Zhao Li Ying, who also goes by the name Zanilia Zhao, is a Chinese actress. Born on October 16, 1987, was first discovered after she won reality competition “Search Star Game” in 2006. After making her acting debut in the 2006 historical series “Nanyue King,” she went on to star in such popular series as “New My Fair Princess” (2011), “Legend of Lu Zhen” (2013), “Boss & Me” (2014), “The Legend of Chusen 2” (2016-2017) and “Princess Agents” (2017). Zhao Li Ying also was crowned the “Golden Eagle Goddess” during the China TV Golden Eagle Awards in 2014.

Zhao Li Ying

From Reel To Real: 5 C-Drama Couples That Found Love On Set

Tencent

Born into the demon world, ShenLi (Zhao Li Ying) grew in power, her skill on the battlefield eventually earning her the title of General Bi Cang. Pressured into a political marriage against her will, the general chose to fight for her freedom rather than accept the match. Sustaining injuries, ShenLi reverts to her original form and falls into the human world as a phoenix where she is picked up by a mortal vendor and sold as a plucked chicken at a local human market to Xing Zhi (Lin Geng Xin).

A ruthless warrior who single-handedly brought an end to the god and demon wars millennia ago, Xing Zhi finds himself unable to pass by the plucked demon chicken he sees caged at the human market. With that single purchase, Xing Zhi inadvertently links his fate with that of ShenLi. What will become of the demon and the warrior who rescues her?

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang, “The Legend of ShenLi” is a 2024 Chinese fantasy romance drama directed by Deng Ke.

The Legend of ShenLi

The God and the Phoenix Team

Youku

With a name that means “happiness”, one might suspect that He Xing Fu’s (Zhao Li Ying)&nbsp; life would be full of nothing but joy. Unfortunately, as is the case for so many of us, Xing Fu’s life was filled with several ups and downs that brought as many moments of sorrow as they did joy. Even at her wedding, which should have been one of the happiest days of her life, Xing Fu was forced to deal with a fair amount of mortification after her sister, He Xing Yun (Zhang Ke Ying) suffered unexpected humiliation. To make matters worse, the village chief’s son, Wan Chuan Jia (Cao Zheng) was injured which won her no favors with the village chief, Wan Shang Tang (Liu Wei).

Despite the unexpected mayhem at her wedding, Xing Fu settled happily into her new life with her husband, Wang Qing Lai (Tang Zeng). Sadly, their happiness was soon disrupted after a new health care product factory moved to town and almost immediately requisitioned her in-law’s land. Refusing to give up the land without a fight, Xing Fu decides to team up with Shang Tang to take the factory owners to court. Unfortunately, things don’t work out in their favor. Ultimately forced into the city to find work, Xing Fu does the best she can but the struggles of city life prove too much for this small-town woman.&nbsp;

Returning to her village, Xing Fu is determined to do whatever it takes to make the life she dreams of, not just for herself but for her entire village. Will the struggles she faces ultimately lead her to the happiness her name seems to have destined her for?

Inspired by the short story, “The Wan Family’s Lawsuit” by Chen Yuan Bin, “The Story of Xing Fu” is a 2022 Chinese drama directed by Zheng Xiao Long and Liu Xue Song.

The Story of Xing Fu

♥️ Road to Happiness 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻

Tencent Video

Zhou Fei (Zhao Li Ying) is the granddaughter of a national hero who was forced to become a bandit to serve the greater good. For 20 years, her grandfather, then her mother, were charged with running a secret fort, staffed by bandits.

The fort’s role is to protect the world against strange, otherworldly warriors intent on bringing their unique brand of chaos to the mortal realm.

However, the fort has fallen in status in recent years, and Zhou Fei is sick of being confined to the place of her birth. She longs to escape, and makes repeated efforts to get away.

But her life changes forever when she almost drowns, and is only saved by a free-spirited young material arts expert named Xie Yun (Wang Yibo).

The duo forms an unlikely friendship and decides to hone their fighting skills together – a timely decision as malevolent forces are now plotting fresh trouble.

The pair begins on an adventure. But as time goes by, they begin to unearth secrets…including that of Xie Yun’s true identity.

This drama series was adapted from a novel named “Bandits” by author Priest.

“Legend of Fei” is a 2020 Chinese drama series that was directed by Ng Gam Yuen.

