# Zhang Ruoyun

Zhang Ruoyun (simplified Chinese: 张若昀; traditional Chinese: 張若昀; pinyin: Zhāng Ruòyún, born 24 August 1988) is a Chinese actor. He graduated from the Beijing Film Academy in 2007.

## Early life and education

Zhang was born in Beijing, on 24 August 1988, to Zhang Jian (张健), a director and producer. His grandfather is a geologist. At the age of 2, his parents divorced and he lived with his father.

## Career
### 2004–2014: Beginnings

Zhang made his acting debut in 2004, acting as the younger version of the male protagonist in The Sea's Promise. He first gained attention for his roles in Snow Leopard (2010) and its companion series, Black Fox (2011). He won the Most Popular New Actor award in 2010 for his performance in Snow Leopard. Zhang took on his first lead role in war drama Sharp Sword.
In 2014, he starred in New Snow Leopard, and won the Outstanding Actor award at the China TV Drama Awards.

### 2015–2023: Rising Popularity and Breakthrough

In 2015, Zhang starred in the web drama Wu Xin: The Monster Killer. The series was popular in both China and Taiwan, and led to increased recognition for Zhang in the region. Zhang then starred in youth romance drama Promise of Migratory Birds and fantasy dramas Novoland: The Castle in the Sky and Legend of Nine Tails Fox.
In 2016, Zhang starred in the hit espionage drama Sparrow. The popularity of the series propelled Zhang to mainstream popularity, and he won the Most Popular Actor award at the China TV Drama Awards. He then headlined the web drama Medical Examiner Dr. Qin. The series gained over 1.5 billion views on Sohu TV, and earned praise for its storyline and his performance. The same year, Zhang starred in his first film, Sky on Fire.
In 2017, he was cast in the titular role of Huo Qubing in historical drama, The Fated General. The same year, Zhang starred in the Chinese remake of Korean drama Dear My Friends. Zhang ranked 94th on Forbes China Celebrity 100 list.
In 2017-2018, Zhang took on the dual roles of Vladimir and Vershinin in the stage production Three Sisters & Waiting for Godot, a contemporary experimental theatrical play directed by Lin Zhaohua.
In 2018, Zhang starred in the romantic comedy drama The Evolution of Our Love.
In 2019, Zhang starred in the spy drama Awakening of Insects, the sequel to the 2016 hit drama Sparrow. He then starred as the male lead in historical epic Joy of Life based on the novel Qing Yu Nian by Mao Ni. Joy of Life received positive reviews and was a hit. For his outstanding performance in Joy of Life, Zhang earned his nomination for the Magnolia Award for Best Actor in a Television Series.
In 2020, Zhang was cast in the legal drama Perfect Evidence, and the film Evacuate From the 21st Century. That same year, he teamed up once again with Joy of Life screenwriter Wang Juan, this time for the wuxia drama Sword Snow Stride. The series premiered on December 15, 2021 on the CCTV Drama Channel and simultaneously aired on Tencent Video. By January 20, 2022, Sword Snow Stride had already amassed a viewership of over 6 billion on Tencent. Zhang ranked 37th on Forbes China Celebrity 100 list.
In 2021, Zhang starred as the male lead in the urban police drama Ordinary Greatness. This series received widespread acclaim and popularity. That same year, Zhang landed the lead role as Shuai Jiamo, a mathematical genius with Asperger's syndrome, in Under The Microscope, a production adapted from Ma Boyong's historical book "Under the Microscope of the Ming Dynasty".
In 2022, Zhang was cast as the lead, Lei Ming, in the drama The Hope. After the airing of the series finale in January 2024, he published a heartfelt reflection essay on his Weibo account. He was known for publishing insightful reflections on many of the characters he starred.

