Ashton Chen  釋小龍

Ashton Chen [File Photo]

Date of Birth: Jan. 6, 1988

Ashton Chen, or Shi Xiaolong, originally named Chen Xiaolong, is one of the most renowned Chinese child stars of the 1990s. Shi Xiaolong is a dharma name given to him by his master Shi Yongxin, the current abbot of China's prestigious Shaolin Temple. Chen, born in Dengfeng, Henan Province, began to practice martial arts when he was only two years old. Chen, a handsome boy, played a cute little monk in his first film "Shaolin Popey," together with Taiwan actor Jimmy Lin and his good friend Siu-Man Fok in 1993.

Chen later shot a great number of classics, including "Shaolin Popey II: Messy Temple" (1994), "Super Mischievous" (1995) and "Dragon from Shaolin" (1995), in which he often played the role of the young kung fu hero. Chen has starred in nearly 40 films and more than 20 TV series up to now, working with big names like Ng Man Tat, Kenny Bee, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Ha Ling Chun. However, Chen gradually failed to find an appropriate point for development as he grew up. In 2005, Chen went to the United States to pursue further studies, and returned in 2008, with greatly improved acting skills. He has continued to pursue his dream of acting. His ex-girlfriend is the 2005 Super Girl He Jie.