Mou girls

{{More footnotes|date=June 2020}}

File:Zhang Yimou from "Full River Red" at Red Carpet of the Tokyo International Film Festival 2023 (53348405394).jpg are often known as "Yimou girls".]]

"Mou girls" ({{zh|c=谋女郎|p=Móu nǚláng}}) is a nickname for actresses who made her acting debut and received media attention through starring in a movie directed by Zhang Yimou.{{cite web|url=https://www.todayonline.com/8days/sceneandheard/entertainment/zhang-yimou-will-not-work-actresses-who-have-had-plastic-surgery|title=Zhang Yimou Will Not Work With Actresses Who Have Had Plastic Surgery|website=Today Online|date=May 10, 2021|language=zh|access-date=May 7, 2025|archive-date=May 7, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250507095159/https://www.todayonline.com/8days/sceneandheard/entertainment/zhang-yimou-will-not-work-actresses-who-have-had-plastic-surgery|url-status=live|quote=In Asian cinema, there’s this a term called ‘Mou Girls’ — actresses who get plucked from obscurity by legendary Chinese director Zhang Yimou to star in his movies.}}

In the early Zhang Yimou movies, the actresses Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi attracted attention when they made their acting debut in the Zhang's films. Afterwards, they gained media attention and became international movie stars. The fame of these first two stars led to the title of “Yimou girls” by both the media and the public.{{cite web|url=http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2011-12/19/content_24190459_4.htm|title=Top 7 'Mou Girl'|website=China Internet Information Center|date=December 19, 2011|language=zh|access-date=May 7, 2025|archive-date=May 7, 2025|archive-url=http://archive.today/20250507095614/http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2011-12/19/content_24190459_4.htm|url-status=live}} Continuing the legacy with Dong Jie and Li Man, the popularity of the nickname rose sharply, although they themselves did not reach the same level of the prior two actresses. In addition, Tang Yan, Wang Jia, Lin Miaoke and others were also named as “Yimou girls” by some media for promotional reasons because they participated in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games which were directed by Zhang Yimou.{{cite web|url=http://yule.sohu.com/20070625/n250757167.shtml|script-title=zh:"雅典8分钟"美腿宝贝唐嫣 两次被张艺谋选中|website=Sohu|date=25 June 2007|language=zh|access-date=23 February 2017|archive-date=24 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224052806/http://yule.sohu.com/20070625/n250757167.shtml|url-status=live}}

Another common feature of the girls is that they were unknown before they appeared in Zhang Yimou's film. Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi and Li Man are students of the Central Academy of Drama. Dong Jie and Zhang Huiwen are dance actresses, Qu Ying is a model, Zhou Dongyu is a high school student, Ni Ni is a college student majoring in broadcasting, Wei Minzhi is of an ordinary rural background.

Cheung Man-yuk was already famous for her frequent collaboration with director Wong Kar-wai before she starred in Zhang Yimou's films in 2002 Hero. Sun Li was known as a famous Television actress before she appeared in Shadow (2018), Guan Xiaotong was already a famous child actress. Qin Hailu was famous for her longest TV and movie career.