Donnie Yen

Donnie Yen was born in the Chinese city of Guangzhou. Bow-sim Mark, his mother, was a kung fu teacher, while his father, Kylster Yen, was a newspaper editor and amateur musician. Donnie’s family relocated to Hong Kong when he was two years old, and subsequently to Boston, Massachusetts when he was eleven.

Master Bow-sim Mark became a pioneer for Chinese martial arts in America there, and it was only natural that her only son was trained in the same techniques from an early age. Donnie was influenced by his parents’ love of music and achieved a high degree of competence as a pianist at the same time. All of these passions would have a significant impact on Yen’s subsequent life.