Pioneering Chinese actress Chen Peipei, known as the “Queen of Swords” and one of the pioneers of female action stars, passed away peacefully at home on July 17 at the age of 78. Chen's family confirmed the news in a statement on Facebook, revealing that Chen had been battling corticobasal degeneration (CBD), a rare neurodegenerative disease, since 2019.
“We are sad to announce that the rumors are true. Our mother, Cheng Peipei, passed away peacefully at home on July 17th, surrounded by her loved ones,” her family said in a statement, adding: “Our mother wanted to be remembered as a legendary martial arts queen.”
Chan's career has spanned six decades, during which she has left an indelible mark on the world of cinema. She first rose to fame in the 1960s with Shaw Brothers Studios, a Hong Kong production company renowned for its action and martial arts films. Chan appeared in 20 films for Shaw Brothers, including the iconic The Two Sisters. Come drink with me, Princess Tessenand Golden SwallowHer performance as Golden Swallow Come drink with me This film established her as a great action star and cemented her place in Chinese cinema.
Born in Shanghai in 1946, Cheng moved to Hong Kong in 1962 and began her career at Shaw Brothers Studio. Trained in dance, Cheng was initially groomed for roles in Chinese opera films, but as the studio shifted to action films, Cheng also trained in martial arts, mastering sword, knife and horse riding. These skills became Cheng's trademark in wuxia films.
Her breakthrough came in the 1966 film Come drink with meCheng's dance background helped her perform in King Hu's Deathly Hallows, a film famous for its dramatic fight scenes. She reprised the role in 1968's Deathly Hallows. Golden SwallowHowever, the project was marred by creative differences with director Chang Cheh, who had conservative views on female roles in action films.
A prolific star in Hong Kong cinema, Chan's career stalled after she moved to the United States in the 1980s, before making a spectacular comeback in 2000 with Ang Lee's “Love Is Love.” Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonShe gained international acclaim for her role as the villain Jade Fox in the film, which went on to be a huge success, winning four Academy Awards.
Chen continued acting in the 2000s and 2010s, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009), Nimble (2014), Meditation Park (2017), Disney's live-action version Mulan (2020).
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