Lin was born in Chiayi, Taiwan. She was scouted in 1972 on the streets of Taipei by a film producer after she finished women's high school and was preparing for university. Lin debuted in the film adaptation of Chiung Yao's Outside the Window (1973), which propelled her into stardom. Lin, along with Joan Lin, Charlie Chin and Chin Han, thus became known as the "Two Chins, Two Lins" (二秦二林) for their extensive roles in romantic movies of the 1970s based on Chiung's novels that dominated the Taiwanese box office. She subsequently joined Chiung Yao's company in 1976 and, by 1982, had played the lead in 12 of her films.
Lin won the Best Actress award at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival for her role as a girl scout in Eight Hundred Heroes (1976).
After having worked on more than 50 films within the first seven years of her career, Lin took a hiatus from acting in 1979 and moved to the US for a year and a half.
Known for being a "screen goddess" by Chinese film lovers, Lin's early collaborations with Hong Kong New Wave directors Ringo Lam, Tsui Hark and Jackie Chan in Love Massacre (1981), Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983), Police Story (1985) and Peking Opera Blues (1986) brought her success. In 1990, she won the Best Actress trophy at the 27th Golden Horse Awards for her depiction of a Chinese female writer who fell in love with a Japanese collaborator in Red Dust (1990).[5]
It was common for women to cross dress as male characters in Chinese movies and operas. And Lin is particularly well known for her androgynous roles, her earliest being Jia Baoyu, the male protagonist of the 1977 film adaptation of Dream of the Red Chamber. In Peking Opera Blues (1986), she was a guerrilla revolutionary and in Royal Tramp II (1992), she was the leader of the Heavenly Dragon Sect, both of whom were women characters dressed as men. And in Ashes of Time (1994), she played twin brother/sister duo Yin and Yang. However, she is perhaps most well known for her role as Dongfang Bubai in Swordsman II (1992). Swordsman II marked the peak of her career in terms of box office earnings for which she was listed among the 10 greatest performances in cinema of all time, by Time magazine.
Subsequently, she starred in many other notable martial epics including New Dragon Gate Inn (1992) and The Bride with White Hair (1993).
At the height of her popularity, Lin was one of the most sought-after actresses in the Chinese film industry. She starred in more than 100 movies. Lin was credited for boosting Taiwan's film production in the 1970s before earning even greater popularity in Hong Kong in the 1990s, becoming a trans-island legend of her time.
She retired from acting in 1994. Her last acting role was in Ashes of Time (1994).
Filmographie :
1973 : Outside the window (窗外, Chuang Wai) de Sung Chuen Sau & Yu Zheng-Chun
1974 : House of love (愛的小屋, Ai De Xiao Wu) de ?
1974 : Ghost of the Mirror (古鏡幽魂) de Sung Chuen-Sau
1974 : Girl Friend (女朋友) de Pai Ching Jui
1974 : Long Way From Home (長情萬縷) de James Y Liu-Yi
1974 : Love Love Love (純純的愛) de Lau Ga-Cheong
1974 : Moon River (雲河) de Lau Ga-Cheong
1974 : Gone With The Cloud (雲飄飄) de Lau Ga-Cheong
1974 : Pure Love (純情) de ?
1975 : Evergreen Tree (長青樹) de Cheung Mei-Gwan
1975 : He Loved Once Too Many de Sung Chuen-Sau
1975 : Hot Wave de Man Sek-Ling
1975 : The Life God de Hsu Chin-Liang
1975 : Love Story of Pian Pian de ?
1975 : Misty Drizzle (煙雨) de Li Pingqian
1975 : Run Lover Run de Richard Chen Yao-Chi
1975 : The Unforgettable Character de Cheung Mei-Gwan
1975 : Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow de Patrick Lung Kong
1976 : Autumn Love Song (春歌) de Pai Ching Jui
1976 : The Beauty With Two Faces de ?
1976 : The Chasing Game (追球追求) de ?
1976 : Come Fly With Me de Richard Chen Yao-Chi
1976 : Different Love (不一樣的愛) de ?
1976 : Forever My Love de Pai Ching Jui
1976 : Love By Post (戀愛功夫) de Cheung Mei-Gwan
1976 : My Funny Intern de Cheung Mei-Gwan
1976 : Tomorrow I'm 20 de ?
1976 : Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow de Ting Shan-Si
1977 : The Love Affair of Rainbow de ?
1977 : My Sweet Love de Wong Shut-Ching
1977 : Orchid In The Rain de John Law Ma
1977 : Cloud of Romance de Chen Hung Lieh
1977 : Le Rêve dans le pavillon rouge (金玉良缘红楼梦) de Li Han-hsiang
1978 : The Misty Moon de Richard Chen Yao-Chi
1978 : Morning Fog de ?
