Angela Mao

Angela Mao Ying (Chinese: 茅瑛; born Mao Fuching; 20 September 1950) is a Taiwanese actress and martial artist who is best known for appearing in martial arts films in the 1970s. Mao is widely considered one of the greatest martial arts stars in the history of cinema.^[1]

Born in Taiwan, she studied at a Peking Opera school, the Fu Sheng Opera School, from the age of six to fourteen.^[2] In addition to training in stagecraft, Mao took lessons in martial arts and this led both to her discovery in the late 1960s by director Huang Feng and a contract with the famous Golden Harvest company.

Following the wuxia pian swordplay picture The Angry River (1971), Mao was teamed in 1972 with Carter Wong and Sammo Hung in Hapkido, after which she became known as "Lady Kung Fu." She acquired another nickname after the 1972 revenge flick, Lady Whirlwind.

In 1973, she played Su Lin, the sister of Bruce Lee's character in Enter the Dragon. Further hits followed with The Himalayan (1976), Dance of Death (1979), whose fight scenes were choreographed by Jackie Chan, and director King Hu's The Fate of Lee Khan (1973). Mao also collaborated with Australian actor George Lazenby on The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss (1974) and reunited with Wong on When Taekwondo Strikes (1973) and The Association (1974) and Hung on Broken Oath (1977). At the peak of her fame in the 1970s, Mao was marketed as the female version of Bruce Lee.^[3][4]

After her retirement from acting, Mao moved to the United States. She is the owner of Nan Bei Ho restaurant in New York.^[5]