Tong Liya

In this Chinese name, the family name is Tong (佟).

Tong Liya (Chinese: 佟丽娅, born 8 August 1983) is a Chinese actress of Xibe ethnicity. She first gained recognition in The Queens (2008), followed by roles in the television series Palace (2011), Beijing Love Story (2012), Ordinary World (2015), Nirvana in Fire 2 (2017), Great Expectations (2018), as well as the film How Long Will I Love U (2018).

Tong Liya
佟丽娅
Tong in 2019
Born	(1983-08-08) 8 August 1983 (age 41)[1] Qapqal, Ili, Xinjiang, China
Other names	Ya Ya (丫丫)
Alma mater	Central Academy of Drama
Occupation(s)	Actress, dancer
Years active	2008–present
Agent	Tong Liya Studio
Spouse	Chen Sicheng ​ (m. 2014⁠–⁠2021)​
Children	1
Parent	Tong Jisheng (father)
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	佟丽娅
Traditional Chinese	佟麗婭
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Tóng Lìyà

Background

Tong was born in Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang province.^[2] Her father Tong Jisheng (佟吉生) was of Xibe ethnicity from Xinjiang while her mother Mao Haiying (毛海英) was of Han ethnicity from Gansu.^{[citation needed]}

Tong majored in dance at the Xinjiang Arts Institute, and due to her excellent results, was able to gain a placement at the Xinjiang Singing & Dancing Troupe. She subsequently obtained a qualification to teach dance at Xinjiang Arts Institute in 2000. In 2004, she enrolled in Central Academy of Drama, majoring in performance.^[2]

Tong was named Ambassador of Xibe in 2011.^[3]

Career

Tong made her debut in the Hong Kong television series C'est La Vie, Mon Chéri in 2008, and gained attention for her beautiful looks.^[4] Following her role as Zhao Feiyan in the 2009 historical drama The Queens, Tong experienced a rise in popularity.^[5]

Tong successfully broke into the mainstream with her subsequent roles in Palace (2011) and Beijing Love Story (2012), which were both major hits.^[6][7][8] Throughout her career, Tong has portrayed various roles in hit dramas My Economical Man (2012), Weaning (2013), Sword Family Woman (2014) and Obstetrician (2014); and was named the "Ratings Queen" by the Chinese media.^{[9][10][11][12]} She also starred in films, most notably Tsui Hark's wuxia film The Taking of Tiger Mountain (2014) and Chen Sicheng's comedy film Detective Chinatown (2015).^[13][14]

In 2015, Tong starred in the period drama Ordinary World (2015), based on the Mao Dun Literature Prize novel of the same name by Lu Yao.^[15] She received acclaim for her performance, and won the Golden Eagle Award for Best Actress.

In 2017, Tong starred in the wuxia drama Nirvana in Fire 2, the sequel to the critically acclaimed drama Nirvana in Fire by Hai Yan.^[16]

In 2018, Tong starred in two spy dramas. In Great Expectations, she played the role of a wealthy lady who disguises as a man to infiltrate the underworld to seek revenge for her dead father.^[17] In Patriot, she played the role of an underground spy.^[18] Tong won the Audience's Loved Character award at the China TV Drama Awards for her portrayal.^[19] The same year, Tong won acclaim and numerous accolades for her performance in the romance comedy film How Long Will I Love U.^[20][21]

In January 2020, she starred in the workplace drama Perfect Partner as a public relations officer.^[22]

Personal life

Tong and actor Chen Sicheng got married on 16 January 2014. The couple met and fell in love while filming the television series Beijing Love Story, which Chen directed and co-scripted. They announced their relationship on the set of Happy Camp in 2012. The couple got married in 2014 at Tahiti.^[23]

On 30 January 2016, Tong announced that she had given birth to their first child, a son named Chen Duoduo.^[24] On 20 May 2021, Tong and Chen announced their divorce.^[25]

Filmography

Film

Year	English title	Chinese title	Role	Notes
2009	Roses' Fragrance	玫瑰余香	Guo Jiani	television film[26]
2011	Endless Love	花腰女儿红	Bai Yu	television film
	The Purple House	紫宅	Zhou Tong	[27]
2013	So Young	致我们终将逝去的青春	Shi Jie	[28]
	Silent Witness	全民目击	Li Xiaoni	[29]
2014	Beijing Love Story	北京爱情故事	Shen Bing	[30]
	The Taking of Tiger Mountain	智取威虎山	Little Dove
2015	Wild City	迷城	Tang Wen	[31]
	Doomed Disaster	诡劫	Hu Meirui	[32]
	Surprise	万万没想到：西游篇	Scorpion Spirit	Special appearance[33]
	Detective Chinatown	唐人街·探案	Ah Xiang
2016	Run for Love	奔爱	Ye Yiyi	[34]
	Heartfall Arises	惊天破	Chen Xiangru	[35]
2018	How Long Will I Love U	超时空同居	Gu Xiaojiao
2019	Coward Hero	鼠胆英雄	Du Qing	[citation needed]
	My People, My Country	我和我的祖国	Yidan	[36]
2020	My People, My Homeland	我和我的家乡	Dong Wenhua	Guest appearance[37]
2021	Assassin in Red	刺杀小说家		Special appearance[38]
2024	Black Dog	狗阵	Grape	[39]
	Octopus with Broken Arms	误杀3	Li Huiping

