FILM DIRECTOR
Zhang Yimou
1950 - Today
Zhang Yimou
Zhang Yimou (simplified Chinese: 张艺谋; traditional Chinese: 張藝謀; pinyin: Zhāngyìmóu; born 14 November 1950) is a Chinese filmmaker. Considered a key figure of China's Fifth Generation filmmakers, he made his directorial debut in 1988 with Red Sorghum, which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Zhang has won numerous awards and recognitions, with three Academy Awards nominations for Best Foreign Language Film for Ju Dou in 1990, Raise the Red Lantern in 1991, and Hero in 2003; a Silver Lion, two Golden Lion prizes and the Glory to the Filmmaker Award at the Venice Film Festival; Grand Jury Prize, Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and Technical Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival; the Golden Bear, the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Berlin International Film Festival. Read more on Wikipedia
Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Zhang Yimou has received more than 2,165,829 page views. His biography is available in 52 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 51 in 2019). Zhang Yimou is the 99th most popular film director (down from 85th in 2019), the 179th most popular biography from China (down from 144th in 2019) and the most popular Chinese Film Director.
Zhang Yimou is a Chinese film director, producer, and writer. He is best known for directing the films Raise the Red Lantern, To Live, and Hero.
Memorability Metrics
2.2M
Page Views (PV)
64.72
Historical Popularity Index (HPI)
52
Languages Editions (L)
7.38
Effective Languages (L*)
3.21
Coefficient of Variation (CV)
Among FILM DIRECTORS
Among film directors, Zhang Yimou ranks 99 out of 2,041. Before him are Andrzej Żuławski, Robert Bresson, René Clair, George Cukor, Sidney Lumet, and Michael Mann. After him are Sam Peckinpah, Ang Lee, Marcel Carné, Jean-Pierre Melville, Walter Hill, and Mel Brooks.
Most Popular Film Directors in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsAndrzej Żuławski
1940 - 2016
HPI: 65.40
Rank: 93
Robert Bresson
1901 - 1999
HPI: 65.36
Rank: 94
René Clair
1898 - 1981
HPI: 65.31
Rank: 95
George Cukor
1899 - 1983
HPI: 65.29
Rank: 96
Sidney Lumet
1924 - 2011
HPI: 65.29
Rank: 97
Michael Mann
1943 - Present
HPI: 64.87
Rank: 98
Zhang Yimou
1950 - Present
HPI: 64.72
Rank: 99
Sam Peckinpah
1925 - 1984
HPI: 64.71
Rank: 100
Ang Lee
1954 - Present
HPI: 64.63
Rank: 101
Marcel Carné
1906 - 1996
HPI: 64.58
Rank: 102
Jean-Pierre Melville
1917 - 1973
HPI: 64.57
Rank: 103
Walter Hill
1942 - Present
HPI: 64.55
Rank: 104
Mel Brooks
1926 - Present
HPI: 64.52
Rank: 105
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1950, Zhang Yimou ranks 25. Before him are Anne, Princess Royal, Gilles Villeneuve, Joe Hisaishi, Néstor Kirchner, Mithun Chakraborty, and Richard Branson. After him are Peter Gabriel, Ron Perlman, Richard Dean Anderson, Randy Quaid, William Hurt, and William H. Macy.
