Cheng Pei-pei

In this Chinese name, the family name is Cheng.

Cheng Pei-pei
鄭佩佩
Cheng in 2014
Born	Jiang Pei-pei (1946-01-06)6 January 1946 Shanghai, China
Died	17 July 2024(2024-07-17) (aged 78) San Francisco Bay Area, California, U.S.
Citizenship	United States
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1963–2020
Spouse	Yuan Wen-tung ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 1987)​
Children	4, including Eugenia Yuan
Awards	Hong Kong Film Awards – Best Supporting Actress 2000 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	鄭佩佩
Simplified Chinese	郑佩佩
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhèng Pèipèi Wade–Giles Cheng^4 P'ei^4-p'ei^4 IPA [ʈʂə̂ŋ pʰêɪpʰêɪ] Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Zeng^6 Pui^3-pui^3

Cheng Pei-pei (6 January 1946 – 17 July 2024) was a Hong Kong-American actress who started her career in 1963 and was considered cinema's first female action hero.^[1][2] She is known for films Come Drink with Me (1966), Flirting Scholar (1993), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), TV series Young Justice Bao (2000), Chinese Paladin (2004) and reality show Divas Hit the Road (2014). ^[3]

Career

Cheng was born Jiang Pei-pei in Shanghai, with her ancestral home in Shaoxing, Zhejiang. She was the eldest of four siblings, with a brother and two sisters. Her father, Jiang Xuecheng, was a Kuomintang member who worked for the Shanghai Municipal Police in Shanghai International Settlement. After World War II, Jiang established China’s first ink factory. In 1952, when Cheng was 6, her father was labeled a counter-revolutionary and sent to a labor camp in Inner Mongolia; she never saw him again and he died in 1963 without his family knowing. Cheng's mother, who was initially her father's secretary and later his concubine, decided to change the children’s surname to her own to protect them from their father's political consequences.^[4]

Cheng attended World Elementary School in Shanghai, where she was a schoolmate of future movie stars Grace Chang and Chen Hou. She went to the Shanghai No. 3 Girls' High School, where she was a schoolmate of Lydia Shum. Cheng studied ballet for six years in Shanghai. In the mid-1950s, Cheng's mother and siblings moved to Hong Kong, leaving Cheng in the care of a nanny in Shanghai before the nanny also left. Cheng lived independently for several years and moved to Hong Kong in 1960, during her second year of junior high, to reunite with her family.^[4] In 1963, she was admitted to the training programme at Shaw Brothers Studio, after which she joined the studio and made her film debut in The Lotus Lamp (1965), playing the male scholar Liu Yanchang opposite Lin Dai. Cheng followed this with her first female lead role in the Taiwanese drama film Lovers' Rock (1964).^[3][5]

Due to her Mandarin skills and dance background, she quickly worked her way up in the Hong Kong film industry at a time when the Mandarin-language productions commanded higher budgets and wider distribution than Cantonese works. Cheng gained fame for starring in the Hong Kong wuxia film Come Drink with Me (1966), directed by King Hu. Set during the Ming Dynasty, it stars Cheng as Golden Swallow, a skilled swordswoman on a mission to rescue her brother. Cheng continued to play expert swordswomen in a number of films throughout the 1960s.^[6]

In 1970, at the peak of her career, Cheng married and subsequently retired from acting, moving to the United States for her husband's business endeavors. She attended business school at the University of California, Irvine^[5] and also taught Chinese dance.^[7] In the 1980s, Cheng founded a television production company in the United States and traveled across Hawaii and Northern California at her own expense to produce a documentary series about Chinese Americans. Both Cheng's TV business and her marriage failed around the same time. In 1987, she divorced from her husband but continued to live with him for two years. In 1989, her company declared bankruptcy, and Cheng moved out of their house.^[4]

With the comedy Flirting Scholar (1993), Cheng successfully returned to acting in the 1990s Hong Kong. In 2000, she returned to international attention with her role as Jade Fox in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon^[8], directed by Ang Lee, whom Cheng had befriended in the 90s when she was host of KSCI's Mandarin talk show, Pei-Pei's Time.^[3][5]