Television series

Year	English title	Chinese title	Role	Notes
2008	Mandarin Duck River	鸳鸯河	Wong Manli	[40]
	C'est La Vie, Mon Chéri	新不了情	Lee Joi Oi (younger)
	Empty Lane	空巷子	Qi Qiao	[41]
	The Queens	母仪天下	Zhao Feiyan
2009	I Am a Grass	我是一棵小草	Yue Xiaomei	[42]
	Living Pride	人活一张脸	Jia Xiaochen	[43]
	Mother and Wife	娘妻	Sun Yating	[44]
2010	Unbeatable	无懈可击之美女如云	Sabrina	[45]
	Maid in the Big House	大屋下的丫鬟	Su Wenhui	[46]
	Happy Mother-in-Law, Pretty Daughter-in-Law	欢喜婆婆俏媳妇	Xilan	Cameo[47]
	The Vigilantes in Masks	怪侠一枝梅	Jing Ruyi	[48]
2011	Palace	宫	Nian Suyan (Tong Suyan)
	Horizon True Heart	天涯赤子心	Gao Shuhua	[49]
	Wrong Hate	错恨	Dong Zisu	[50]
	Misty Rain in the Setting Sun	烟雨斜阳	Gao Wanyi	[51]
	Love Can Come Again	爱可以重来	Lu Jialiang	[52]
	Beauty World	唐宫美人天下	Wu Qingcheng	[53]
2012	Beijing Love Story	北京爱情故事	Shen Bing
	My Economical Man	我的经济适用男	He Xiaojun	[54]
	Dream Back to Tang Dynasty	梦回唐朝	Tao Zhu	[55]
	Beauties of the Emperor	王的女人	Wu Meiren	[56]
2013	After Shock	唐山大地震	Wan Xiaodeng	[57]
	Weaning	断奶	An Qi	[58]
	Love is Not Blind	失恋33天		Cameo[59]
	Fall in Love	恋爱的那点事儿	Yu Huxin	[60]
2014	Sword Family Women	刀客家族的女人	Ge Dani
	Loving, Never Forgetting	戀戀不忘	Wu Tong	[61]
	Obstetrician	产科医生	He Jing
	80s Engagement	大都市小爱情	Su jing	[62]
2015	Ordinary World	平凡的世界	Tian Runye
		酷爸俏妈	Huang Xiaoying	[63]
2017	Nirvana in Fire 2	琅琊榜之风起长林	Meng Qianxue	Special appearance
2018	Great Expectations	远大前程	Lin Yiyi
	Patriot	爱国者	Shu Jian
2019	Right Here Waiting For You	我在未来等你	adult Wei Xiao	Cameo[64]
2020	Perfect Partner	完美关系	Jiang Linda
	The Fiery Years of Gao Da Xia	高大霞的火红年代	Gao Daxia	[65]
	The Centimeter of Love	爱的厘米	Guan Yuqing	[66]
2021	Too Good to be Married	明天我们好好过	He Daye	[67]
	Refinement of Faith	百炼成钢	Qin Ziyin	Segment "Sing for the Nation"
2022	The Scale of Desire	杠杆	Chen Xin	[68]
TBA	The Love Without a Trace	爱无痕	Shen Lianxing	[69]
	Huan Xi Sha	浣溪沙	Xi Shi	[70]

Discography

Singles

Year	English title	Chinese title	Album	Notes
2012	"Love Has No Reason"	爱情没什么道理	My Economical Man OST
	"Only Sing For You"	只为你歌唱	—
2013	"Us"	我们	—	with her university friends
2018	"Don't Forget Me"	不要忘了我	How Long Will I Love U OST	with Lei Jiayin
2020	"Firmly Believe Love Will Win"	坚信爱会赢		COVID-19 pandemic support theme song[71]

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
2012	26th China TV Golden Eagle Award	Best Actress	Beijing Love Story	Nominated
2014	13th Huading Awards	Best Actress in a Television Series	Aftershock	Won	[72]
	6th China Image Film Festival	Best Young Actress	Beijing Love Story	Won	[73]
	6th Macau International Movie Festival	Best Actress		Nominated
2015	21st Shanghai Television Festival	Best Actress	Ordinary World	Nominated
2016	19th Huading Awards	Best Actress (Modern Drama)		Won	[74]
	28th China TV Golden Eagle Award	Best Actress		Won	[75]
2017	4th The Actors of China Award Ceremony	Best Actress (Emerald)	—	Won	[76]
2018	24th Huading Awards	Best Actress	Patriot	Nominated	[77]
	8th China Movie Channel Media Awards	Best Actress	How Long Will I Love U	Won	[21]
	17th Huabiao Awards	Outstanding Actress		Nominated	[78]
	18th Chinese Film Media Awards	Most Anticipated Actress		Won	[79]
2019	26th Beijing College Student Film Festival	Favorite Actress		Won	[80]
	25th Huading Awards	Best Actress		Nominated	[81]
	Cosmo Glam Night	Person of The Year (Dream)	—	Won	[82]
	Jinri Toutiao Awards Ceremony	Quality Actress of the Year	—	Won	[83]
2020	Weibo Awards Ceremony	Weibo Goddess	—	Won	[84]

Forbes China Celebrity 100

Year	Rank	Ref.
2013	79th	[85]
2014	43rd	[86]
2015	66th	[87]
2017	38th	[88]
2019	79th	[89]
2020	55th	[90]