Jin Xing

Who is Jin Xing?

Jin Xing is a ballerina, modern dancer, choreographer and actress from the People's Republic of China, and owner of the contemporary dance company "Shanghai Jin Xing Dance Theatre". Although usually credited as Jing Xing, the proper pinyin spelling is Jin Xing. She is one of the first few trans women officially recognized by the Chinese government.

Born to ethnic Korean parents, she was assigned male at birth. She studied in a local Korean elementary school. Her father worked in the police department. She was praised as highly intelligent, and had won abacus contests many times. She expressed high enthusiasm in dance performance. At the age of 9 she joined the People's Liberation Army to receive dance and military training; she became a member of the military's dance troupe, and eventually attained the rank of colonel. She experienced strong transsexual desires early in life. She said she would stay outside during rain, and wish that a lightning strike would turn her body female. Later she won the national dance contest with a piece of Central Asian ethnic dance.

1987, Jin went to New York to study modern dance for four years, and then traveled and performed in Europe, and taught dance in Rome from 1991 to 1993, followed by a world tour, and returned to China at the age of 26. She underwent sex reassignment surgery in 1996. Her left leg was paralyzed for a while after the surgery. After the recovery she went to Shanghai to choreograph and train students. At the age of 33 she adopted a son. She now lives with her three adopted children and her German husband in Shanghai.