Over the past few days, the internet has been paying tribute to martial arts star Cheng Pei Pei, who passed away at the age of 78 on July 17 in San Francisco.
She reportedly suffered from a degenerative brain disease similar to Parkinson’s disease since 2019.
Best known for her role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the late actress also starred in Mediacorp dramas Heroes In Black (2001), Springs Of Life (2002) and Women Of Times (2006).
A pioneer for women in action films, Pei Pei gained international attention after she starred in Hong Kong wuxia film Come Drink With Me in 1966.
It was also on the set of this movie that she developed a relationship with the late actor Elliot Ngok Wah.
According to reports, then Pei Pei was also being wooed by co-star Chan Hung Lit.
Pei Pei later revealed on 2009 TVB talk show Club Sparkle that she chose to date Ngok Wah when she found out that Hung Lit was also pursuing another woman.
Pei Pei and Ngok Wah dated for five years and were regarded as a golden couple in showbiz.
It was rumoured that they split after Pei Pei’s good friend, former entertainment journalist Yi Shu, came between them. Also known as Isabel Nee, she is the younger sister of Hong Kong novelist Ni Kuang.
Pei Pei and Yi Shu were very close and the latter would often join Pei Pei and Ngok Wah on their dates.
It is said that after Ngok Wah dropped Pei Pei off at home, Yi Shu would claim to have night blindness and ask him to send her home.
When Pei Pei learned about this, she ended her relationship with Ngok Wah and married Taiwanese businessman Yuan Wen Tung in 1970, moving to the United States with him.
Ngok Wah then went public with his relationship with Yi Shu.