In 1997, she directed the historical television series Yongzheng Dynasty, which received critical acclaim in mainland China.

In 2007, she was originally selected to direct a television series adaptation of the Chinese classical novel A Dream of the Red Chamber[1] but withdrew from the job (she was replaced by Li Shaohong).

Her 2010 film Confucius, starring Chow Yun-fat as the eponymous character, was released in Beijing on 14 January 2010.

[2] Hu was an actress in the Modern Drama Troupe of the General Political Division of the People's Liberation Army.

In 2019, Hu won the Best Director award for Enter The Forbidden City at the Chinese American Film Festival in Los Angeles.