When people think of Gua Zhilin (Rosamund Kwan), the first image that often comes to mind is her role as Aunt Thirteen in the Once Upon a Time in China series. With her stylish updo, Western dresses, and a balance of gentleness and determination, she embodied a character that became iconic in Hong Kong cinema. That role not only brought her career to its peak but also secured her status as a screen goddess.
Born in 1962 in Hong Kong, Gua Zhilin—whose birth name is Gua Jiahui—was the daughter of actor Kwan Shan, the first Chinese actor to win Best Actor at the Locarno International Film Festival, and actress Cheung Bing-sai. Blessed with good genes and an artistic upbringing, she originally dreamed of becoming a designer. But after her parents divorced when she was a teenager, she was forced to give up her ambitions and enter the entertainment industry at 18 to support herself.
With her beauty and determination, she quickly found a place in the film world. From early roles with Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung to her Golden Horse–nominated performance in Don’t Fool Me (1991), she proved she was more than just a “pretty face.” By the mid-2000s, she had slowed her pace, and after starring in Stolen Love (2005), she officially announced her retirement in 2010, turning her focus to philanthropy.
Her career was steady, but her love life was filled with turbulence. Recently, director Wong Jing claimed she was both a “magnet for tycoons” and a classic “love-struck woman.” At just 19, she married businessman Wong Kwok-ching, who was 16 years her senior. The marriage lasted less than six months due to his infidelity, and Wong Jing even alleged that he didn’t pay for the wedding banquet.
Later, Gua was involved in a scandalous triangle with property magnate Ma Ching-wei, whose wife at the time, actress Chan Mei-kei, suffered both a miscarriage and public humiliation. In the 1990s, her rumored relationship with billionaire Joseph Lau and the infamous “ping-pong ball scandal” kept her in tabloids for years, though Lau publicly denied the rumors in 2023. In the 2000s, she dated model Peter Wong Ka-no and later Taiwanese businessman Chen Taiming, confirming the latter relationship in 2012 before announcing their split in 2015.
Looking back, her relationships often seemed to be a search for stability that ended in heartbreak, echoing Wong Jing’s “love-brain” remark. Beyond romance, she also faced health struggles: in 1994, she was diagnosed with a small brain tumor that caused chronic migraines, reminding fans that even great beauties carry hidden burdens.
Today, Gua Zhilin enjoys a quieter life. In September 2025, she posted a transformation video on social media, stunning fans with her youthful elegance. Age may have passed, but for many, the woman once known as Aunt Thirteen remains a timeless beauty.
