Zhang Yimou

Dankook University awards an honorary doctorate of letters to Chinese film director Zhang Yimou on Wednesday.

"We made the decision in recognition of Zhang's creation of his own unique world of films and his contribution to the development of the world's arts and culture," a university spokesman said.

Zhang came to global notice when he won the Golden Bear for Best Picture at the Berlin International Film Festival for his debut film "Red Sorghum" (1987). He has directed many successful films, such as "Raise the Red Lantern" (1991), "The Story Of Qiu Ju" (1992), and "House of Flying Daggers" (2004).

He has been a professor at Dankook since 2009.