Into the 21st century, she became active across Greater China with Chinese TV dramas such as Young Justice Bao (2000), Chinese Paladin (2004), and The Patriot Yue Fei (2012), as well as Singaporean TV dramas Spring of Life (2002) and Women of Times (2006). She gained new popularity among the younger generation with the first season of Chinese reality show Divas Hit the Road (2014). Her notable international credits included the action film Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009), the British drama Lilting (2014), the Canadian drama Meditation Park (2017), and her last film, Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan (2020).^[9]

Upon receiving an award in recognition of her acting career in Hong Kong in 2015, Cheng reflected on her acting career as follows: "I always remember that I represent the Hong Kong people. So no matter where I am in the world, I will always identify myself as a Hong Kong actress and maintain the professionalism that a Hong Kong actress should have."^[10]

In 2019, Cheng was diagnosed with corticobasal degeneration, but chose to keep the diagnosis private and spend her remaining time with her children and grandchildren. She died in the San Francisco Bay Area on 17 July 2024, at the age of 78.^[11] She was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 61st Golden Horse Awards.^[12]

Personal life

Cheng was Buddhist.^[5] She was fluent in Shanghainese,^[13] Cantonese,^[14] Mandarin and English.^[15]

In 1964, while filming Come Drink with Me, she fell in love with Chan Hung-lit, who played the villain Jade-Faced Tiger. The two often quarreled over Chan‘s infidelity and Cheng eventually left him for Yueh Hua, the leading actor in Come Drink with Me. Their relationship lasted five years until Cheng's friend Yi Shu, then an entertainment reporter, got involved; Cheng left the love triangle and moved to the United States after marriage.^[16] When Yi Shu discovered Cheng's letter to Yueh from the US, she became so furious that she cut up Yueh's clothes and stabbed a knife into his bed. Yi Shu also made the letter public through newspapers, which put Cheng's marriage in jeopardy and made Yueh to end his own relationship with Yi Shu.^[17]

In 1970, Cheng married Taiwanese businessman Yuan Wen-Tung, whose father was the agent for Shaw Brothers in Taiwan. The couple met when Shaw Brothers' film Lover's Rock was being shot in Taiwan; Cheng's mother lost money playing mahjong at the Yuan family's home, and Cheng was sent to deliver the money to Yuan's mother, where Cheng first met Yuan. After their marriage, they moved to the United States. Considering Yuan was the only son in his family, Cheng felt obligated to bear a son for him. She experienced eight pregnancies and four miscarriages and had four children until a son was born.^[18] In 1987, with an alimony of $100,000, she divorced quietly without informing her children and continued to live with Yuan for two years before moving out.^[4]

Cheng's son Harry Yuan is a host on National Geographic, and her daughters Jennifer, Marsha, and Eugenia Yuan are all actresses.^[19]

