At age five, moved from Shanghai to Hong Kong with his mother; the Cultural Revolution broke out a month later, trapping his father, sister and brother on the mainland

Studied graphic design at a technical school but was more interested in photography

Quit school during his second year and enrolled in a training program at Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Limited

Began working as a production assistant on several dramatic serials

Became an assistant director at the station

Scripted the thriller-soap "Don't Look Now"

Left Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Limited

Credited with about ten scripts; wrote and produced

Conceived the plot for "As Tears Go By" while working on helmer Patrick Tam's "The Final Victory" as a writer

Feature debut as writer/director, "As Tears Go By"; received nine nominations for the Hong Kong Film Awards

Wrote and directed "Days of Being Wild"; film was a financial failure

Feature debut as a producer, "Chungking Express"; was the first feature to be released through Rolling Thunder, the specialty distribution label at Miramax created by writer/director Quentin Tarantino and producer Lawrence Bender (released in the US in 1996)

Directed the well received, "Happy Together"

Helmed "In the Mood for Love," a period romance set in 1962 Hong Kong

Directed the short, "The Follow"; one of five film advertisements for BMW shown over the Internet at bmwfilms.com

Filmed "2046," the third chapter of a shared story that began with "Days of Being Wild" and continued with "In the Mood for Love"

Became the first Chinese director to preside the jury at the Cannes Film Festival

Helmed first full English-language film, "My Blueberry Nights"; featured singer-songwriter Norah Jones in her acting debut