As a huge fan of Chinese cinema and martial arts films, I am deeply saddened by the news of Cheng Pei-pei‘s passing. Known as the “Queen of Swords” and the first female action star in Hong Kong’s Shaw Brothers Studios, she made an indelible mark on both Chinese and international audiences with her legendary roles.
I was saddened to learn that Cheng Pei-pei, the trailblazing Chinese actress who earned the title “Queen of Swords” and was one of the earliest female action stars, has passed away at the age of 78. Her legendary performances began with her role in the Shaw Brothers classic “Come Drink With Me,” and she later made an indelible impact as the villainous Jade Fox in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”
With deep sadness, we share the unfortunate news that our dear mother, Cheng Pei-pei, passed away on July 17, 2023. She departed peacefully at home, surrounded by her loving family. In the previous year, she was diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative condition called corticobasal degeneration (CBD), which resembles Parkinson’s disease but lacks effective treatments to halt its progression. To shield herself from public scrutiny and focus on cherishing her time with us, she preferred to keep this diagnosis private.
“She desired to be remembered as the legendary Queen of Martial Arts, according to what was stated.” or “As the legendary Queen of Martial Arts is how she wished to be remembered, it was mentioned.”
Over the course of an impressive six-decade career, Cheng gained prominence in the 1960s as a leading actress for Shaw Brothers, a Hong Kong studio inspired by Hollywood and renowned for producing action films and martial arts epics, or wuxia. In total, she featured in twenty movies for Shaw Brothers, including “Come Drink With Me,” “Princess Iron Fan,” and “Golden Swallow.” Cheng reclaimed global recognition with her part in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” and her work didn’t slow down until very recently, with her most recent significant role being in Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Mulan” (2020).
Growing up in Shanghai, China, I was born in 1946. At the age of 16, I made the move to Hong Kong in search of new opportunities. Little did I know that my journey would lead me to Shaw Brothers Studios! I was brought on board as a contracted player, and given my background in dance, the studio had plans to cast me in Chinese opera films. The idea was for me to follow in the footsteps of Ivy Ling Po, a famous Hong Kong singer who was popular during that era.
In 1964, she had her first appearance on screen, releasing two movies that year, one of which was the melodrama “Lover’s Rock”. However, the next year, as Shaw Brothers transitioned into producing action films, they encouraged their new actors, including Cheng, Lo Mang, Lu Feng, Sun Chien, Chiang Sheng, and Kuo Chui, to undergo martial arts training. This was part of a studio initiative, where these actors learned not only martial arts techniques but also sword-fighting, knife usage, and horse riding – all essential skills for the wuxia epics that Shaw Brothers were now focusing on.
In the pivotal year of 1966, Cheng’s groundbreaking role emerged in King Hu’s wuxia film “Come Drink With Me.” This was not only her debut action film but also Hu’s inaugural foray into the genre. This influential movie, along with Chang Cheh’s “One-Armed Swordsman,” is regarded as a cornerstone of wuxia cinema and significantly boosted the genre’s popularity in Hong Kong and beyond. In this period piece, Cheng portrays the skilled swordswoman known as Golden Swallow, who bravely battles bandits to save her brother. The film gained recognition for its captivating and intense fight sequences, a signature element of wuxia films. Cheng’s background in dance proved advantageous, enabling her to masterfully execute these choreographed combat scenes.
More to come…
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2024-07-19 06:54