A Tribute to Chin Tsi-ang

A Tribute To Chin Tsi-ang

Chin Tsi-ang (Mama Hung), the first female martial artist was born in 1909, in Shanghai. When she was an infant, her parents were adviced by a fortune-teller to bring her up like a boy to prevent her early death so she she was allowed to participate in many activities that were available to boys only. She began to study kung fu at the age of 8. Thanks to her abilities, at the age of 16 she became the first female martial artist on screen in the film called „The Lady Swordfighter of Jiangnan”. She married filmdirector Hung Chung-ho and in the end of 1930’s they moved to Hong Kong where they founded a film studio called The Sanxing Film Company that specialized mainly in wuxia films. They produced the very first Fong Sai-yuk film in 1938, called „The Adventures of Fong Sai-yuk”. The studio existed until 1963 when the Chinese government requisitioned its properties. Soon after Hung Chung-ho died and Chin Tsi-ang basically retired from the film business appearing in cameos only. She passed away on October 15, 2007.

Sammo and his grandmother

The very young Chin Tsi-ang

"I'd love if the audience remembered me.
Everything about my movies, my characters.
Don't forget me.
I'm happy that you guys don't forget me.
I love you."
(Sammo Hung)