Lau Shun as Li Lianying in the film Hail the Judge. Photo: Screen grab from the film
Lau Shun, a well-known actor from China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region who appeared in many acclaimed films, has passed away on May 29 at the age of 87, veteran Hong Kong singer-actor Law Kar-ying said in a long message posted on Sina Weibo on Saturday, mourning the passing of his senior fellow artist.
In the post, Law recalled meeting Lau in Hong Kong back in 1980 and later training under him alongside other Cantonese Opera performers, saying Lau made a major contribution to Cantonese Opera. Law wrote that Lau helped guide the artistic direction, plot and movements of many of his works, adding that his own artistic career flourished in the second half of his life thanks to Lau’s guidance. Describing Lau’s passing as a loss to the older generation of Peking Opera masters, Law said Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong had benefited greatly from Lau and that he would be remembered forever.
Baidu Baike, the Chinese online encyclopedia operated by search engine Baidu, had also grayed out Lau’s page on Saturday, the Global Times found.
According to public records, Lau was born in Beijing in 1939 and appeared in famous films including Swordsman (1990), Dragon Inn (1992) and Hail the Judge (1994), among many others.
Law’s post was soon picked up by many media outlets. China News Service wrote in its Saturday coverage that while Lau’s name may not be familiar to all audiences, many people born in the 1990s would immediately recognize his roles.
In Swordsman (1990), Lau played the eunuch Gu Jinfu, a role that earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 10th Hong Kong Film Awards. In Dragon Inn (1992), his portrayal of a sinister and ruthless Ming Dynasty eunuch left a deep impression on a generation of viewers. In Hail the Judge (1994), invited by Stephen Chow Sing-chi, Lau again played a eunuch, creating a memorable villainous supporting role through his distinctive expressions and tone.
Although Lau appeared in more than 50 films and TV dramas and worked with nearly all of Hong Kong’s leading stars of his time, he rarely played leading roles and never won a major acting award. Yet he earned high praise in the film industry and was known as the “Thousand-Faced Buddha” for his versatility in acting. Audiences also remembered him as a remarkable supporting actor, saying he could “play a good person like a Buddha and a villain like a demon.”
According to Tianjin People’s Broadcasting Station, Lau devoted much of his artistic career to both the Peking Opera and Cantonese Opera stages before becoming a familiar face on the silver screen. He began learning Peking Opera at the age of 6 and, after graduating at 19, was assigned to teach at the China National Peking Opera Company.
At 41, he moved south to Hong Kong, where he taught at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and developed a deep understanding of Cantonese Opera. Lau did not enter the film and television industry until the age of 47, but despite his late start, he became known as one of Hong Kong cinema’s most remarkable supporting actors and an enduring part of a generation’s memories.
Under Law’s post, many Weibo users left messages mourning Lau’s passing. One user wrote that “fewer and fewer actors from our childhood are still with us.” Another said that they were saddened to hear of Lau’s passing, adding that they grew up watching his films and that many of his roles had left a deep impression on them. Many others left candle emojis to express their grief, with some saying that “another part of a generation’s memories is gone.”
Global Times