Cheng Pei-pei, a trailblazing Chinese actress renowned as the "Queen of Swords," and heralded as one of the pioneering female action stars, has passed away at the age of 78. Her illustrious career began in the 1960s, where she starred in 20 epic wuxia action films for Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers Studios, leaving an indelible mark on the martial arts genre. Cheng gained international fame through her iconic performance in Shaw Brothers' classic "Come Drink With Me" and later stunned audiences as the villainous Jade Fox in Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
"With profound sorrow, we confirm that the rumors are true. Our beloved mother, Cheng Pei-pei, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her loving family on July 17," her family announced in a heartfelt Facebook statement. "In 2019, she was diagnosed with an atypical neurodegenerative parkinsonism syndrome, colloquially known as corticobasal degeneration. Despite its rarity and similarities to Parkinson's, current treatments could not halt its progression. She chose to keep this private, wanting to spend her remaining time with her children and grandchildren."
The statement further read, "Our mother wished to be remembered as she truly was: the legendary Queen of Martial Arts." Her illustrious six-decade-long career saw her emerge as a starlet for Shaw Brothers Studios, a Hong Kong production house that emulated Hollywood and gained global recognition for its action films and martial arts epics. Cheng starred in numerous Shaw Brothers' productions, including "Come Drink With Me," "Princess Iron Fan," and "Golden Swallow." Her international stature was reaffirmed by her role in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," and her prolific acting continued until recently, with her final notable performance in Disney's live-action remake of "Mulan" in 2020.
Born in Shanghai in 1946, Cheng relocated to Hong Kong in 1962 and soon found her way to Shaw Brothers Studios as a contracted actress. With some dance training, the studio initially intended to cast her as a star in Chinese opera films, emulating the likes of Ivy Ling Po, a popular Hong Kong singer of the time. However, as Shaw Brothers ventured into the action genre, Cheng was among the young talents groomed in martial arts, swordsmanship, knife handling, and horseback riding, all crucial skills for the wuxia epics that Shaw Brothers specialized in.
Her breakthrough role came in the 1966 wuxia film "Come Drink With Me," marking her first action film and director King Hu's inaugural entry into the genre. This seminal work, along with Chang Cheh's "One-Armed Swordsman," revolutionized the wuxia genre, propelling it to unprecedented popularity both in Hong Kong and worldwide. In "Come Drink With Me," Cheng portrayed Golden Swallow, a skilled swordswoman who valiantly fights to rescue her brother from bandits. The film is noteworthy for its thrilling and dramatic fight sequences, a testament to Cheng's prowess, honed from her dance background.
In 1968, riding on the wave of the immense popularity of "Come Drink With Me," Shaw Brothers ventured into the sequel, "Golden Swallow," helmed by Chang Cheh. The collaboration between Cheng, now a colossal star, and Chang, the visionary filmmaker behind the groundbreaking "One-Armed Swordsman," promised to be a box office triumph for Shaw Brothers. However, the production encountered turbulence as the character of Golden Swallow underwent a drastic transformation, almost unrecognizable from its predecessor. Moreover, Cheng and Chang's working relationship was strained due to the latter's traditional views on women.
As reported in the South China Morning Post, Cheng recounted to the Hong Kong Film Archive's oral history series, "Chang Cheh disliked women, he preferred men. When we were filming 'Golden Swallow' with Jimmy Wang Yu and Lo Lieh, he asked them to leap out of a window, but told me to gracefully walk through a door. I objected, stating I wished to perform the same actions as they, as I was a swordswoman. But he retorted, 'You're a lady, and ladies should be more ladylike.'"
Among the other Shaw Brothers films Cheng starred in were "The Jade Raksha" (1968), "Dragon Swamp" (1969), "The Lady Hermit" (1971), and "The Shadow Whip" (1971). After a decade of prolific film work from 1964, Cheng's career slowed as she emigrated to the United States with her family. She sporadically appeared in cameo roles throughout the 1980s and 1990s, until her resurgence in 2000 with Ang Lee's martial arts masterpiece, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." The film, nominated for ten Academy Awards and winning four, was a critical and commercial triumph, earning Cheng accolades for her portrayal of the villainous Jade Fox.
Following the triumph of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," Cheng's screen career underwent a renaissance, and she maintained a steady presence in the 2000s and 2010s. Her illustrious film credits include the action-packed "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li" (2009), her collaboration with Ben Whishaw in the British drama "Lilting" (2014), the Canadian drama "Meditation Park" (2017), and her portrayal of The Matchmaker in Disney's 2020 live-action remake of "Mulan."
