RIP Golden Swallow

July 20, 2024 5:33 AM

Cheng Pei-pei, ‘queen of martial arts’ movies, dead at 78 Actress Cheng Pei-pei, best known for her martial arts roles in films such as “Come Drink with Me” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” has died. She was 78. “It is with a heavy heart that we announce that the rumors are true. Our mother, Cheng Pei Pei, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on July 17,” her family wrote in a statement posted on Facebook Friday.

With a career that spanned six decades, Cheng was a multi-talented actress who made her name after appearing in several successful period martial arts films in the genre known as "wuxia," Hong Kong-based Supreme Art Entertainment said in a Facebook post on Friday.

Cheng joined Shaw Brothers Studio in 1963 and came to prominence in King Hu's 1966 wuxia classic Come Drink With Me (trailer), playing the character of Golden Swallow.

Hu’s film made Cheng Hong Kong’s biggest female martial arts star of the 1960s – she was voted “Queen of Swords” in a poll organised by the Hong Kong press – and she made around 20 wuxia films for Shaw Brothers alone

She later followed that up with films such as The Jade Raksha, Lady of Steel and the Shadow Whip.

Her output slowed in the mid-70s but her role as Jade Fox in 2000's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon reintroduced her to the world. So much so that many news stories about her passing read like this:

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Cheng Pei-pei dies at 78

Cheng Pei Pei, ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ Actress, Dead at 78

Wuxia previously:
“I did not come to bury wuxia, but to praise it.”

Your Friday touch of Zen

posted by LostInUbe (17 comments total)

Before she became fully identified with wuxia-style films, Chang Pei-Pei also did some great work in Shaw Brothers musicals (Hong Kong Nocturne) and romances (Lover's Rock). An amazing talent.
posted by iwhitney at 7:18 AM on July 20 [5 favorites]

💥🫷🟢🦊
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:29 AM on July 20 [1 favorite]

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posted by HearHere at 7:35 AM on July 20

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posted by humbug at 7:36 AM on July 20

Time to rewatch Come Drink with Me.

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posted by May Kasahara at 8:16 AM on July 20 [1 favorite]

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posted by gwint at 8:19 AM on July 20

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posted by cyrusdogstar at 8:30 AM on July 20

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posted by sapagan at 8:38 AM on July 20

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The Lady Hermit (1971) trailer
posted by fairmettle at 8:59 AM on July 20

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aww she was a true bad ass
posted by supermedusa at 9:11 AM on July 20

Come Drink With Me is one of my favorites. So good.
posted by jabah at 9:51 AM on July 20

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posted by eternalhedgehog at 10:55 AM on July 20

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posted by fleacircus at 11:07 AM on July 20

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posted by lord_wolf at 11:09 AM on July 20

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posted by Joey Michaels at 12:12 PM on July 20

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posted by JoeXIII007 at 12:41 PM on July 20

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posted by thomcatspike at 6:00 PM on July 20