Tong Liya

1.1. Childhood and Education

Tong Liya was born on August 8, 1983, in Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County, within the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture of Xinjiang province, specifically in Ghulja City. Her father, Tong Jisheng (佟吉生^{Chinese (Chinese characters)}), was of Xibe ethnicity from Xinjiang and held significant positions in music associations, serving as the executive vice-chairman and secretary-general of both the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture Musician Association and the Xinjiang Musician Association, and as a director of the China Musicians Association. Her mother, Mao Haiying (毛海英^{Chinese (Chinese characters)}), was of Han ethnicity from Gansu and an associate professor in the vocal music department of the Xinjiang Education Institute (now known as Xinjiang Normal College of Arts).

From a young age, Tong Liya showed a passion for the arts, beginning dance and acting training at the age of six at the Children's Palace in Ghulja City. In September 1996, she enrolled in the dance major at the Xinjiang Arts Institute's affiliated high school. By July 1997, she participated in an art performance celebrating Hong Kong's return to China. In September 1999, Tong was part of the Xinjiang float show at the 50th-anniversary celebration of the People's Republic of China, for which she received an Excellent Contribution Award.

She graduated with honors in 2000 and was appointed as a dancer to the Xinjiang Singing & Dancing Troupe. The same year, she obtained a qualification to teach dance at Xinjiang Arts Institute and also taught at Xinjiang Liyan Dance School and Urumqi Youth Palace, notably receiving a Level 4 Dance Teacher Training Certificate from the Xinjiang Dancers Association at seventeen. In September 2001, she earned a third-place national award at the second ethnic minority art festival for her duo dance performance titled "Joy Appears on Eyebrows." Tong continued her dance career, participating in CCTV's "The Same Song" series of stage performances in August 2002 and securing second place in the first Miss Xinjiang competition in September 2002. From October 2002, she toured nationwide as part of the China National Song and Dance Ensemble's large-scale folk song and dance performance "Journey to the Secret Land."

In 2003, Tong Liya graduated with excellence and was accepted into the China National Song and Dance Ensemble. However, shortly after arriving in Beijing, she contracted SARS. In early 2004, she performed at the Spring Festival Gala hosted by the Ministry of Culture. Following a merger with the Oriental Song and Dance Ensemble, she decided to transition her career. She applied to both the Beijing Film Academy and the Central Academy of Drama. She was accepted by both institutions simultaneously and, after careful consideration, chose the Central Academy of Drama, becoming the first Xibe student in the history of the Central Academy of Drama, where she majored in performance.

1.2. Xibe Ethnicity and Cultural Ambassadorship

Tong Liya's Xibe ancestry is a significant part of her identity. Given her background, she has actively embraced her heritage. In 2011, she was officially named the Ambassador of Xibe, a role in which she serves to promote and preserve the culture of the Xibe people from her home region of Xinjiang.

2.1. Debut and Early Recognition (2008-2011)

Tong Liya made her official acting debut in 2007 with a role as Guli in the television series Red Scorpion. In September 2006, she was cast by renowned Hong Kong director Derek Yee for a role in the television series C'est La Vie, Mon Chéri, which aired on CCTV in 2008. Although it was a supporting role, her beautiful appearance garnered significant public attention. She further left an impression with her performances in two other television dramas that year, Empty Lane and The Queens. In The Queens, which aired in 2009, she successfully portrayed the historical figure Zhao Feiyan, a role that significantly boosted her popularity and showcased her excellent dance skills.

After graduating from the Central Academy of Drama in 2008, Tong Liya continued to appear in several historical dramas, including Mother and Wife and Misty Rain in the Setting Sun. A turning point in her career came in 2011 with the time-travel drama Palace. The series became a major hit after its premiere on Hunan TV, achieving high ratings. Tong's outstanding performance in the drama led to a surge in her popularity, solidifying her status as one of the most beloved "Young Actresses" in China. The same year, she made her big-screen debut in the horror film The Purple House, co-starring with Jiro Wang.

2.2. Mainstream Success and Film Breakthrough (2012-2015)

Tong Liya continued her steady career growth into 2012. Her role as Shen Bing in the hit television drama Beijing Love Story garnered her high recognition for her fresh and intelligent demeanor. This period saw her diversify her acting genres, taking on roles in idol dramas, slice-of-life series like My Economical Man and Weaning, as well as more serious productions such as After Shock and Sword Family Woman.

