# Zhang Zhehan

Zhang Zhehan (Chinese: 张哲瀚; born May 11, 1991) is a Chinese actor and singer. His first major role was as Wei Ying in the Chinese historical drama Legend of Ban Shu (2015). He is best known for his roles in Legend of Yunxi (2018), The Blooms at Ruyi Pavilion (2020), and Word of Honor (2021).
In 2020, he received the Weibo Award for Rising Artist of the Year. He won the Weibo Movie Night award for Most Watched/Followed Actor of the Year in June 2021.
In 2021, Zhang faced severe criticism in China after being involved in a controversy over photos taken years earlier in Japan at a spot near the Yasukuni Shrine and Nogi Shrine due to the shrines' honoring of imperial Japanese military officers who invaded China. This criticism resulted in the removal of his online social media accounts, movies, television shows, and music. In December 2022, Zhang returned from a year of domestic boycott with the release of new music on international platforms outside of mainland China.

## Early life

Zhang Zhehan was born in Xinyu, Jiangxi province, China on May 11, 1991. He graduated from the Shanghai Theatre Academy.

## Career
### 2010–2021: Early years and breakthrough success

In 2010, Zhang made his acting debut in the romantic drama Why Love You. Thereafter, he signed a contract with Yu Zheng's studio, and played the leading role in the comedy web series Crazy for Palace and its sequel. The series gained a small following online.
Zhang then went on to act in various supporting roles in dramas produced by Yu Zheng; such as Palace 3: The Lost Daughter, The Romance of the Condor Heroes and Love Yunge from the Desert. He first gained recognition playing the role of the antagonist in the mystery costume drama Cosmetology High, and went on to portray young Mei Changsu in the acclaimed historical drama Nirvana in Fire.
In 2015, Zhang played the male lead in historical drama Legend of Ban Shu with Jing Tian. He went on to play lead roles in the spy drama Decoded, and headlined both seasons of the fantasy web series Demon Girl. In 2018, Zhang played in the historical romance drama Legend of Yunxi alongside Ju Jingyi. The series received much praise for its storyline. In 2019, Zhang performed in the disaster film The Bravest as a firefighter. He starred as Wang Yue in the short film Brother, which was directed by Vicky Zhao. He has also appeared as a regular member in the variety show Everybody Standby.
In 2020, Zhang starred in the romantic drama Everyone Wants to Meet You produced by Zhao Wei. Zhang also appeared in the historical romance drama The Blooms at Ruyi Pavilion alongside Ju Jingyi.
In 2021, Zhang starred alongside Gong Jun in the Wuxia drama series Word of Honor, which is an adaptation of the BL novel Tian Ya Ke by Priest. He played the role of Zhou Zishu, an elite royal service leader who leaves his past and starts anew. He then met Wen Kexing, a mysterious martial arts master. Both embark on a journey together and find soulmates in each other. Word of Honor gained popularity in and outside of China, especially after the show aired on Netflix. The show's first episode has accumulated over 8.7 million views on YouTube, and its popularity put the two male leads Gong Jun and Zhang under the spotlight, becoming overnight sensations.

