# Li Pingqian

Li Pingqian (1902 – 18 November 1984), also known as Jack Pingqian Li, was a Chinese filmmaker who directed over 100 films in his career in mainland China and Hong Kong. He is probably best known for his works with actresses Gong Qiuxia and Xia Meng, who each starred in more than a dozen of his films. Moreover, his 1964 Huangmei opera film Three Charming Smiles starring Chen Sisi was a huge hit in China.

## Life

Li was born in Hangzhou and was originally given the name Chunchou. He moved to Shangai in the 1920s to begin a career in filmmaking after leaving Hujiang University in 1919, where he studied sociology but did not graduate. In 1924, he co-founded Shenzhou Film Company with Wu Xuchang. The company went bankrupt in 1927 and Li joined Tianyi Film Company. He eventually moved on to Mingxing Film Company, until that was destroyed by Japanese bombardments during World War II.
In the 1950s, Li moved to Hong Kong and became directing Cantonese films for companies such as Yonghua and Great Wall Film Company.
Many of Li's earlier works are lost.

## Filmography
### As actor

| Year | English title | Original title | Role | Director | Notes |
| 1925 | Unbearable Memories | 不堪回首 | Zhu Wenguang | | Lost |
| 1925 | Wedding Day | 佳期 | | | Lost |
| 1925 | The Night with the Full Moon | 花好月圆 | | | Lost |
| 1926 | Embarrassing Sister | 難為了妹妹 | | Yes | Lost |
| 1927 | A Crushing Blow | 劉關張大破黃巾 | | | Lost |
| 1927 | The Female Lawyer | 女律師 | | | Lost |
| 1928 | Precious Ruby | 紅寶石 | | Yes | Lost |
| 1928 | Stories of Sherlock Holmes | 福爾摩斯偵探案 | Sherlock Holmes | Yes | Lost |
| 1955 | It So Happens to a Woman | 我是一個女人 | | Yes | |

