Yong Mei

Yong Mei (; born 14 February 1970) is a Chinese actress. In 2019, she won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival for her performance in the film So Long, My Son directed by Wang Xiaoshuai. Early life and education An ethnic Mongol, Yong Mei was born on 14 February 1970 in Hohhot, the capital of China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Her original name in Mongolian is Sunjidma, meaning "fairy", which has given rise to her nickname "Sister Fairy". She studied business administration at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, where she was active in performing arts. Career After graduation from university, she initially worked in foreign trade, and later in the studio of the influential television hostess Xu Gehui (许戈辉). On the recommendation of Xu, Yong Mei starred in the 1997 television drama The Man Who Herds the Clouds (牧云的男人) and began her acting career. She had her breakout role in the 2004 television drama A Chinese-style Divorce (中国式离婚), which made her wildly popular. She was also praised for her performances in the TV series Cell Phone (手机), Ocean Paradise (海洋天堂), You Are My Lover (你是我爱人), and Cliff (悬崖, 2012). In 2015, Yong Mei appeared in Hou Hsiao-hsien's film The Assassin (or Assassin Nie Yinniang), in which she plays the mother of the title character, Nie Yinniang. The production lasted from 2012 to 2014; she thoroughly enjoyed the experience and held the film in high regard. She did not accept a major role for the next few years for lack of a suitable script that met her standard for quality.