Filmography

Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1964	Lovers' Rock (情人石)	Lin Qiuzi
1964	The Last Woman of Shang (妲己)	Dancing girl
1965	The Lotus Lamp (寶蓮燈)	Liu Yanchang
1965	Song of Orchid Island (蘭嶼之歌)	Ya Lan
1966	Come Drink with Me (大醉俠)	Golden Swallow
1966	The Joy of Spring (歡樂青春)
1966	Princess Iron Fan (鐵扇公主)	White Bone Demoness
1967	Blue Skies (艷陽天)	Chen Yun
1967	The Dragon Creek (龍虎溝)	Guo Er-niu
1967	Hong Kong Nocturne (香江花月夜)	Chia Chuan-chuan
1967	Operation Lipstick (1967) (諜網嬌娃)
1967	The Thundering Sword (神劍震江湖)	So Jiau-jiau
1968	Golden Swallow (金燕子)	Golden Swallow
1968	The Jade Raksha (玉羅剎)	Leng Qiuhan
1968	That Fiery Girl (紅辣椒)	Pearl
1969	Dragon Swamp (毒龍潭)	Qing-er/Fan Ying
1969	The Flying Dagger (飛刀手)	Yu Ying
1969	The Golden Sword (龍門金劍)	Ngai Jin-feng
1969	Raw Courage (虎膽)	Shangguan Xiuyi
1970	Brothers Five (五虎屠龍)	Yen Hsing-kung
1970	Lady of Steel (荒江女俠)	Fang Ying-qi
1971	The Lady Hermit (鍾馗娘子)	Leng Yu-shuang
1971	The Shadow Whip (影子神鞭)	Yang Kaiyun
1971	The Patriotic Heroine (拼命娘子)
1972	The Yellow Muffler (玉女嬉春)	Singer
1973	Attack of the Kung Fu Girls (鐵娃)	Siu Ying
1974	Whiplash (虎辮子)	Hu Pien-tze
1982	Lunatic Frog Women (烈日女娃人)
1983	All the King's Men (天下第一)
1988	Painted Faces (七小福)	Ching
1993	Flirting Scholar (唐伯虎點秋香)	Madame Wah
1993	Kidnap of Wong Chak Fai (綁架黃七輝)	Kung Tse-sam
1994	From Zero to Hero (亂世超人)
1994	The Gods Must Be Funny in China (非洲超人)	Aunty
1994	Kung Fu Mistress (神鳳苗翠琴)
1994	Lover's Lover (情人的情人)
1994	Wing Chun (詠春)	Ng Mui	Cameo
1996	How to Meet the Lucky Stars (運財五福星)	Chu Ba
1998	The Spirit of the Dragon (老鼠龍之猛龍過港)	Yun Gee
1999	Four Chefs and a Feast (四個廚師一圍菜)		Cameo
1999	A Man Called Hero (中華英雄)	Hero's mother	Cameo
1999	The Truth About Jane and Sam (真心話)	Sam's mother
2000	Fist Power (生死拳速)	Brian's mother
2000	Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (臥虎藏龍)	Jade Fox	Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actress
2000	Lavender (薰衣草)	Madame Tung	Cameo
2001	Shadow Mask (武神黑俠)	Red Goddess	a.k.a. The Legend of Black Mask
2002	Flying Dragon, Leaping Tiger (龍騰虎躍)	Liu Ruyan	also producer
2002	Naked Weapon (赤裸特工)	Faye Ching
2004	Sex and the Beauties (性感都市)	Mona
2004	The Miracle Box (天作之盒)	Joanna's mother
2005	Insuperable Kid (無敵小子霍元甲)	Aunt San
2005	House of Harmony	Amah
2007	They Wait	Aunt Mei
2007	Special Boys (功夫好男兒)	Aunt Lan
2007	Shanghai Baby [it]	Conny
2007	The Counting House (藏)	Lia
2008	Kung Fu Killer	Myling
2008	Love Under the Sign of the Dragon	Tham
2009	Basic Love (愛情故事)	Ling's grandmother
2009	Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li	Zhilan
2009	Blood Ties (還魂)	Madam Lee
2009	Taishan Kung Fu (泰山功夫)
2010	Flirting Scholar 2 (唐伯虎點秋香2之四大才子)	Madame Wah
2010	Here Comes Fortune (財神到)
2011	Coming Back (回馬槍)
2011	Legendary Amazons (楊門女將之軍令如山)	She Saihua
2011	Let Love Come Back (讓愛回家)
2011	Shanghai Hotel
2011	Double Bed Treaty (雙人床條約)
2011	Speed Angels (極速天使)	Auntie Fen
2011	My Wedding and Other Secrets	Mrs. Chu
2012	Imperial Bodyguard (御前侍衛)
2012	Give Me Five (五行攻略)
2014	Lilting	Junn
2014	The Scroll of Wing Chun White Crane (永春白鹤拳之擎天画卷)
2014	The Eyes of Dawn (黎明之眼)
2014	Streets of Macao
2014	The Bat Night
2015	Bright Wedding(璀璨的婚禮)
2015	Lost in Wrestling
2016	Good Take Too
2016	Goldstone	Mrs Lao
2017	Love Of Hope(讓愛活下去)
2017	Meditation Park	Maria Wang
2019	Flirting Scholar from the Future
2020	Mulan	The Matchmaker	Final film role

