Martial Arts Actress Cheng Pei-pei Passes Away at 78

Lauded as the “Queen of Martial Arts” movies, actress Cheng Pei-pei (鄭佩佩) has passed away at the age of 78. Her family confirmed the news in a Facebook post on Friday, July 19, which revealed that she had been living with a rare disease, which she preferred to keep private.

Remembered for Iconic Roles

In a film and television career spanning over six decades, the Shanghai-born actress who trained under Shaw Brothers Studio and later starred in numerous Shaw Brothers films, made a breakthrough with King Hu‘s (胡金銓) action crime classic Come Drink with Me . Starring in classic martial arts films like Golden Swallow , Dragon Swamp , The Thundering Sword , she left the glamor of showbiz in 1971 after marrying wealthy businessman Yuan Wen-tung (原文通) and moved to the United States.

Just like the onscreen heroines and classic roles she played, the actress was known for her passionate and fearless nature, yet faced intense pressure to bear a son for her husband, revealing in an interview that she mistakenly saw childbearing as sort of a “homework of marriage”. Though the couple have three daughters and a son, the relationship ended in divorce after 17 years.

Making a return to film, she rose again to fame with acts like Painted Faces , Flirting Scholar . Her powerful and humorous portrayal of “Madame Wah ” in Stephen Chow‘s (周星馳) Flirting Scholar revealed her comedic chops, showcasing a different side of her talent to audiences.

Before filming Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , Ang Lee (李安) insisted on casting a legendary martial arts actress for the villainous “Jade Fox,” a role that could only be played by Cheng, which she was happy to take on.

She won the Best Supporting Actress award at the 2001 Hong Kong Film Awards for this role, the only Hong Kong Film Award she received in her career.

In her later years, she faded from the film industry but garnered attention again through Chinese reality show Divas Hit the Road , attracting young fans and forming a close friendship with Chinese actress Liu Tao (劉濤), who often referred to Cheng as her “forever confidante”.

Even as a martial arts superstar, the mother of four was deeply devoted to Buddhism. During the filming of Legendary Fighter: Yang’s Heroine , she revealed in an interview that she was copying Buddhist scriptures and participating in many Buddhist activities. Early in her career, she had thoughts of becoming a nun, but was persuaded otherwise by famous Chinese monk Master Hsing Yun, who told her that her worldly ties were not yet severed, leading to her illustrious career.

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