### 2021: Domestic boycott

On August 13, 2021, photos surfaced online of Zhang posing in front of cherry blossom trees near Japan's Yasukuni Shrine in 2018 and of him attending a wedding ceremony at Nogi Shrine in 2019. The shrines are controversial in China due to their honoring of imperial Japanese military officers who invaded China. At the wedding, Zhang also took a photo with Dewi Sukarrno, who was labeled by many Weibo users as "a right-wing anti-Chinese politician". The photos sparked outrage among Chinese netizens. Zhang issued an apology, stating: "Today, I deeply apologize for my past ignorance, my shame and especially my previous improper behaviour. I attended a friend’s wedding in Japan. It is my mistake for the oversight of [not knowing] the historical background behind the wedding venue and the political background of the other wedding guests. When I used to travel everywhere, I liked to casually take pictures. Due to the lack of understanding for the local architecture and the history and being careless about the content when taking pictures, when I took the pictures, it resulted in content that seriously harmed the feelings of compatriots. I also solemnly apologize here, I am sorry." In response, the People's Daily stated: "As a public figure, a lack of historical knowledge and unknowingness of the suffering of the nation is unacceptable."
The China Association of Performing Arts (CAPA), a voluntary association made up of management companies and members of the entertainment industry, called for a boycott on Zhang due to the controversial photos. Numerous brand endorsements terminated their association with Zhang. His upcoming films and television shows also ended their associations with him; Tencent Video, Youku, iQIYI and Mango TV took down his works from their streaming platforms in China voluntarily and Zhang's scenes in the movie 1921 were replaced by another actor. Sina Weibo shut down his Super Topic, and his personal and studio accounts were removed from Douyin, Douban and other Chinese sites. QQ Music and NetEase Music removed Zhang's songs from their music platforms.
Li Xuezheng, the Vice Chairman of the China TV Artists Association and Director of the Golden Shield Television Center questioned the authority of the China Association of Performing Arts (CAPA) to issue a blacklist of artists, which had included Zhang. Li says Zhang was not blacklisted by the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) or the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, who, Li argues, are the only authorities able to blacklist people in the industry. According to Chinese regulations, issuing a "boycott announcement" is not within the scope of CAPA's business. He questioned who compiled the list, what criteria was used, and whether CAPA has the legal power to impose sanctions against Chinese online influencers and performers. Li said he was prepared to help Zhang file a lawsuit against CAPA since he believes Zhang did not violate any laws in order for him to be censored. Later on January 1, 2022, Li released a 10-minute interview with Zhang on his Weibo page, which was the first time Zhang appeared on a public platform since August 2021. During the interview, Zhang said that he did not enter or visit the Yasukuni Shrine and expressed a willingness to be investigated. He also stated: "Both my mother and I fell into a state of panic. I didn't dare to go out and even started to doubt myself. I've been very patriotic but suddenly, after the incident, people are calling me a traitor. They even called my mum the mistress of a Japanese and insulted my dad, who actually passed away in 2016. I've been living in fear and don't dare to go out". The allegations that Zhang had visited Japan's Yasukuni Shrine and taken photographs with an anti-Chinese politician are likely fabricated. In December 2021, Zhang filed a police report over online defamation.

