Pauline Chan was born as Chen Baolian in Shanghai, China, before her family relocated to Hong Kong at the tender age of 12, following her parents' divorce. As a beautiful and captivating young girl, it was only a matter of time before photographers and agents took notice of her, and she began modeling at the tender age of 15.
In 1990, Chan entered the prestigious Miss Asia beauty pageant, although she didn't claim the top prize, her striking features, lithe physique, and classy demeanor caught the attention of several prominent producers in Hong Kong's adult film industry. At the age of 18, she made her adult-film debut, and her enthusiastic performances catapulted her to the pinnacle of the Chinese porn scene.
In 1997, Chan embarked on a tumultuous relationship with a significantly older Taiwanese millionaire, which lasted for a brief two-year period before ultimately ending in 1999. Following their break-up, Chan's personal and professional life began to unravel. She had struggled with a drug problem for several years, and it unfortunately worsened, culminating in a television interview where she was visibly under the influence of drugs and attempted to take her own life.
A series of run-ins with the law ensued, resulting in her deportation from multiple countries and a brief stint in a UK prison for assault. These and other incidents effectively brought her film career to a grinding halt.
In an attempt to turn her life around, Chan relocated back to her hometown of Shanghai and gave birth to a baby boy in July 2002. However, motherhood failed to bring her the solace she so desperately needed, and on July 31, 2002, she tragically leaped from the window of her 24th-floor apartment, resulting in her untimely death.
