Queen of Martial Arts' Cheng Pei-Pei, Famed Actress, Dies at 78.

Published on 18 July 2024, by Alankrita Mukherjee | DELHI, INDIA.

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Cheng Pei-pei, the trailblazing Chinese actress known as the “Queen of Swords” and recognized as one of the pioneering female action stars, has passed away. She was renowned for her role in the Shaw Brothers classic Come Drink With Me and for her unforgettable performance as the antagonist Jade Fox in Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She was 78.

“It is with a heavy heart that we confirm the rumors are true. Our mother, Cheng Pei-Pei, peacefully passed away at home, surrounded by her loved ones on July 17,” Cheng’s family shared in a statement on Facebook. “In 2019, our mom was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative, atypical parkinsonism syndrome—unofficially, corticobasal degeneration (CBD). This rare disease has symptoms akin to Parkinson’s disease, but current treatments cannot halt its progression. She chose to keep this news private to deal with her condition in peace and spend her remaining time with her children and grandchildren.”

The statement further added, “Our mom wished to be remembered as she was: the legendary Queen of Martial Arts.”

Over a six-decade-long career, Cheng emerged in the 1960s as a star for Shaw Brothers Studios, the Hong Kong production company modeled after Hollywood studios, which gained international fame for its action films and period martial arts epics, known as wuxia. She made 20 films for Shaw Brothers, including Come Drink With Me, Princess Iron Fan, and Golden Swallow. Cheng regained international acclaim with her role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and continued her prolific career until recently, with her last major role in Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan (2020).

Born in Shanghai, China, in 1946, Cheng moved to Hong Kong in 1962 and joined Shaw Brothers Studios as a contracted player. Initially trained in dance, the studio intended to cast her in Chinese opera films, similar to Ivy Ling Po, a popular Hong Kong singer at the time.

Cheng made her screen debut in 1964 with two films, including the melodrama Lover’s Rock. However, the following year, as Shaw Brothers shifted to the action genre, they encouraged their young talent to pursue martial arts films. Through a studio training program, Cheng and others were trained in martial arts, swordsmanship, and horse riding, essential elements of the wuxia films Shaw Brothers began producing.

Cheng’s breakthrough came with the 1966 wuxia film Come Drink With Me, her first action film and the first in the genre for director King Hu. The film, alongside Chang Cheh’s One-Armed Swordsman, is considered one of the foundational wuxia movies, significantly popularizing the genre in Hong Kong and abroad. In this period piece, Cheng played Golden Swallow, a skilled swordswoman rescuing her brother from bandits. Her dance background contributed to the film’s notable fight choreography.

In 1968, Shaw Brothers capitalized on the success of Come Drink With Me with its sequel, Golden Swallow, directed by Chang Cheh. Despite Cheng’s now-star status and Chang’s success with One-Armed Swordsman, the production faced challenges, particularly due to changes in the character of Golden Swallow and Cheng’s difficult working relationship with Chang, who had conservative views on women.

“Chang Cheh disliked women, he preferred men,” Cheng told the South China Morning Post in the Hong Kong Film Archive’s oral history series. “While making Golden Swallow with Jimmy Wang Yu and Lo Lieh, he asked them to jump out of a window while I walked through a door. I refused, insisting on doing the same as them since I was a swordswoman. But he said, ‘You’re a lady, and ladies should be more refined.’”

Other notable Shaw Brothers films featuring Cheng include The Jade Raksha (1968), Dragon Swamp (1969), The Lady Hermit (1971), and The Shadow Whip (1971).

After a prolific decade of film work starting in 1964, Cheng’s career slowed as she moved to the U.S. with her family. She worked sporadically in the 1980s and 1990s before returning to prominence in 2000 with Ang Lee’s wuxia classic Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The film, nominated for ten Academy Awards and winning four, was a significant commercial and critical success, with Cheng praised for her portrayal of the villainous Jade Fox.

Following the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Cheng experienced a career renaissance, working steadily through the 2000s and 2010s. Her notable film credits include Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009), co-starring with Ben Whishaw in the British drama Lilting (2014), the Canadian drama Meditation Park (2017), and playing The Matchmaker in Disney’s 2020 live-action remake of Mulan.