### 2022–present: Return to public life, music releases

In April 2022, Zhang returned to social media and posted a handwritten letter on his Instagram account thanking his supporters and requested that those reading his letter not hurt his family and friends. He also wrote that he and another star of Word of Honor had not had any contact since June 2021. In a follow-up video, he claimed that this ex-colleague had been using elements related to Zhang in their own endorsements without permission. This video and follow up posts caused a number of online fans to report his account as a deep fake due to their ongoing belief that the two actors were secretly in a same-sex romantic relationship despite his clarification. While Zhang did not directly indicate which co-star by name, newspapers reported his posts implicated his co-star Gong Jun's marketing team as the ones capitalizing on the fandom shipping of the two while Zhang was cancelled. In the same video, Zhang stated outside sources were "spending lots of money to create rumors about the political standing of a patriotic citizen, editing Baidu pages, working with social influencers, and using large amounts of Internet Water Army to influence the media."
In December 2022, Zhang returned from a year of domestic boycott with two singles "Melancholy Sunshine" and "Knight Errant", both reaching #1 on the global iTunes music charts. The lyricist and composer for "Melancholy Sunshine" was Malaysian songwriter Keon Chia, and Zhang Zhehan helped compose the lyrics for "Knight Errant". Both of the singles are part of the album Deep Blue. On January 14, 2023, the third single "Journey", in the Deep Blue series was released on various platforms. Zhang wrote and composed this song. The song played on Taiwanese radio HIT FM and Canadian Fairchild radio from December 28 to 30, 2022. On January 26, 2023, the fourth single "Primordial Theater", in the Deep Blue series was released on various platforms. Zhang wrote the lyrics for this song. The fifth single, "Lost Glacier," of the Deep Blue series was released on February 14, 2023. The song was earlier launched on Taiwanese radio HIT FM and Canadian Fairchild radio from February 8 to 10, 2023. The sixth single, Magnificent Life, of the Deep Blue series, premiered on YouTube on March 17, 2023. It was released on various platforms at midnight on March 18, 2023. The seventh song, Stars light you up, of the Deep Blue series, premiered on YouTube on April 13, 2023. The song was jointly premiered on multiple radio stations from April 12 to 14, 2023, including Taiwanese radio Hit Fm Network, MY Malaysia, UFM Singapore, and Canadian Fairchild radio. The album, Deep Blue, was released on April 14, 2023.
On April 26, 2023, the first single "Datura", in the Datura series was released on various platforms. On May 8, 2023, the second single "Believer", in the Datura series was released on various platforms. From May 10 to 11, 2023, Zhang held his concert titled “Zhang Zhehan 2023 Concert: Primordial Theater” in Bangkok, Thailand. Zhang was reportedly involved in various aspects of the concert, and celebrated his 32nd birthday with fans. On May 21, 2023, the third single "Moonlight", in the Datura series was released on various platforms. The song was premiered jointly on multiple radio stations from May 17 to 19, 2023. On June 21, 2023, the fourth single "Time to leave", in the Datura series was released on various platforms. On August 8, 2023, the fifth single "Unfinished Journey", in the Datura series was released on various platforms. Zhang co-wrote the lyrics and music for this song. In September 2023, Zhang released two more singles in the Datura series, "Pressure" and "Chase". On September 17, 2023, Zhang held the second stop of his concert titled “Zhang Zhehan 2023 Concert: Primordial Theater” in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. On October 7, 2023, Zhang performed on MY BIG SHOW A.I.23 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. On November 25, 2023, at Yes 933 Hits Fest 2023 in Singapore, Zhang, who won "Artist of the Year", performed several of his own songs including "Magnificent Life", which was crowned "Hit of the Year".

## Filmography
### Films

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
| 2011 | Ni Shi Hen Mei | 逆时·恒美 | Xiao Zhi | |
| 2011 | Love For Hope | 爱缤纷 | Zou Xiang | |
| 2012 | Eager to Create | 为渴望而创 | Ah Le | |
| 2012 | Haunting Love | 诡爱 | Li Ming Yan | |
| 2019 | The Bravest | 烈火英雄 | Zheng Zhi | |
| 2019 | Brother | 哥 | Wang Yue | Short Film directed by Zhao Wei for the show Everybody Stand By (Season 1) |
| 2019 | long Island Ice Tea | 長島冰茶 | Xiao Fei | Short Film directed by Zhao Wei for the show Everybody Stand By (Season 1) |
| 2019 | Mi Fang | | Xiao Fei | Short Film directed by Zhao Wei for the show Everybody Stand By (Season 1) |
| 2019 | Mask | 面具 | Xiao Fei / Xue Shao | Short Film directed by Zhao Wei for the show Everybody Stand By (Season 1) |
| 2021 | 1921 | | Xiao Zisheng | |
| 2024 | August | 八月 | Zhang Zhehan | Zhang Zhehan's directorial debut documentary |
| 2024 | August | 八月 | Zhang Zhehan | ARFF Amsterdam Official May 2024 Selection ARFF Globe Award |
| 2024 | August | 八月 | Zhang Zhehan | Red Movie Rewards 2024 Summer Edition Best Screenplay |
| 2024 | August | 八月 | Zhang Zhehan | ARFF Amsterdam 2024 Best Documentary |