### 2024-present: Continued Success and Mainstream Recognition

Before 2024, Zhang was already recognized for his versatility and impressive performances across a wide range of characters. His breakthrough came in 2019 with the immensely popular series Joy of Life, where his portrayal of Fan Xian received critical acclaim. His success continued with every subsequent drama, spanning both historical and modern settings, where he demonstrated a remarkable ability to bring characters to life. His roles are always vivid and leave a lasting impression on audiences.
After a four-year hiatus since Joy of Life, filming for Joy of Life 2, in which Zhang reprised his role as the lead character Fan Xian, commenced in May 2023. When the TV series aired a year later, in May 2024, it achieved remarkable success, setting several records on Tencent Video, including the highest-ever popularity score. Joy of Life 2 also became the most-watched drama from mainland China on Disney+, and it gained considerable attention on platforms like YouTube and Viki, drawing two to three times the viewership of other highly regarded Chinese dramas.
The success of Joy of Life was not only a personal achievement for Zhang but also a key moment in the mainstream acceptance of male-oriented IP adaptations. In the past, such dramas were often dismissed as “niche,” “predictable,” or “awkward in terms of acting,” making it difficult for them to make a major impact in the market. However, Joy of Life broke these stereotypes, thanks to Zhang's outstanding performance, as well as its captivating storyline and high-quality work of the production and acting teams. Building on this success, several male-oriented IP dramas soon followed, igniting a wave of popularity for this genre. Zhang Ruoyun played a pivotal role in this shift.
In 2024, Zhang was cast as the male lead, Gao Feng, in the TV series Light of Dawn. In the summer of 2024, the film Evacuate From the 21st Century was released. That same year, for his outstanding performance in Ordinary Greatness, Zhang earned his nomination for China TV Golden Eagle Award for Best Actor.

## Personal life

Zhang and actress Tang Yixin revealed their relationship through Weibo on August 2, 2017. They got married in Ireland on June 27, 2019 after dating for close to 9 years.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
| 2016 | Sky on Fire | 沖天火 | Pan Ziwen | |
| 2018 | Nuts | 奇葩朵朵 | Huang Jian | |
| 2020 | Onward | ½的魔法 | Barley | Chinese dubbing |
| 2021 | 1921 | 1921 | Liu Shao Qi | |
| 2024 | Evacuate From the 21st Century | 从21世纪安全撤离 | Wang Zha | |
| 2024 | Mufasa: The Lion King | 狮子王：木法沙传奇 | Mufasa | Chinese dubbing |
| 2024 | The Litchi Road | 长安的荔枝 | Du Fu |