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1980	Chivalrous Shadow, Fragrant Footprints (俠影香蹤)	Golden Swallow
1984	The Legend Continues (霍東閣)	Chan Shi-chiu
1996	Wong Fei Hung Series: The Final Victory (黃飛鴻之辛亥革命)	Beggar So
1997	The Pride of Chaozhou (我來自潮州)	Poon Yuk-lin
1998	Master Ma (馬永貞之爭霸上海灘)	Ma Daniang
1998	Master Ma II (馬永貞之英雄血)	Ma Daniang
1999	Young Master of Shaolin (少年英雄方世玉)	Ng Mui
2000	Young Justice Bao (少年包青天)	Bao's mother
2001	Legendary Fighter: Yang's Heroine (楊門女將—女儿當自強)	She Saihua
2001	Heroes in Black (我來也)	Feng Pobu's mother
2002	Book and Sword, Gratitude and Revenge (書劍恩仇錄)	Empress Dowager Chongqing
2002	Springs of Life (春到人间)	Yun Shuheng
2004	Chinese Paladin (仙劍奇俠傳)	Granny Jiang
2004	Water Moon, Hollow Sky (水月洞天)	Long Po	a.k.a. Paradise
2005	Li Wei Resigns from Office (李衛辭官)	Li Wei's mother
2006	Women of Times (至尊紅顏)	She Huijun
2006	The Yang Sisters	Honey Yang
2008	Home with Kids 5 (家有儿女5)
2010	A Weaver on the Horizon (天涯織女)	Mrs. Fang
2012	Xuan-Yuan Sword: Scar of Sky (軒轅劍：天之痕)	Granny Ma
2012	The Patriot Yue Fei (精忠岳飛)	Yue Fei's mother
2013	Daughter's Return (千金归来)	Mother Rong
2015	The Lost Tomb	Huo Xian Gu
2016	Ice Fantasy (幻城)	Feng Tian

References

1. Lim, Ruey Yan (19 July 2024). "Cheng Pei-pei, star of Come Drink With Me and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, dies at 78". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
2. "The First Female Action Hero (Cheng Pei-pei's Movies Explained)". Screen Rant. 24 October 2020.
3. Tam, Arthur (31 March 2015). "Cheng Pei-pei (鄭佩佩) on Ang Lee and her iconic roles with Shaw Studios". Time Out Hong Kong. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
4. "星星陨落："永远的侠女"郑佩佩传奇谢幕 婚姻和事业关关难过关关过 | 联合早报". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 19 July 2024.
5. Reid, Craig. "Cheng Pei-Pei". Kung Fu Magazine. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
6. "Cheng Pei-pei". Chinesemov.com. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
7. Blanco, Oliver (29 March 2012). "Former L.A. Laker Girl teaches dance". East Los Angeles College Campus News. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
8. "Cheng Pei-pei". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2015. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015.
9. Rahman, Abid (19 July 2024). "Cheng Pei-pei, 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' and 'Come Drink With Me' Actress, Dies at 78". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
10. 鄭佩佩離世丨錢嘉樂感激前輩無私教導 佩佩姐事業高峰息影嫁人8次懷孕4次流產
11. Frater, Patrick (18 July 2024). "Cheng Pei-pei, 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' and 'Come Drink With Me' Star, Dies at 78". Variety. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
12. Frater, Patrick (29 August 2024). "Cheng Pei-pei, Late Star of 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,' 'Come Drink With Me,' to Be Honored at Golden Horse Film Awards". Variety. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
13. "原来郑佩佩是上海人，现场用上海话聊家常，以前以为她是香港人".
14. "鄭佩佩、岳華、陳鴻烈大談邵氏昔日點滴 | 星星同學會 #25 | 鄭佩佩、岳華、陳鴻烈、吳君如、錢嘉樂 | 粵語中字 | TVB 2009". YouTube. 19 July 2021.
15. "《金星秀》第20160504期: "武侠影后"郑佩佩浓墨重彩的七十年人生 the Jinxing Show EP.20160504【东方卫视官方超清】". YouTube.
16. 张思毅. "郑佩佩，江湖再见__南方+_南方plus". static.nfnews.com. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
17. 世界新闻网. "郑佩佩被闺密抢男友 分手岳华远嫁美国 她还吃醋拿刀插床". 世界新闻网 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 3 August 2024.
18. "星星陨落："永远的侠女"郑佩佩传奇谢幕 婚姻和事业关关难过关关过 | 联合早报". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 19 July 2024.
19. Johnson, G. Allen (3 May 2018). "First major female martial arts star, Cheng Pei-Pei to be honored at CAAMFest". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 14 March 2020.

External links

• Cheng Pei-pei at IMDb
• Cheng Pei-pei at the Hong Kong Movie Database
• Cheng Pei-pei at Rotten Tomatoes
• Cheng Pei-pei entry at Lovehkfilm.com

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Carrie Ng for The Kid	Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress 2000 for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon	Succeeded by Karena Lam for July Rhapsody