Who Is Huang Qiuyan? Everything to Know About Jet Li’s Ex-Wife, Career, and Current Life
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
Huang and Li married quietly in 1987 without a lavish public ceremony or family banquet. Li had suffered a severe leg fracture during production work, and contemporary accounts detail how Huang cared for him through his recovery. Eager to expand their horizons, the couple relocated to Los Angeles in the late 1980s, hoping to establish a foothold in American action cinema while Li taught martial arts.
During this period, Huang stepped back from acting to focus on family life. She gave birth to their first daughter, Si Li, in 1988, followed by their second daughter, Taimi Li, in 1989. Life in suburban California proved challenging. Mainstream Hollywood studios showed little immediate interest in Asian martial arts projects, and income remained unstable.
To revive his career, Li returned to Hong Kong to film Dragon Fight (1989). On that set, he met former Miss Asia winner Nina Li Chi. Li later acknowledged in televised interviews that his connection with Nina Li Chi made him realize the difference between youthful companionship and intense romantic passion. He phoned Huang to request a divorce, ending their three-year marriage in 1990. Huang granted the split without public recrimination, securing primary custody of the children while Li shouldered their educational costs.
| Life Phase | Milestones & Living Circumstances | Financial & Family Realities |
|---|---|---|
| 1971, 1986 | Beijing Wushu Team champion; co-starred in Kids from Shaolin and Martial Arts of Shaolin. | State athlete stipend; established as a top-tier martial arts film heroine. |
| 1987, 1990 | Married Jet Li; relocated to Los Angeles; welcomed daughters Si Li and Taimi Li. | Transitioned away from acting; family lived on modest coaching fees and Li's film advances. |
| 1991, 2004 | Divorce finalized; rebuilt life in San Francisco/LA; trained as a licensed esthetician. | Retained LA home but faced early mortgage strain; daughters schooled in Beijing with paternal family. |
| 2005, Present | Remarried to Mr. Wang; established independent beauty salon; daughters completed US university degrees. | Full financial self-sufficiency; daughters backed by comprehensive trust provisions. |
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