### Television series

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Network | Notes |
| 2004 | The Sea's Promise | 海的誓言 | young Ouyang Zheng | Youku | |
| 2010 | Snow Leopard | 雪豹 | Liu Zhihui | Hunan Channel | |
| 2011 | Barber | 理发师 | Zhao Jing | Hebei TV | |
| 2011 | Black Fox | 黑狐 | Fang Tianyi | Sichuan TV | |
| 2012 | Blood Rose | 血色玫瑰之女子特遣队 | Zhou Lichan | Sichuan TV | Guest appearance |
| 2013 | Flashing Swords | 雳剑 | Yan Songshen | Yunnan TV, Heilongjiang TV | |
| 2013 | Next Life I Will Still Marry You | 下辈子还嫁给你 | Fu Nianwen | Shandong TV | |
| 2013 | The Wind | 风影 | Fang Tianyi | Zhejiang TV | Guest appearance |
| 2013 | Love Song | 恋歌 | Lin Heng | Sichuan TV | |
| 2014 | New Snow Leopard | 雪豹坚强岁月 | Zhou Weiguo | Anhui TV, Zhejiang TV | |
| 2014 | Light and Shadow | 光影 | Luo Tianqiang | Zhejiang TV | |
| 2015 | Wu Xin: The Monster Killer | 无心法师 | Zhang Xianzong | Sohu TV | |
| 2015 | Intouchable | 男神执事团 | Jie | | |
| 2016 | Legend of Nine Tails Fox | 青丘狐传说 | Liu Zigu | Hunan TV | |
| 2016 | Promise of Migratory Birds | 十五年等待候鸟 | Pei Xiangxuan | Hunan TV | |
| 2016 | Novoland: The Castle in the Sky | 九州天空城 | Feng Tianyi | Jiangsu TV | |
| 2016 | Sparrow | 麻雀 | Tang Shanhai | Hunan TV | |
| 2016 | Medical Examiner Dr. Qin | 法医秦明 | Qin Ming | Sohu TV | |
| 2016 | Hei Hu Zhi Feng Ying | 黑狐之风影 | Fang Tianyi | Chongqing TV | Guest appearance |
| 2017 | Dear My Friends | 亲爱的她们 | He Anning | Hunan TV | |
| 2018 | The Evolution of Our Love | 爱情进化论 | Lu Fei | Dragon TV, Zhejiang TV | |
| 2019 | Hurricane | 暴风骤雨 | Zhao Yulin | Jiangsu Channel | |
| 2019 | Awakening of Insects | 惊蛰 | Chen Shan | Hunan TV | |
| 2019 | Joy of Life | 庆余年 | Fan Xian | iQiyi, Tencent | |
| 2021 | My Heroic Husband | 赘婿 | Jiang Haochen | Tencent | Cameo |
| 2021 | Sword Snow Stride | 雪中悍刀行 | Xu Fengnian | Tencent | |
| 2022 | Ordinary Greatness | 警察荣誉 | Li Dawei | iQiyi | |
| 2023 | Under The Microscope | 显微镜下的大明之丝绢案 | Shuai Jiamo | iQiyi | |
| 2023 | The Hope | 鸣龙少年 | Lei Ming | Youku | |
| 2024 | Judge Dee's Mystery | 大唐狄公案 | Diao Xiaoguan | Youku | Guest appearance |
| 2024 | Joy of Life 2 | 庆余年 第二季 | Fan Xian | Tencent, Disney+ | |
| TBA | Perfect Evidence | 完美证据 | Si Tujun | | |
| TBA | Light of Dawn | 人之初 | Gao Feng | | |
| TBA | Huo Qubing | 霍去病 | Huo Qubing | | |

### Theatre

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
| 2017-2018 | Three Sisters & Waiting for Godot | 三姐妹·等待戈多 | Vladimir, Vershinin | Director: Lin Zhaohua |
| 2018 | White Rabbit, Red Rabbit | 白兔子，红兔子 | | |

### Variety show

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
| 2017 | Divas Hit the Road | 花儿与少年第三季 | Cast member | Season 3 |
| 2016 | Who's the Murderer S1 | 明星大侦探第一季 | Cast member | ep5.The Missing Groom (消失的新郎) ep8.All Because of Beauty (都是漂亮惹的祸) |
| 2017 | Who's the Murderer S3 | 明星大侦探第三季 | Cast member | ep0.Detectives' Dignity (先导) ep1.Hotel Horrors I (酒店惊魂I) ep2.Hotel Horrors II (酒店惊魂II) |
| 2018 | Who's the Murderer S4 | 明星大侦探第四季 | Cast member | ep0.Detectives' Society (先导) ep1.Escape the Nameless Island I (逃出无名岛I) ep2.Escape the Nameless Island II (逃出无名岛II) ep5.Heaven Apartments (天堂公寓) ep11.Number One Player I (头号玩家I) ep12.Number One Player II (头号玩家II) |
| 2019 | Who's the Murderer S5 | 明星大侦探第五季 | Cast member | ep0.The Return of the Famous Detectives (先导) ep1.Pianist in the Sea I (海上钢琴师I) ep2.Pianist in the Sea II (海上钢琴师II) ep11.Murder on the Slow Northern Train I (北方慢车迷案I) ep12.Murder on the Slow Northern Train II-III (北方慢车迷案II-III) |
| 2020 | Who's the Murderer S6 | 明星大侦探第六季 | Cast member | ep1.Midnight Hotel I (夜半酒店I) ep2.Midnight Hotel II (夜半酒店II) ep3.New Four Talents (新四大才子) |
| 2022 | Who's the Murderer S7 | 大侦探7 | Regular cast member | All episodes |
| 2023 | Who's the Murderer S8 | 大侦探8 | Regular cast member | All episodes |
| 2024 | Who's the Murderer S9 | 大侦探9 | Regular cast member | All episodes |
| 2025 | Detectives' Holiday | 明侦探的假期 | Regular cast member | All epidosdes |
| 2025 | Who's the Murderer S10 | 大侦探 拾光季 | Regular cast member | All episodes |