### As director

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Notes |
| 1926 | Embarrassing Sister | 難為了妹妹 | Also actor |
| 1926 | My Good Boy | 好兒子 | Co-director |
| 1927 | Princess Iron Fan | 鐵扇公主 | Co-director |
| 1927 | New Camellia | 新茶花 | |
| 1927 | Maiden in Armour | 花木蘭從軍 | |
| 1927 | Wails to Pagoda | 仕林祭塔 | Co-director |
| 1927 | Ladies Kingdom | 西遊記·女兒國 | Co-director |
| 1928 | The Lotus Cave | 蓮花洞 | Also writer |
| 1928 | Precious Ruby | 紅寶石 | Two-part film, also writer and actor |
| 1929 | Emperor Qianlong Tours the South Part III | 乾隆遊江南第3集 | |
| 1929 | Lonely Swan After the Calamity | 劫後孤鴻 | Also writer |
| 1929 | Warnings for the Lovers | 情慾寶鑑 | |
| 1929 | Flowers Platform on Fire | 火燒百花臺 | Two-part film |
| 1930 | Yang Yunyou and Dong Qichang | 楊雲友與董其昌 | |
| 1930 | The Queen of College Students | 大學皇后 | Two-part film |
| 1931 | Between Themselves | 夫妻之間 | |
| 1931 | Stories of Sherlock Holmes | 福爾摩斯偵探案 | Also actor |
| 1931 | Arsène Lupin | 亞森羅賓 | |
| 1931 | Emperor Qianlong Tours the South Part VIII | 乾隆遊江南第8集 | |
| 1931 | Emperor Qianlong Tours the South Part IX | 乾隆遊江南第9集 | |
| 1931 | Pleasures of the Dance Hall | 歌唱春色 | |
| 1932 | Miss Shanghai Han Xiuwen | 上海小姐韓繡雯 | |
| 1932 | Two Daughters of the Northeast | 東北二女子 | |
| 1932 | Old and New Problems | 舊恨新愁 | |
| 1932 | Poetry Written on the Banana Leaf | 芭蕉葉上詩 | |
| 1932 | A Married Woman | 有夫之婦 | |
| 1933 | A Modern Woman | 現代一女性 | |
| 1933 | Good Harvest | 豐年 | |
| 1933 | Sons and Daughters of the Times | 時代的兒女 | |
| 1933 | The Spring Dream of the Lute | 琵琶春怨 | Also writer |
| 1934 | Three Sisters | 三姊妹 | Also co-writer |
| 1934 | The Classic for Girls | 女兒經 | Co-director |
| 1935 | Ardent, Loyal Souls | 民族魂 | Co-director |
| 1935 | Human Being | 人倫 | Also writer |
| 1936 | The Battle Between Peach and Plum | 桃李爭艷 | Also writer |
| 1936 | Rendezvous | 夜會 | |
| 1937 | The Flower Blossoms and Wilts | 花開花落 | |
| 1938 | A Pair in Love | 鳳求凰 | |
| 1938 | Camille | 茶花女 | Also writer |
| 1939 | The World of Money | 金銀世界 | |
| 1939 | The Imperial Maid Fei Zhen'e | 費貞娥刺虎 | Also writer |
| 1939 | The Young Mistress' Fan | 少奶奶的扇子 | |
| 1939 | Regrets of Life and Death | 生死恨 | Also writer |
| 1940 | Du Shiniang | 杜十娘 | Also writer |
| 1940 | Hongxian Steals the Case | 紅線盜盒 | |
| 1941 | The Living Way | 生路 | |
| 1941 | The Family | 家 | Co-director |
| 1941 | Where Will You Go | 生離死別 | Also writer |
| 1941 | The Brave Lady | 英烈傳 | Also writer |
| 1941 | The Widow | 風流寡婦 | |
| 1941 | King of the Inferno | 地藏王 | |
| 1942 | Compassion | 博愛 | Co-director |
| 1942 | A Distinguished Lady | 貴婦風流 | Also writer |
| 1942 | Four Sisters | 四姊妹 | Also writer |
| 1942 | Two Guys and a Girl | 歡喜冤家 | Also writer |
| 1943 | Gratitude and Vengeance of Actors | 藝海恩仇記 | Also writer |
| 1943 | The Fight over a Child | 桃李爭春 | |
| 1943 | Floating Clouds Cover the Moon | 浮雲掩月 | |
| 1943 | Madam Butterfly | 蝴蝶夫人 | |
| 1944 | Song from Another Heaven | 天外笙歌 | |
| 1944 | Drifting Petals | 惜花飞 | |
| 1945 | New Year Day | 萬戶更新 | Co-director |
| 1947 | Mother and Son | 母與子 | |
| 1947 | Spring over the Lake | 湖上春痕 | Also writer |
| 1947 | Hang on to Your Relatives | 裙帶風 | |
| 1948 | The Murderer | 兇手 | |
| 1948 | Catch the Dream | 春歸何處 | |
| 1949 | Our Husband | 春雷 | Also writer |
| 1950 | A Strange Woman | 一代妖姬 | |
| 1950 | The Awful Truth | 說謊世界 | |
| 1951 | A Night-Time Wife | 禁婚記 | |
| 1952 | Blossoms in the Heart | 百花齊放 | |
| 1952 | A Bachelor Is Born | 方帽子 | |
| 1952 | City Adventure | 蜜月 | |
| 1953 | Marriage Affair | 門 | |
| 1953 | Day Dream | 白日夢 | |
| 1953 | Parents' Love | 寸草心 | |
| 1953 | The Peerless Beauty | 絕代佳人 | |
| 1954 | Tales of the City | 都會交響曲 | |
| 1955 | It So Happens to a Woman | 我是一個女人 | Also actor |
| 1956 | The Three Loves | 三戀 | |
| 1957 | Escape into Trap | 逆旅風雲 | |
| 1957 | Forever Waiting | 望夫山下 | |
| 1958 | Miss Fragrance | 香噴噴小姐 | |
| 1958 | The Green Swan Club | 綠天鵝夜總會 | |
| 1960 | Girl on the Front Page | 新聞人物 | |
| 1960 | Laugh, Clown, Laugh | 笑笑笑 | |
| 1960 | Rendezvous | 佳人有約 | |
| 1961 | The Seaman and the Dancing Girl | 華燈初上 | |
| 1961 | A Dazzling Trap | 迷魂阱 | |
| 1962 | The Princess Falls in Love | 三看御妹劉金定 | Yue opera film |
| 1963 | Between Vengeance and Love | 雪地情仇 | |
| 1964 | Three Charming Smiles | 三笑 | Huangmei opera film |
| 1965 | Romantic World | 艷遇 | |
| 1965 | A Heroic Romance | 烽火姻緣 | Yue opera film |

## In popular culture

In the 2008 Chinese TV series Zhao Dan (赵丹), Li Pingqian is portrayed by actor Meng Jun (孟俊).