Others Born in 1950
Go to all RankingsAnne, Princess Royal
NOBLEMAN
1950 - Present
HPI: 66.55
Rank: 19
Gilles Villeneuve
RACING DRIVER
1950 - 1982
HPI: 65.72
Rank: 20
Joe Hisaishi
MUSICIAN
1950 - Present
HPI: 65.24
Rank: 21
Néstor Kirchner
POLITICIAN
1950 - 2010
HPI: 65.18
Rank: 22
Mithun Chakraborty
ACTOR
1950 - Present
HPI: 65.13
Rank: 23
Richard Branson
BUSINESSPERSON
1950 - Present
HPI: 64.85
Rank: 24
Zhang Yimou
FILM DIRECTOR
1950 - Present
HPI: 64.72
Rank: 25
Peter Gabriel
SINGER
1950 - Present
HPI: 64.56
Rank: 26
Ron Perlman
ACTOR
1950 - Present
HPI: 64.43
Rank: 27
Richard Dean Anderson
ACTOR
1950 - Present
HPI: 64.36
Rank: 28
Randy Quaid
ACTOR
1950 - Present
HPI: 64.33
Rank: 29
William Hurt
ACTOR
1950 - 2022
HPI: 63.90
Rank: 30
William H. Macy
ACTOR
1950 - Present
HPI: 63.87
Rank: 31
In China
Among people born in China, Zhang Yimou ranks 179 out of 1,610. Before him are Pang Tong (179), Ma Chao (176), Li Hongzhang (1823), Peng Dehuai (1898), Je Tsongkhapa (1357), and Zhang Liao (169). After him are Bolo Yeung (1946), Emperor Zhenzong (968), Wang Zhaojun (-50), Emperor Shenzong of Song (1048), 1st Dalai Lama (1391), and Kang Youwei (1858).
Others born in China
Go to all RankingsPang Tong
POLITICIAN
179 - 214
HPI: 64.90
Rank: 173
Ma Chao
POLITICIAN
176 - 222
HPI: 64.87
Rank: 174
Li Hongzhang
POLITICIAN
1823 - 1901
HPI: 64.85
Rank: 175
Peng Dehuai
POLITICIAN
1898 - 1974
HPI: 64.85
Rank: 176
Je Tsongkhapa
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1357 - 1419
HPI: 64.79
Rank: 177
Zhang Liao
MILITARY PERSONNEL
169 - 222
HPI: 64.75
Rank: 178
Zhang Yimou
FILM DIRECTOR
1950 - Present
HPI: 64.72
Rank: 179
Bolo Yeung
ACTOR
1946 - Present
HPI: 64.63
Rank: 180
Emperor Zhenzong
POLITICIAN
968 - 1022
HPI: 64.59
Rank: 181
Wang Zhaojun
POLITICIAN
50 BC - 100 BC
HPI: 64.58
Rank: 182
Emperor Shenzong of Song
POLITICIAN
1048 - 1085
HPI: 64.53
Rank: 183
1st Dalai Lama
POLITICIAN
1391 - 1474
HPI: 64.50
Rank: 184
Kang Youwei
WRITER
1858 - 1927
HPI: 64.47
Rank: 185
Among FILM DIRECTORS In China
Among film directors born in China, Zhang Yimou ranks 1. After him are John Woo (1946), Wong Kar-wai (1958), Terence Young (1915), Yuen Woo-ping (1945), Chen Kaige (1952), Edward Yang (1947), Lo Wei (1918), King Hu (1932), Ann Hui (1947), Xie Jin (1923), and James Wong Howe (1899).
Zhang Yimou
1950 - Present
HPI: 64.72
Rank: 1
John Woo
1946 - Present
HPI: 64.03
Rank: 2
Wong Kar-wai
1958 - Present
HPI: 63.33
Rank: 3
Terence Young
1915 - 1994
HPI: 59.75
Rank: 4
Yuen Woo-ping
1945 - Present
HPI: 57.75
Rank: 5
Chen Kaige
1952 - Present
HPI: 57.34
Rank: 6
Edward Yang
1947 - 2007
HPI: 56.34
Rank: 7
Lo Wei
1918 - 1996
HPI: 55.69
Rank: 8
King Hu
1932 - 1997
HPI: 53.53
Rank: 9
Ann Hui
1947 - Present
HPI: 52.87
Rank: 10
Xie Jin
1923 - 2008
HPI: 48.94
Rank: 11
James Wong Howe
1899 - 1976
HPI: 48.44
Rank: 12