### Television series

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Network |
| 2010 | Why Love You | 怎么会爱上你 | Xia Yanxi | Youku, LeTV |
| 2013 | Crazy for Palace | 我为宫狂 | Xiao Hao | Tencent |
| 2014 | Palace 3: The Lost Daughter | 宫锁连城 | Sun He Li | Hunan TV |
| 2014 | Incisive Great Teacher | 犀利仁师 | Jin Ren Bin | Dragon TV, Zhejiang TV, iQIYI |
| 2014 | Cosmetology High | 美人制造 | Pei Yuntian | Hunan TV |
| 2014 | The Romance of the Condor Heroes | 神雕侠侣 | Ye Lu Qi | Hunan TV |
| 2014 | Crazy for Palace 2 | 我为宫狂2 | Xiao Hao | Tencent |
| 2015 | Love Yunge from the Desert | 大汉情缘之云中歌 | Liu Xu | Hunan TV, Youku, iQIYI |
| 2015 | Nirvana in Fire | 琅琊榜 | Lin Shu (Young) | Beijing TV, Dragon TV, Tencent, iQIYI |
| 2015 | Legend of Ban Shu | 班淑传奇 | Wei Ying | Youku |
| 2016 | ACG Hero | 动漫英雄 | Zhang Wei | Sohu TV |
| 2016 | Decoded | 解密 | Han Bing | Hunan TV, Tencent, iQIYI |
| 2016 | Demon Girl | 半妖倾城 | Ming Xia | Mango TV |
| 2016 | Happy Mitan | 欢喜密探 | Dian Xiao Er | Youku |
| 2016 | Memory Lost | 美人为馅 | (Guy in the dream) | iQiyi |
| 2016 | Demon Girl II | 半妖倾城II | Ming Xia | Mango TV |
| 2017 | Above the Clouds | 云巅之上 | Ke Luo | iQiyi |
| 2018 | Legend of Yunxi | 芸汐传 | Long Fei Ye | iQiyi |
| 2020 | Everyone Wants to Meet You | 谁都渴望遇见你 | Zhang Min | iQiyi |
| 2020 | The Blooms at Ruyi Pavilion | 如意芳霏 | Xu Jin | iQiyi |
| 2021 | Word of Honor | 山河令 | Zhou Zishu/Zhou Xu | Youku |
| 2023 | Castle in the Time | 時光之城 | Gu Chi Jun | LaLa TV |
| TBA | The Second Sight Fall in Love | 一见不倾心 | Yang Jing Yi | Uncertain due to his controversy |
| TBA | Zhao Ge | 朝歌 | Ji Fa | Uncertain due to his controversy |
| TBA | Retro Detective | 复古神探 | Huang Wei Ping | Uncertain due to his controversy |

### Variety shows

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Network |
| 2010 | China-Korea Dream Team | 中韩梦之队 | | |
| 2010 | A good boy at home | 家有好男儿 | Guest | |
| 2014 | Laugh Out Loud | 我们都爱笑 | | |
| 2014 | | 新闻当事人 | | |
| 2014 | The Generation Show | 年代秀 | | |
| 2014 | Happy Camp | 快乐 大本营 | Guest | Hunan TV |
| 2015 | Trump Card | 大牌对王牌 | | |
| 2015 | | 灌篮高手 | | |
| 2015 | Lets Go! Dream Team Season 2 | 中韩梦之队 | Guest | Shenchuan TV |
| 2015 | China and South Korea Dream Team | 中韩梦之队 | Cast member | Shenchuan TV |
| 2016 | The Amazing Race China | 极速前进 | Cast member | Shenzhen TV |
| 2017 | Beat the Champions | 来吧冠军 | | |
| 2018 | Give Me Five 2 | 高能少年团 2 | Guest | Zhejiang TV |
| 2018 | Taste of Time (10/21 & 10/28) | 时光的味道 | Cast member | iQIYI, Beijing TV |
| 2018 | Happy Camp (09/11 & 11/17) | 快乐 大本营 | Guest | Hunan TV |
| 2019 | Everybody Stand By (Season 1) | 演员请就位 | Contestant | Tencent |
| 2020 | Ace vs Ace (Season 5) | 王牌对王牌 | Guest | Zhejiang TV |
| 2021 | Ace vs Ace (Season 6) | 王牌对王牌 | Guest | Zhejiang TV |
| 2021 | Ace Actress | 我是女演员 | Substitute Teacher (with Gong Jun) | Youku, Jiangsu Satellite TV |
| 2021 | Keep Running (Season 9) | 奔跑吧 | Guest | Zhejiang TV |
| 2021 | Happy Camp (04/03 & 06/12) | 快乐 大本营 | Guest | Hunan TV |