Legend of Fei

The Flying Legend Team

Hunan TV

Following the tragic and untimely death of her concubine mother, Sheng Ming Lan’s (Zhao Li Ying) life becomes a nightmare. Her stepmother and half-siblings mistreat her, leaving her seething from the injustice, and longing for revenge on those responsible for her mother’s downfall. However, Ming Lan is constantly looked down upon, despite her beauty and keen wits. She decides to pretend that she is content with her fate, but will secretly devise a way to bring down those who wronged her mother. Fate shines on Ming Lan when she meets Gu Tingye (Feng Shao Feng), the hedonistic but determined son of the Marquis of Ningyuan, eventually falling in love and marrying. Tingye hopes to help his beloved take her revenge. But as evil schemes begin to unfold, will they succeed in their shared goal? This 2018 Chinese drama, based on the novel of the same name by Guan Xin Ze Luan, was directed by Zhang Kai Zhou.

The Story of Ming Lan

MEI DAXIA  (大俠)

Dragon TV

Can a former military officer and a budding entrepreneur find a common goal?

Li Zhi Cheng (Jin Han) is a soldier who is forced to return as the CEO of his family’s failing company, the Aida Group. 

Lin Qian (Zhao Li Ying) is a budding entrepreneur who has the knowledge and enthusiasm but has so far been unable to start up a successful business. When she goes to work for Kim Jin, can Lin Qian’s expertise help him save the company from a verge of bankruptcy?

“Our Glamorous Time” is a 2018 Chinese drama series directed by Zhang Feng. It is adapted from a novel by Ding Mo.

Our Glamorous Time

Lin Qian

The Buddhist monk Xuan Zang (Feng Shao Feng) is on a mission to find a cache of sacred scriptures. With him travel the Monkey King (Aaron Kwok), as well as a pig demon named Ba Jie (Xiao Shen Yang) and a sand demon. The companions travel by boat along a river and unexpectedly find themselves in a realm called the Womanland of Western Liang. Like the Amazons, this is a nation inhabited only by women. The natives are taught to think of men as tricksters and deceptive individuals. The group is taken captive.

But the nation’s Queen (Zhao Li Ying) has other plans for them. She knows of a prophecy that dictates that her marriage could have enormously beneficial results. She thinks that a union with Xuan Zang could help her in this regard, so refuses to let the travelers leave. But this has all angered a powerful river deity, which decides to exact its revenge on the women – and the companions. Could love save the day – or cause the realm’s ultimate downfall?

This movie was based on the classic 16th-century novel “Journey to the West,” which is attributed to Wu Cheng En.

“The Monkey King 3” is a 2018 Chinese movie that was directed by Cheang Pou Soi.

The Monkey King 3

Don't Feed the Monkeys Team 🙊

In the tumultuous era of the Northern Wei, innocent citizens are kidnapped and enslaved, including Chu Qiao (Zhao Li Ying), who is cast into a forest to be hunted for sport by wealthy lords. Just as hope seems lost, she is rescued by Yan Xun (Dou Xiao), the Prince of Northern Yan, forging a powerful bond between them. However, her life takes another turn when she catches the eye of the influential Yuwen Yue (Lin Geng Xin) from the formidable Yuwen family. As tensions rise and loyalties are tested, Chu Qiao finds herself caught in a web of power struggles, forcing her to choose between her growing affection for Yan Xun and the allure of Yuwen Yue’s world. With her freedom and heart at stake, will she fight for love or succumb to the demands of her new reality? This 2017 Chinese drama series was directed by Wu Jin Yuan, based on the novel “Division 11's Princess Agent” written by Xiao Xiang Dong Er.

Princess Agents

The Dancing Fingers

Chu Qiao

iQiyi

Nine powerful families referred to as the "Old Nine Gates" or the "Mystic Nine Clan" guard the town of Changsha during the era of the republic. 

Zhang Qishan (William Chan) who is the leader of the nine gates, investigates a mysterious train that ends up at his Changsha station that leads to a mysterious mine.

In order to solve the mystery, he entrusts in the help of Qi Tiezui (Ying Haoming)and Er Yuehong (Lay Zhang) who is an opera singer from a family of archaeologists. 

Before they can start their mission, they must find medicine to help Er Yuehong's wife who is terminally ill. 

Along the way, they'll meet the young mistress of the hotel Yin Xinyue (Zhao Liying) and discover a dangerous plot that could take down the people of Changsha. 

Will they be able to help Er Yuehong's wife and unravel a mystery that could save their people? 

"The Mystic Nine" is a 2016 prequel to "The Lost Tomb."

