Uploaded May 2013 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
Chinese director Zhang Yimou is finding himself in the middle of a different kind of drama these days. He's in trouble with family planning authorities for allegedly having up to 7 children with three different women. He could face up to a $27 million dollar fine. Zhang is probably best known in the West for directing movies like House of Flying Daggers and Hero. He was also in charge of the massive, controversial opening ceremonies for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The scandal over his children began after the newspaper Southern Entertainment Weekly posted an article with pictures of Zhang and his second wife Chen Ting, and their two sons and daughter. Then official mouthpiece Xinhua published an article saying that Zhang would be investigated by local family planning authorities. Why is Zhang being investigated, despite his high-level connections?
Chinese director Zhang Yimou is finding himself in the middle of a different kind of drama these days. He's in trouble with family planning authorities for allegedly having up to 7 children with three different women. He could face up to a $27 million dollar fine. Zhang is probably best known in the West for directing movies like House of Flying Daggers and Hero. He was also in charge of the massive, controversial opening ceremonies for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The scandal over his children began after the newspaper Southern Entertainment Weekly posted an article with pictures of Zhang and his second wife Chen Ting, and their two sons and daughter. Then official mouthpiece Xinhua published an article saying that Zhang would be investigated by local family planning authorities. Why is Zhang being investigated, despite his high-level connections?
