Zhang Yishan (, born 5 May 1992) is a Chinese actor. He rose to fame as a child star for his role of Liu Xing in the sitcom Home with Kids (2004). He is also known for his roles in the TV series Yu Zui (2016) and The Deer and the Cauldron (2020).
Early life and education Zhang was born and raised in Xicheng District, Beijing. When he was 5, his father sent him to Shichahai Martial Arts School to study kung fu. Through a teacher's recommendation, he was sent to a speech studio for children to study. There, he was noticed by a director who cast him in his first television project.
Zhang enrolled in Beijing Film Academy in 2011, majoring in acting. He graduated in 2014.
Career Zhang began his career at the age 9 with a minor role in Little Soldier Zhang Ga. Under the recommendation of his co-star Li Yingqi, Zhang auditioned for a role in Home with Kids, and was cast in the role of Liu Xing. The sitcom hit national TV screens in 2004, and ran for four seasons till 2007. Zhang made a significant impression with the Chinese audience with his portrayal of a naughty but witty trouble-maker, and subsequently became a popular child star in China.
Zhang began working with several Chinese film directors. He has played in some twenty Chinese films and TV series, including the 2009 production Looking for Jackie starring veteran actor Jackie Chan, and patriotic tribute The Founding of a Party in 2010. Zhang won the New Performer Award at the Golden Phoenix Awards for his performance in Deng Enming's Childhood (2011).
Zhang transitioned from his child star fame with his breakout role in the critically-acclaimed crime thriller Yu Zui (2016), based on Chang Shuxin's popular novel. In 2017, Zhang starred in the youth romance drama Shall I Compare You to a Spring Day alongside Zhou Dongyu, based on the novel Beijing, Beijing by Feng Teng. The same year, he starred in Seven Faced Man, a remake of the Korean television series Kill Me, Heal Me. In late 2017, he began filming the drama Collision, directed by Guan Hu.
In 2018, Forbes China listed Zhang under their 30 Under 30 Asia 2017 list which consisted of 30 influential people under 30 years old who have had a substantial impact in their respective fields.
In 2019, Zhang featured in Chong Er's Preach, in which he played Duke Hui of Jin. In 2020, Zhang starred as the protagonist Wei Xiaobao in The Deer and the Cauldron, a television series adapted from Jin Yong's classic wuxia novel of the same name. The series, affected by censorship and unfavorably compared with earlier adaptations, was critically panned and marked a setback to Zhang's career revival following Yu Zui.
Filmography Film Year English title Chinese title Role Notes2008 Slam Monkey 2009 Looking for Jackie Zhang Yishan 2010 Bruce Lee, My Brother Liu Lianguang 2011 The Founding of a Party Deng Enming Deng Enming's Childhood Deng Enming (young) 2012 Southern Snow Yang Huahua All for Love Mei Ling's brother 2013 Little Tigers Peng Liang 2015 Money Game Xiao Shan Mr. Six Huang Mao Cameo2016 Escape Route Zhou Xiaoyi Room 704 Tong Shan 2017 Battle of Xiangjiang River Li Tianyou Fake Guardians Zi Chu 2018 Love Trip Yin Hao A Paper Marriage Li Chao 2019 The Bugle from Gutian Lin Biao
Television series Year English title Chinese title Role Notes 2004–2007 Home with Kids Liu Xing Season 1-4 2004 Little Soldier Zhang Ga Tong Le 2005 Who Pays for Love Kong Xixi 2007 Xiao Su 2009 Don't Want to Grow Up Cousin Da Niu Born After 1980 Liu Dao In the Wildest Fantasy A Gan 2010 Yuan Yuan's Story Cameo 2012 Star City 2 Zhou Hao 2013 Father Comes Home Gao He Love is not Blind Cameo 2014 Childbearing Age Gao Rui Love You Most Xia Xiaobing Rid Of The Bandits Lu Zizheng 2015 Melting Pot Xu Xiaobin 2016 The Big Foot Soldiers Mao Qing Yu Zui Yu Zui Web series My Father, My Soldier Cun Zilong 2017 Shall I Compare You to a Spring Day Qiu Shui A Seven-Faced Man Shen Jizhen Web series 2018 Home with Kids: Initial Growth Jiang Bei 2019 Chong Er's Preach Yi Wu Green Valley Jiao Dalou 2025 The Wonderful World Xu Tian / Zhou Tong TBA Collision Ren Shaopeng Inside Man Shen Fang The Deer and the Cauldron Wei Xiaobao
Variety show Year English title Chinese title Role Notes 2017 Give Me Five Cast member 2018 This is Fighting Robots Give Me Five (Season 2)
Discography Year English title Chinese title Album Notes2008 "Online Palace" 2010 "Yishan's Happy Times" "Surprise Scream" 2017 "Kungfu Yoga" Kung Fu Yoga OST with Jackie Chan & Yang Zi "Proud Youths" Give Me Five OST with Dong Zijian, Wang Junkai, Liu Haoran & Darren Wang "If I Love You" Shall I Compare You to a Spring Day OST with Zhou Dongyu 2018 Promotional song for CCYL
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2009 2nd Huading Awards Best New Actor 2013 14th Golden Phoenix Awards Newcomer Award Deng Enming's Childhood 2017 9th Macau International Movie Festival Best Supporting Actor A Paper Marriage 4th The Actors of China Award Ceremony Best Actor (Web series)A Seven-Faced Man2018 24th Huading AwardsBest Actor (Modern Drama)
Forbes China Celebrity 100 YearRankRef.201770th201944th202048th
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