It’s surely one of the most formidable of roles for any male Chinese actor to take on: playing Mao Zedong, the most influential and recognisable face in modern China’s history. Still, when 35-year-old Chinese heartthrob Li Yifeng was offered the opportunity, in last year’s blockbuster film The Pioneer , he was more than up for the challenge. “I’m always looking for innovations and opportunities to transform myself, and I hope I can demonstrate a different character with each role, not being positioned as one stereotype,” says Li. How Wang Leehom’s divorce controversy is making Chinese women rethink marriage Premiered on July 1, 2021, the biographical drama’s release celebrated the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party’s birth. Directed by acclaimed director Guan Hu, it depicts the tumultuous period between 1912 and 1927, when the republican Kuomintang ruled China. Concentrating on how the revolutionary Li Dazhao searched for ways to rescue the then-collapsing China, the film also brings to light his formative influence on Mao, the future chairman then still a student. Mao and Li remain idols for many Chinese, though in distinctly different ways. If anything helped Li Yifeng to understand the epic role, it was the passion of his own dreams. “I’ve never thought of doing anything else except being a star, I’ve always wanted it since a child,” he says. Li Yifeng was born in 1987 in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, a province most famous for its pandas and spicy food. While attending the Chengdu film and TV academy, majoring in broadcasting, he made his debut on My Hero , a talent show hosted by Shanghai’s Dragon Television, in 2007. It was the beginning of China’s TV boom, spearheaded by singing contests like Super Girl , hosted by Hunan Satellite Television. The Shanghai show elected prizewinners based not only on their singing, but also their acting and popularity with the audience. 6 Chinese celebrities embracing NFTs, from Wong Kar-wai to Shawn Yue The second edition, which brought Li into the spotlight, also launched several more of today’s celebrities, including Jing Boran, Qiao Renliang and Fu Xinbo. Though Li only finished eighth in the series, he was voted the most popular contestant and he quickly launched a career as a singer, releasing his own EP “Four-leaf Clover” in 2007, then an album, “Little Men”, in 2009. Shortly after, Li’s appearance in the Chinese-Taiwanese drama Sunny Happiness , and its two companion series, won him a best new actor honour at the 2011 China TV Drama awards, the height of recognition in Chinese TV. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yang Mi Cambodia FanClub (@yangmi_kh) It was in 2014 however, when Li played the lead character Baili Tusu in the series Swords of Legends , that his career really took off. Starring alongside Yang Mi, Li’s role was the sort of young, cold, dedicated and handsome character that set the foundation for him to become China’s new “little fresh meat” – a term widely used for young rising stars. How did Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’s Kim Seon-ho survive cancel culture? Inspired by a video game, the fictional show set in the Tang dynasty became the biggest TV hit of the year with billions of views, and its success propelled the trend in translating video game scripts into small and big screen sensations. It also saw the then-27-year-old Li take home two more China TV Drama awards to add to his collection: the most popular actor and the most commercially valuable actor. Li, an avid basketball lover, is a fan of the late Kobe Bryant and his “mamba spirit”, and even attended the Los Angeles Lakers player’s retirement show. Perpetually dapper, Li also became the only Chinese star to date to receive South Korea’s Style Icon award, emulating the likes of K-pop’s outrageous icon G-Dragon and K-drama hottie Song Joong-ki . “Fashion is choosing what you love, what you feel comfortable in, it should be casual and easy,” says Li today. His immense popularity (over 60 million fans on Weibo), good taste, unparalleled commercial power and watertight public image have earned him the reputation as an all-round idol. His wholesomeness has drawn a slew of divergent brand endorsements, ranging from Armani and Samsonite, to Tencent, Baidu, various beauty brands and Hong Kong’s Lukfook Jewellery. In 2015, he was ranked No 9 on Forbes’ “China Celebrity List”, well above the likes of Andy Lau and Angelababy. Which celebrities renounced their Chinese citizenships? In 2021, Prada announced Li as its official ambassador, as did Italian watchmaker Panerai. “(Panerai) has a great innovative spirit, seeking excellence, which I appreciate a lot,” notes Li. Though often armed with a serious look, he is known for his amiable character and humour – quick to reach for a disarming, whimsical joke or funny comment – which has helped create a particular bond with his fans. “I don’t have much to give to them, but striving to deliver good work,” he says. “I also hope my fans will appreciate my attitude towards life, even with my not-so-perfect character.” Li embraced the chance to challenge himself again in 2021’s series The Glory of Youth . It tells a story about the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, and is based on Feng Jie’s novel Graduated, Being a Soldier – a role which gave him the chance to grow from the “little fresh meat” into a more sophisticated actor. Li vividly brought to life the role of a young college graduate who joins the army, morphing from innocent former student to a tough, top-notch soldier. 5 Hong Kong stars who opened up about their mental health struggles As the year ended in December 2021, he celebrated his 14th year in the entertainment industry. “I don’t dare to say what kind of influence I can cast on my fans,” he said. “But I want to strive as a good person, a person who’s useful for society.” And looking forward, he is very straightforward about life: “Sleep well, eat well, work hard and have a healthy routine. It sounds easy, but not so easy to achieve,” adds Li. Want more stories like this? Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Twitter .