(XINHUA)

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi received the Order of Arts and Letters issued by the French Government at the French Embassy in Beijing on June 27. The order was established in 1957 in recognition of significant contributions to the arts and literature.

Zhang gained fame in the West for performances in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Rush Hour 2 (2001), House of Flying Daggers (2004), and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005). She has been nominated for three British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards and a Golden Globe Award.