Five famous Chinese actresses of Xinjiang heritage: from Dilraba Dilmurat to Gulnazar to Tong Liya, all found success in TV dramas

Seen as exotic because of their looks, and feted for their beauty, these actresses are from ethnic minorities in Xinjiang in China’s far west

Dilmurat has performed in state broadcaster CCTV’s new year gala, Reyizha Alimjan made headlines as a single mum, while Hankiz Omar is the newest to emerge

Reading Time:3 minutes

Chinese actress Tong Liya at a fashion event. The actress is one of several from ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to have found stardom in China. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 5:15am, 22 May 2021Updated: 9:27pm, 4 Jun 2021

The Chinese entertainment world was taken by surprise when actor and scriptwriter Chen Sicheng, famous for directing the hugely profitable Detective Chinatown movie series, announced this week he and actress Tong Liya were divorcing.

The news came on May 20, an unofficial lovers’ holiday in China because its short form, “520”, sounds similar to wo ai ni, which in Chinese means “I Love You”.

Tong, 36, is a member of the Xibe ethnic minority that lives in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in China’s far west.

With features that differ from those of the majority Han people in China, and known for their extraordinary beauty, actresses from Xinjiang ethnic minorities such as Tong have a huge fan base in the country. Here are the five who are best known:

Tong attends a launch for Bulgari watches in Shanghai, China. Photo: Getty Images

1. Tong Liya

Tong is one of the most celebrated actresses from Xinjiang working in Chinese show business. She cut her teeth in the 2008 romance TV series New Endless Love.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x