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Shi Ke was born in Dangyang, Hubei Province, China, as the youngest of four sisters in an intellectual family. After graduating from middle school in 1981, she worked as a self-employed laborer for four years. Due to her talented voice, friends encouraged her to pursue admission to a music or drama college. In 1985, the determined young woman took part in entrance exams at both the Wuhan Music Academy and the Central Drama Academy in Beijing. Out of 6,000 candidates, she excelled so impressively that both prestigious institutions wanted to enroll her—each accepting only ten students annually. Ultimately, she chose the drama academy and relocated to Beijing.
Upon graduating from the Central Academy of Drama in 1989, Shi Ke quickly gained national fame through films such as Sha Shou Qing (A Killer's Love) and Yao Guen Qing Nian (Rock'n'Roll Youth), becoming a teenage idol. Her numerous leading roles in television, including the award-winning Gua Ba Yin (Have a Good Time), alongside her reputation for tireless professionalism, further elevated her status. She also showcased her exceptional singing talent in the 1990 Chinese musical Richu (Sunrise), where her classically trained voice earned her the Multitalented Performer Ringing Award.
In 1991, Shi Ke married Chinese music producer Wang Xiao Ma. However, her career nearly collapsed in 1995 amid false accusations and a Cultural Revolution-style political campaign against her. A controversial dispute arose between the first privately financed stage play, Don't Bother Me After the Divorce, and the government-owned theater troupe. To deflect attention from their own greed and mistakes, the theater troupe's principal blamed innocent actors, who were punished. Despite a year of nationwide media blackout, Shi Ke endured steadfastly. This ordeal ultimately increased her fame and did not diminish her stardom.
She continued to work in films, television dramas, variety shows, and stage productions, earning a reputation as one of China's finest stage performers. Early in her career, she was known as an exotic and beautiful actress, easily recognized by her distinctive lips. Over more than thirteen years at the top of her profession, she even produced, directed, and starred in her own 1999 self-production of the American Off-Broadway play Road to Nirvana. After divorcing in 1998, she married a Swiss national.
Shi Ke has always cared deeply for others, engaging extensively in charity work to support children and impoverished families. For her contributions, the Chinese government honored her efforts. After spending a year in Switzerland and giving birth to her first child, she returned to China with her family in 2002 to continue her career.
Today, Shi Ke is recognized as a successful and powerful woman who achieved her stardom through hard work and integrity. Loved by audiences for her warm and sincere presence, she serves as an inspiration to many women across China.