## Discography

* Light (2019)
* Another Me (2020)
* Deep Blue (2023)
* Datura (2024)

## Concerts

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2020 | First Mini Concert | Beijing (October 18, 2020) |
| 2021 | Word of Honor Theme Concert: Born to Be Soulmates | Suzhou (May 3 & 4, 2021) |
| 2023 | Zhang Zhehan 2023 Concert: Primordial Theater | Bangkok, Thailand (May 10–11, 2023) |
| 2023 | Zhang Zhehan 2023 Concert: Primordial Theater | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (September 17, 2023) |
| 2023 | MY BIG SHOW A.I.23 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (October 7, 2023) |
| 2023 | Yes 933 Hits Fest 2023 | Singapore (November 25, 2023) |
| 2024 | Zhang Zhehan 2024 Concert: Primordial Theater | Hong Kong, China (February 16, 2024) |
| 2024 | Zhang Zhehan 2024 Concert: Primordial Theater II | Seoul, South Korea (November 16, 2024) |

### Performances

| Date | English title | Chinese title | Event |
| May 11, 2021 | Birthday Fanmeet Live | 生日粉丝见面会 | Birthday Douyin Live |
| May 21, 2021 | Performed Wu Ti (Untitled), Huanrao (Surround), Love Curse & ChaCha of Love | 唱了四首歌（两个二重唱） | Viya Streaming Carnival |
| June 12, 2021 | A Love Letter to Filmmakers | 给电影人的情书 | Weibo Night Awards |
| June 15, 2021 | Performed Unbreakable Love & Surround (Huanrao) | 永不失联 的爱，环绕 | 616 True Heart Night |

## Awards and nominations

| Organization | Year | Category | Result |
| Uno Young Awards | 2018 | Annual Potential Actor | Won |
| Actors Please Take Your Place | 2019 | Actor most recognized by the audience | Won |
| Weibo Night Awards | 2019 | Most Anticipated New Power in Movies | Won |
| Weibo Night Awards | 2020 | Enterprising Artist of the Year | Won |
| Weibo Night Awards | 2021 | Most Watched/Followed Actor of the Year | Won |
| Yes 933 Hits Fest 2023 Awards | 2023 | Artist of the Year | Won |
| Yes 933 Hits Fest 2023 Awards | 2023 | Hit of the Year | Won |
| Hito Music Awards | 2024 | The Most Popular Newcomer Award | Won |
| Hito Music Awards | 2024 | Hito Premiere Click Popularity Award | Won |
| KKBox 19th Music Awards | 2024 | Artist of the Year | Won |
| ARFF Amsterdam Official May 2024 Selection | 2024 | ARFF Globe Award | Won |
| ARFF Amsterdam 2024 Annual Awards | 2024 | Best Documentary | Won |
| Red Movie Rewards 2024 Summer Edition | 2024 | Best Screenplay | Won |
| Red Movie Rewards 2024 Summer Edition | 2024 | Best Drone | Honorable Mention |
| Madrid Film Awards 2024/25 11th Edition | 2024 | Best Half-Length Film | Won |
| Madrid Film Awards 2024/25 11th Edition | 2024 | Best Editing | Official Selection |
| Moverick Movie Awards | 2024 | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| KKBox 20th Music Awards | 2025 | Artist of the Year | Won |
| Mindfield Film Festival • Albuquerque (Bi-Monthly Competition - November/December 2024) | 2025 | Best Documentary Feature: Diamond Award | Won |
| Mindfield Film Festival • Albuquerque (Bi-Monthly Competition - November/December 2024) | 2025 | Best Director: Platinum Award | Won |
| Accolade Global Film Competition | 2025 | Awards of Excellence - Special Mention | Won |