1978 : Love of the White Snake de Chan Jeung Wa
1978 : Love's Many Faces de Pai Ching Jui
1978 : Everywhere Birds Are Singing de Lau Wai Ban
1979 : A Journey Of Love de ?
1979 : An Unforgettable Day (難忘的一天) de Cheung Mei-Gwan
1979 : The wild goose on the wing de Lui Le Le
1979 : The Choice of Love (一片深情) de Lau Wai Ban
1979 : Love Under a Rosy Sky de Lui Le Le
1979 : Love Seed (一顆紅豆) de Lui Le Le
1980 : Off to Success de Cheung Pooi-Shing
1980 : The Story of Green House (綠色山庒) de Sung Chuen-Sau
1980 : Little Sister-in-law de O Chun-Hung
1980 : Magnificent 72 (碧血黃花) de Ting Shan-Si
1980 : Poor Chasers (一對傻鳥) de Pai Ching Jui
1980 : The 800 Heroes (八百壯士) de Ting Shan-Si
1980 : The Marigolds de Lui Le Le
1981 : Women soldiers (中國女兵) de Lau Wai Ban
1981 : Love Massacre (愛殺) de Patrick Tam Ka-Ming
1982 : L'Auberge de Lungman de Lee Huey-Min
1982 : Demon Fighter de Chang Peng-Yi
1982 : Lily Under The Muzzle de Gwok Ching-Kong
1982 : Burn Phoenix Burn de Lui Le Le
1982 : Hero Vs Hero de Choi Yeung Ming
1983 : La Mission fantastique (迷你特工隊) de Kevin Chu
1983 : All the Wrong Spies (我愛夜來香) de Teddy Robin Kwan
1983 : By Love Obsessed de Chin Han
1983 : Big Surprise of 1938 de Suen Yuet
1983 : Four Shy Guys de Chu Yin-Ping
1983 : Black and White de Jin Ao-Xun
1983 : Zu, les guerriers de la montagne magique (蜀山) de Tsui Hark
1984 : The Other Side of Gentleman (君子好逑) de ?
1984 : Last Hero In China de Ulysses Au Yeung-Jun
1984 : Golden Queen's Commando de Chu Yin-Ping
1984 : Phoenix The Raider de Ulysses Au Yeung-Jun
1985 : Police Story (警察故事) de Jackie Chan
1985 : Seven Foxes (七隻狐貍) de Chu Yin-Ping
1986 : True Colours (英雄正傳) de Kirk Wong
1986 : Dream Lovers (夢中人) de Tony Au Ting-Ping
1986 : Immortal Story (海上花) de Yonfan Manshih
1986 : Peking Opera Blues (刀馬旦) de Tsui Hark
1987 : Flag of Honor (烽火佳人) de Ting Shan-Si
1987 : Lady in Black (奪命佳人) de Sun Chung
1987 : The Thirty Million Rush (橫財三千萬) de Karl Maka
1988 : Starry is the Night (今夜星光燦爛) de Ann Hui On-Wah
1989 : Web of Deception (驚魂記) de David Chung Chi-Man
1990 : Red Dust (滾滾紅塵) de Yim Ho
1992 : Royal Tramp (鹿鼎記) de Wong Jing
1992 : Royal Tramp 2 (鹿鼎記2神龍教) de Wong Jing
1992 : The Peach Blossom Land (喑戀桃花源) de Stan Lai
1992 : Handsome Siblings (絕代雙驕) de Eric Tsang Chi-Wai
1992 : Swordsman 2, la légende d'un guerrier (東方不敗) de Ching Siu-tung
1992 : L'Auberge du dragon (新龍門客棧) de Raymond Lee Wai-Man
1993 : Swordsman 3 (東方不敗-風雲再起) de Ching Siu-tung
1993 : The Black Panther Warriors (黑豹天下) de Clarence Fok Yiu-Leung
1993 : The Bride with white hair (白髮魔女傳) de Ronny Yu
1993 : The Bride with white hair 2 (白髮魔女傳 2) de Ronny Yu
1993 : Boys are easy (追男仔) de Wong Jing
1993 : Eagle Shooting Heroes de Jeff Lau Chun-Wai
1994 : Chungking Express (重慶森林) de Wong Kar-wai
1994 : Les Cendres du temps (東邪西毒) de Wong Kar-wai
1994 : The Dragon Chronicles – The Maidens (新天龍八部之天山童姥) de Andy Chin Wing-Keung
1994 : Fire Dragon de Yuen Woo-ping
1994 : Deadful Melody de Ng Min-Kan
1994 : The Three Swordsmen (刀劍笑) de Taylor Wong Tai-Loi
1998 : Bishonen (美少年之戀) de Yonfan Manshih
2001 : Peony Pavilion (遊園驚夢) de Yon Fan