The Mystic Nine

Gone with the Shirt Team

Yin Xin Yue

2/6/2015

Chinese New Year is a time to reflect on relationships and family.

Wedding planner Jia Yi (Amber Kuo) is planning her 100th wedding, and the her sentimentality makes her want to get married. But her boyfriend (Rhydian Vaughan) is not committing.

Nana (Zhao Li Ying) goes into labor on New Year's Eve. But her husband, superstar Jing Ming (Jam Hsiao), must choose between being by her side for this important family event and his professional commitment to appear on a countdown show. 

Zhong Wei (Xia Yu) and Ya Lun (Gordon Lam) are overworked police officers. After capturing the suspect Hou Zi (Zhang Yi), they agree to let him say goodbye to his grandmother before being taken away. Zhong Wei and Ya Lun begin to think about their own families.

“Crazy New Year's Eve” is a 2015 Chinese film directed by Eva Jin and Pan An Zi.

Crazy New Year's Eve

Aloof conglomerate CEO Feng Teng (Zhang Han) cares only about one person: his younger sister Feng Yue (Zhang Yang Guo Er). When she falls ill and needs a blood transfusion, Feng Teng desperately searches for a donor – eventually finding one among his employees, Xue Shan Shan (Zhao Li Ying). Shan Shan agrees to help, and Feng Yue recovers. But instead of paying Shan Shan for her kindness in cash, Feng Teng’s sister suggests that he sends her delicious lunchtime meals instead. He agrees, and Shan Shan is delighted to receive all this free food! However, what she doesn’t know is that Feng Teng has started secretly watching her savor every mouthful of the food he sends her, and her joyous eating causes him to fall for her! Will this bizarre lunchtime ritual pave the way to workplace romance? This 2014 Chinese drama series was based on a novel by Gu Man and was directed by Liu Jun Jie.

Boss & Me

Shan Shan

Xue Shan Shan

8/13/2013

Two palace maids play a dangerous game of love, but only one will capture the heart of a prince.

During the reign of Emperor Kang Xi of the Qing Dynasty, Chen Xiang (Zhou Dong Yu) is a maid who enters the palace to work. There, she meets another palace maid, Liu Li (Zhao Li Ying), and the two quickly become the best of friends.

Liu Li harbors ambitions of becoming the wife or concubine of a prince. Given an errand, Liu Li sends Cheng Xiang in her place. Cheng Xiang ends up meeting the 13th Prince Yin Xiang (Chen Xiao) during the errand, and the two become smitten with each other. When the 13th Prince goes to search for Cheng Xiang, who had her face covered by a handkerchief, Liu Li comes forward as the owner of the handkerchief, and the 13th Prince mistakenly believes that the woman he loves is Liu Li.

Will the 13th Prince find out the identity of his true love? Who will be the woman to stand by him until the end?

“The Palace” is a 2013 Chinese film directed by Pan An Zi.

The Palace

During the time of the Chinese Northern Qi dynasty, a lady-in-waiting could never become a princess because of the rigid social hierarchy and the actions of many jealous rivals. Lu Zhen (Zhao Li Ying) flees from an arranged marriage and her evil stepmother and enters the palace as an attendant. She meets Prince Gao Zhan (Chen Xiao), and the two fall in love but know that their social differences would never allow them to marry. As she rises through the ranks of the palace with her pottery skills, Lu Zhen tries to help Gao Zhan against a power struggle from Empress Lou and his brother, Prince Gao Yan (Qiao Ren Liang). In turn, although Gao Zhan could never make Lu Zhen his wife, he helps her to attain the highest position in the kingdom – that of female prime minister. “Legend of Lu Zhen” is a 2013 Chinese drama series directed by Li Hui Zhu and Deng Wei En.

Legend of Lu Zhen

The Legendary Team

Lu Zhen

One lover can’t stand up to his mother and another lover also must leave her behind. You Jia Qi (Joe Chen) falls in love after meeting Meng He Ping (Feng Shao Feng), and the two start dating. But He Ping’s mother strongly objects to their relationship, and the stress breaks the two apart. Years later, Jia Qi meets Ruan Zheng Dong (Roy Chiu) and runs into He Ping again because he and Zheng Dong are childhood friends. To get over the heartache of seeing He Ping again, Jia Qi begins dating Zheng Dong. But when Zheng Dong realizes that he has terminal cancer, he is determined to bring Jia Qi and He Ping back together. Will Jia Qi realize too late which man holds the key to her heart? “Girl in Blue” is a 2010 Chinese drama series directed by Shen Yi.

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