Chinese actress Sun Qian (εε) is attracting renewed attention through the hit urban romance drama The Early Spring (ζ©ζ₯ζ΄ζ), where she stars opposite Jing Boran as Shang Zhitao (ε°δΉζ‘). The series has introduced her to an even wider international audience while highlighting the natural, understated acting style that has become one of her recognizable strengths.
Who Is Sun Qian?
Sun Qian was born on April 18, 1997, in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China. She graduated from the Central Academy of Drama, one of China's major performing-arts institutions. She officially entered the entertainment industry in 2016 and gradually built her career through television dramas and films.
Before becoming an actress, Sun Qian spent seven years studying ballet at the affiliated secondary school of the Beijing Dance Academy. Her early training helped develop her discipline and distinctive physical presence, while an injury eventually led her to change direction and pursue acting.
From Youth Dramas to Leading Roles
Sun Qian first gained wider recognition through the youth series Take My Brother Away, followed by appearances in popular productions including Meteor Garden, Wait in Beijing, Love Song in Winter, Wild Bloom, and other television and film projects.
Her film work has also included All These Years, in which she played Chen Jianxia, as well as Love Life Light and Lighting Up the Stars. Over the years, her roles have gradually expanded beyond youthful characters into more mature contemporary and dramatic roles.
Sun Qian as Shang Zhitao in The Early Spring
In The Early Spring, Sun Qian plays Shang Zhitao, a young woman who moves to Beijing and begins building her career in the competitive communications and advertising industry.
The character faces professional pressure while navigating a complicated relationship with her demanding superior, Luan Nian, played by Jing Boran. Their relationship develops from workplace tension into a much deeper emotional connection, making their dynamic one of the central elements of the series.
Sun Qian's portrayal of Shang Zhitao emphasizes the character's everyday struggles, determination and emotional growth. Recent coverage of the drama has particularly highlighted the natural quality of her performance and the relatability of her character.
A Different Side of Sun Qian
Interestingly, Sun Qian's background has some similarities to her character's journey. Like Shang Zhitao, she left her hometown of Harbin and built her career in Beijing. Her years of ballet training also gave her a very different starting point before she eventually entered the acting world.
Her career has continued to expand in recent years, with leading roles in productions such as Love Story in the 1970s, The Guilty, and The Early Spring. Her 2026 projects have further established her presence across romance, suspense and period productions.
Why Are More Viewers Discovering Sun Qian?
For viewers who first discovered Sun Qian through The Early Spring, her career offers plenty of earlier performances to explore. From youthful coming-of-age stories to contemporary workplace romance and more dramatic projects, her filmography shows a gradual progression toward more substantial leading roles.
With The Early Spring, Sun Qian takes center stage as a modern female protagonist whose story combines career ambition, relationships and personal growth β giving audiences another opportunity to see her evolve as an actress.
Sun Qian may have started her entertainment career with youth-oriented roles, but her journey to Shang Zhitao shows how far she has come.