## Discography

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Album | Notes |
| 2011 | "A Strong Person" | 坚强的人 | Black Fox OST | |
| 2013 | "Waking Up" | 醒来 | Love Song OST | |
| 2015 | "The Longest Journey" | 最长的旅途 | Wu Xin: The Monster Killer OST | |
| 2016 | "The Promise of Lateness" | 迟到的誓言 | Promise of Migratory Birds OST | |
| 2016 | "Stray" | 迷途 | Sparrow OST | |
| 2016 | "Eternal" | 不滅 | Medical Examiner Dr. Qin OST | Lyrics by Ruoyun Zhang |
| 2018 | "All Right" | — | The Evolution of Our Love OST | |
| 2021 | "Walking in the Snow" | 雪中行 | Sword Snow Stride | |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2012 | 2nd LeTV Entertainment Awards | Best Newcomer (TV) | — | Won |
| 2014 | 6th China TV Drama Awards | Excellent Actor Award | New Snow Leopard | Won |
| 2016 | 10th Tencent Video Star Awards | Influential Television Actor of the Year | — | Won |
| 2016 | 8th China TV Drama Awards | Popular Actor Award | Sparrow | Won |
| 2017 | 14th Esquire Man At His Best Awards | Most Talked About Actor | — | Won |
| 2019 | Sohu Fashion Awards | Drama Star of the Year | — | Won |
| 2019 | Golden Bud - The Fourth Network Film And Television Festival | Actor of the Year | Awakening of Insects, Joy of Life | Won |
| 2019 | Tencent Video All Star Awards | Quality Actor of the Year | Joy of Life | Won |
| 2019 | Beijing News Weekly | Person of the Year | — | Won |
| 2020 | Yuewen Original Literature Summit | Popular Actor of the Year | — | Won |
| 2020 | Yuewen Original Literature Summit | Heartthrob Actor | — | Won |
| 2020 | 12th China TV Drama Awards | Quality Actor of the Year | Joy of Life | Won |
| 2020 | 26th Shanghai Television Festival | Best Actor | Joy of Life | Nominated |
| 2020 | 7th The Actors of China Award Ceremony | Best Actor (Web series) | — | Won |
| 2020 | 30th China TV Golden Eagle Award | Audience's Choice for Actor | — | Nominated |
| 2021 |
| 2021 | GQ Men of the Year | Annual Role Model Power | — | Won |
| 2022 |
| 2022 | GQ Men of the Year | Annual Role Model Power | — | Won |
| 2022 | Weibo TV & Internet Video Summit | Quality Actor of the Year | — | Won |
| 2022 | IQIYI Scream Night | 【Drama Category】Actor of the Year | — | Won |
| 2023 | 1st CMG Annual Chinese TV Drama Ceremony | Popular Actor of the Year | Ordinary Greatness | Won |
| 2023 | Weibo TV & Internet Video Summit | Quality Actor of the Year | — | Won |
| 2023 | IQIYI Scream Night | 【Drama Category】Actor of the Year | — | Won |
| 2023 | Tencent Video All Star Awards | VIP Star of the Year | — | Won |
| 2023 | GQ Men of the Year | Annual Role Model Power | — | Won |
| 2024 |
| 2024 | 32nd China TV Golden Eagle Award | Best Actor | Ordinary Greatness | Nominated |
| 2024 | Tencent Video All Star Awards | VIP Star of the Year | — | Won |
| 2024 | Tencent Video All Star Awards | Most Influential Artist of the Year | — | Won |
| 2025 |
| 2025 | 3rd CMG Annual Chinese TV Drama Ceremony | Actor of the Year with the Most Appeal | Joy of Life 2 | Won |
| 2025 | Yuewen Global IP Awards | Actor of the Year | — | Won |

### Forbes China Celebrity 100

| Year | Rank | Ref. |
| 2017 | 94th | |
| 2020 | 32nd | |