Liu Xiaoqing
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.
Photos
Films (40)
Blooming All the Way
2025
Night Rain and Autumn Lantern Hear Strange Stories
2024 · Lan Ni
Ice Sniper 2
2023 · Dan Niang
Fantasy Magician 2
2023
La Brigade des 800
2020 · Sister Rong
Les Sentinelles du Pacifique
2018 · Madam Zheng
For a Few Bullets
2016 · Jin Sanniang
Mojin : La légende perdue
2015 · Sister Hong
37
2012 · 蒙古老奶奶红婆婆
The Monkey King 3D: Uproar in Heaven
2012 · 王母娘娘
Legendary Amazons
2011 · 6th Lady Yang / Princess Chai
Plastic Flowers
2004
L'Eunuque impérial
1991 · Empress Ci Xi
The Empress Dowager
1989 · Empress Dowager Cixi
A Dream of Red Mansions
1989 · Wang Xifeng
红楼梦第一部：宝黛相会（上）
1989 · 王熙凤
红楼梦第一部：宝黛相会
1989 · 王熙凤
红楼梦第二部：黛玉葬花
1989 · 王熙凤
红楼梦第三部：凤姐泼醋
1989 · 王熙凤
红楼梦第四部：二尤惨死
1989 · 王熙凤
红楼梦第五部：晴雯夭亡
1989 · 王熙凤
红楼梦第六部：宝玉化石
1989 · 王熙凤
A Woman For Two
1988 · 春桃
Hibiscus Town
1987 · Hu Yuyin
The Imperial Cannon Team
1987 · 冯玉舒
Hong Kong People in Shenzhen
1985
Bei guo hong dou
1984
Reign Behind a Curtain
1983 · Empress Dowager Cixi
The Burning of the Imperial Palace
1983 · 慈禧太后
心灵深处
1982 · 欧阳兰
Qian wang
1981
Xu Mao he ta de nü er men
1981 · Qi Gu Niang
The Savage Land
1981 · Jin Zi
Mysterious Buddha
1980 · 梦婕
The Little Flower
1979 · 何翠姑
Oh! What a Family
1979 · 张岚
Hun Li
1979
春歌
1978
同志，感谢你
1977
The Great Wall of the South-China Sea
1976
Séries (35)
TONIGHT COMEDY SHOW
2026
Roast
2026
Slow Conversation
2025
The Prisoner of Beauty
2025 · Madame Xu
萌宝助攻：五十岁婚宠
2025
The Blooming Journey
2025 · Self
Memories Beyond Horizon
2022
Rock & Roast
2017
The King of Comedy
2016
Trump Card
2016
I Have a Dream
2015 · Ye Chun'er
中国好男儿
2014 · 刘晓庆
花灯满城
2014 · 卓云
徐悲鸿
2013 · 蒋碧微
最佳女主角
2013
Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties
2012 · Lady Xiao, Empress Min of Sui
养女
2012
The Legend of Wu Zetian
2011 · 武则天（中年）
红玫瑰黑玫瑰
2010
凝香劫
2010
The Prelude of Lotus Lantern
2009 · Wang Mu
长河东流
2008 · 庄皇太后
Feminine Instinct
2008
The Shadow of Empress Wu
2007 · 武则天
Wang Zhaojun
2007 · 管婕妤
春蚕织梦
2007
Hui Niang Wan Xin
2006 · 吴太太
阿有正传
2005 · 珍格格
Lotus Lantern
2005 · 王母
Hero Yongle
2005 · Jin Niang
281封信
2005
我的兄弟姐妹
2004 · Ai Lian
Justice Pao
1995
Empress Wu Cheh Tien
1995 · 武则天
风华绝代
1992 · Kuang Chunni