), Shanghai Triad (1995), Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), Miami Vice (2006), Hannibal Rising (2007), Curse of the Golden Flower (2006), Mulan (2020 Disney live-action), Coming Home (2014), The 800 (2020)
  • Venice Best Actress: 1992 (The Story of Qiu Ju)
  • 3 Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress
  • 3 Golden Horse Awards Best Actress
  • 2 Golden Rooster Awards Best Actress
  • Singapore citizenship since 2008 (controversial in China)
  • Goodwill Ambassador for UNESCO

What the Gong Family Story Teaches Us

An economics-professor father. A teacher mother. Four elder siblings. A first marriage of 14 years to a Singaporean merchant. A second marriage to a French composer (son of Maurice Jarre). A career that put Chinese cinema on the global map with Zhang Yimou.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the Gong story carries the same lesson. Some marriages combine Chinese economics-professor families with French Oscar-winning composer families. The Jarre marriage put Maurice Jarre's film-music legacy and Gong Zhenghan's economics-faculty world into the same family tree.

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