It might be something in the Laoshan water. Qingdao is the hometown of some of the most famous film and TV stars in China – here’s a list of the top 5, in no particular order:

1. Tang Guo Qiang

One of the stars of the popular historical epic Founding of a Republic, Tang is hugely popular in his portrayal of Chairman Mao. He’s also appeared on numerous TV shows as the Great Helmsman. The 2009 remake of the feature film Wei Chen, filmed in Qingdao, prominently featured Tang Guo Qiang as well as many other Qingdao personalities, including Fan Bing Bing.

2. Ni Ping

Ni Ping is best known as the presenter on the CCTV show Zong Yi Da Guan and the film Mei Li De Da Jiao. Ni graduated from Qingdao’s Number 39 Middle, a school well known for its creative alumni.

3. Xia Yu

The handsome Xia has been sighted around Qingdao on his visits back home. A hometown hero who helped promote Qingdao’s bid to host the Sailing Regatta of the 2008 Olympics, Xia gained fame in the film Yang Guang Can Lan De Rizi and also stars in Shanghai Rhumba with his wife Yuan Quan.

4. Fan Bing Bing

The inclusion of Ms Fan on our list may lead some to point out that she is not from Qingdao, as she was born in Yantai. Actually, her folks are from Qingdao though, so she’s using the “lao jia” perspective to call herself QINGDAO(nese). Most people who know her in China would say she’s from Qingdao, so popular opinion puts her on the list.

5. Huang Bo

The funniest and most representative of Qingdao culture in our Top 5. Huang Bo is famous for his appearance in Crazy Stone, where he delivered Qingdao local dialect to theaters, living rooms, and net bars around China. 2008 saw the release of the follow-up hit, Crazy Bicycle, which cemented Huang Bo’s renown as the funny guy speaking Qingdaohua.