By the end of 2012, Tong Liya established her own studio, marking a step toward independent career development. In January 2014, she officially married actor Chen Sicheng, with whom she had been in a relationship for three years. The film adaptation of Beijing Love Story, released in 2014, was a major box office success, grossing over 400.00 M CNY and marking her rise in the film industry. She then appeared in director Tsui Hark's 3D wuxia film The Taking of Tiger Mountain (2014), which premiered at the end of the year, topped the box office for two consecutive weeks, and amassed a total of 880.00 M CNY in box office revenue. She also starred in Chen Sicheng's comedy film Detective Chinatown (2015). Throughout this period, Tong was dubbed the "Ratings Queen" by Chinese media due to her consistent success in high-rating television dramas, including My Economical Man (2012), Weaning (2013), Sword Family Woman (2014), and Obstetrician (2014), all of which received excellent viewership and critical acclaim.

2.3. Later Career and Critical Acclaim (2015-Present)

In 2015, Tong Liya starred in the period drama Ordinary World, based on the renowned Mao Dun Literature Prize-winning novel by Lu Yao. Her performance in the series was critically acclaimed, leading her to win the prestigious Golden Eagle Award for Best Actress.

In 2017, she took on a role in the wuxia drama Nirvana in Fire 2, the sequel to the highly acclaimed Nirvana in Fire. The following year, 2018, Tong starred in two spy dramas: Great Expectations, where she played a wealthy lady who disguises herself as a man to infiltrate the underworld to seek revenge for her deceased father, and Patriot, in which she portrayed an underground spy. For her portrayal in Patriot, she received the Audience's Loved Character award at the China TV Drama Awards. The same year, Tong earned widespread acclaim and numerous accolades for her performance in the romance comedy film How Long Will I Love U, which was also screened at the 2018 Tokyo China Film Week.

In January 2020, Tong Liya starred in the workplace drama Perfect Partner, where she played a public relations officer. Her recent filmography includes Coward Hero (2019), My People, My Country (2019), My People, My Homeland (2020), Assassin in Red (2021), Black Dog (2024), and Octopus with Broken Arms (2024).

3.1. Music Activities

Tong Liya has also contributed to the music industry with several singles:

• "Love Has No Reason" (爱情没什么道理^{Chinese (Chinese characters)}) in 2012, an insert song for the television drama My Economical Man, performed as a duet with Qi Wei and Gao Lu.
• "Only Sing For You" (只为你歌唱^{Chinese (Chinese characters)}) in 2012.
• "Us" (我们^{Chinese (Chinese characters)}) in 2013, released with her university friends.
• "Don't Forget Me" (不要忘了我^Chinese) in 2018, part of the original soundtrack for the film How Long Will I Love U, performed with Lei Jiayin.
• "Firmly Believe Love Will Win" (坚信爱会赢^{Chinese (Chinese characters)}) in 2020, a theme song released in support of the COVID-19 pandemic efforts.

In 2004, she also appeared in the music video for Wang Hongwei's song "Kashgar Girl" (喀什噶尔女郎^Chinese).

3.2. Variety Show Appearances

Tong Liya has participated in several television variety and reality shows:

• In April 2011, she joined the third season of Hunan Satellite TV's Strictly Come Dancing. During the show, she and her partner Li Wei were considered strong contenders for the championship. However, she sustained a broken rib during training before the fifth round. Despite the injury, she continued to compete, eventually finishing in fifth place during the semi-finals on June 26.
• In 2012, she appeared on the popular variety show Happy Camp with Chen Sicheng, where they publicly announced their relationship.
• She was a guest on the second season of 12 Flavors in 2015.
• In 2016, she participated in the second season of the reality show Takes a Real Man.

5.1. Film

Tong Liya has appeared in the following films, including television films and short films:

5.2. Television Series

Tong Liya has appeared in the following television series:

6.1. Awards

6.2. Other Recognition

Tong Liya has also been featured on the Forbes China Celebrity 100 list, recognizing her influence and earnings within the Chinese entertainment industry.