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| Man Yi's eyes were all red when she touched Uncle Chi's casket |
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| Man Yi and their sons stopped for media photo |
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| Sons Man Jik and Man Shun played the harmonica |
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| The choir including Wong Cho Nam, Peter Cheung, Ram Chiang and To Yin Gor performed for Uncle Chi |
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| Tin Kai Man said that the family arrived early to prepare |
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| Man Yi presented flowers to Uncle Chi |
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Alex Fong Chung Shun, Fong Ping, Michelle Yim and Nin Paw spoke to the media
courtesy of singtao.com |
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| Chan Man Yi chose this photo |
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| Man Yi and their sons could not hold back their tears during the viewing |
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| The flowers from Liu Kai Chi's family were on display as the choir performed |
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| Elder son Man Jik carried his father's photo |
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| Aaron Kwok |
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Liu Kai Chi's favorite film of his career was CAGEMAN
courtesy of on.cc |
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Uncle Chi asked to play their family of five, including their late son Liu Man Lok,
rendition of IN HEAVENLY HOME |
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| Although Uncle Chi was busy with work, he never neglected his family and often went on vacation with them. |
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| Uncle Chi chose this photo of him at the Great Wall, which Man Yi placed outside the church to fulfill his wish |
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| Liu Kai Chi shaved his head in solitary with Mainland actors while working on the series LEGEND OF A BOXER over 30 years ago |
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| CAGEMAN |
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Liu Kai Chi described life as a "short distance run", losing at the starting line but winning at the finish line
|
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| Johnnie To |
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| Adrian Wong and her father Felix Wong |
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| Karena Lam |
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Ai Wai and his former wife
courtesy of mingpao.com |
Veteran actor Liu Kai Chi succumbed to cancer on March
28th at age 67. His family yesterday arranged for a funeral ceremony
at the St. Andrew's Church for Uncle Chi.
Due to the pandemic no public memorial was held, but the
ceremony was broadcast live and a memorial page was set up for everyone
to remember Uncle Liu. All funeral gifts would be donated to charity
in the name of Liu Kai Chi. Around 12:50 PM the hearse arrived with
Uncle Chi's white casket. Widow Man Yi and their sons Liu Man Jik and
Liu Man Shun were dressed in black. The media fought to take photos
and caused a stir. Outside the church door were floral arrangements
from family and friends including Albert Yeung Sau Sing, Julian Cheung
Chi Lam and Anita Yuen Wing Yi, Aaron Kwok Fu Sing, Leon Lai Ming,
Miriam Yeung Chin Wa, Dayo Wong Tsz Wa, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Ng Chun Yu,
Carol Cheng Yui Ling, Mr. and Mrs. Sean Lau Ching Wan. Among family and
friends who came to pay their respect were Kwok Fu Sing, Alex Fong Chung
Shun, Felix Chong Man Keung, Mak King Ting, Meg Lam Kin Ming, Michael
Ning (Bak Ji), Cherry Ngan Cheuk Ling, Andrew Pong King Fung, Ali Lee
Kai Sum, Chin Kar Lok, Helena Law Lan, Fong Ping, Tang Ying Man, Johnnie
To Kei Fung and his wife, Tin Kai Man and choir members Wong Cho Nam,
Peter Cheung Shung Tak and Eugina Lau Mei Guen, To Yin Gor and May Kwong
Man Shun. Before entering, guests were required to have temperature
checks and "Leave Home Safe" QR code scans.
The ceremony began at 2:30PM in a closed door format. The hall
was decorated simply. At the entrance of the church was a photo from
Uncle Chi's Great Wall visit, a photo that Uncle Chi personally chose.
However Man Yi said, "Uncle Chi picked this photo himself, so we
fulfilled his wish and put it at the door. However no one would use
a photo with sunglasses for the final photo, so I chose another handsome
photo for that." Uncle Chi's photo was placed at the center of the
hall, next to them were heart shaped floral arrangement from Man Yi
with the words, "For my most beloved Kai Chi, Eternal Life in Heaven,
Love You Forever, Wife Man Yi". On both sides were the floral
arrangements from their sons. After the ceremony, Uncle Chi's casket
was taken to the hearse. Man Yi followed as elder son Liu Man Jik
carried his late father's photo. The family of three permitted photos
from the media and appeared to be strong.
The ceremony started at 2:30 PM. Uncle Chi's white casket was
placed in the hall, on top of it were full of white flowers. The
pastor first led everyone in a prayer. Uncle Chi's sons Man Jik and
Man Shun played the harmonica. Cheung Shun Tak, Lau Mei Guen,
Chiang Chi Kwong, Wong Cho Lam and other church members performed
HAIL TO FRIENDSHIP with new lyrics.
At the ceremony a video of Uncle Chi's life was shown. His wife
Chan Man Yi said, "When Uncle Chi bid farewell, he told me, 'It's been
hard on you, now you can properly rest. We really appreciated him, his
hard work gave us a lot of things. He just kept working like that, he
had it very tough and rarely rested." She said that in the past year
due to the pandemic, everyone were trapped at home most of them. They
spoke alot. At the time Uncle Chi promised her that after the
restrictions would be lifted they would go to the Mainland to see the
famous mountains. Finally they were unable to fulfill this wish. Chan
Man Yi described Uncle Chi's life as destined to be tough. In 1984 they
had a little money, took two months off with TVB and fulfilled their
dreams of backpacking through Europe; they bought cheap flights and had
over 20 hours of transfer, but on the return they realized they
miscalculated. They should arrived in Hong Kong on the 10th but due to
the time difference they would not return until the 11th. Uncle Chi
had to work on the 10th and the company did not approve more time off,
so he could only buy a direct flight to return to Hong Kong first.
Chan Man Yi in order to save money kept taking transfers. They were
both at the airport, Uncle Chi boarded his flight first. When he
went to the gate and looked back he was already in tears and Man Yi
also broke down.
Man Yi said, "This reminded me that, actually in life and death,
even if you know you would be reunited with him very soon, you would
still miss him."
She also said that Uncle Chi on his sick bed knew that he would
soon pass. He had many tears and was very reluctant to go because he
was a very responsible person. He was unable to let his family go.
She held back her tears and said, "I want him to know, the three of us
are great. We really are able to take care of ourselves." She also
promised to continue the good qualities of the Liu family, to be
responsible and respect others, and asked their sons, "Can we do it?"
Man Jik and Man Shun nodded, then Man Yi cheered them on.
His sons also shared their lives with their father. They
sometimes would also call Papa "Uncle Chi". Elder son Liu Man Jik
said that Uncle Chi's love for him was almost to the level of spoiling
him. As he grew, he differed from his father's orderly personality.
Thus he became upset at him while he was afraid of Papa as well. Those
were both his illusions as Uncle Chi loved him from the bottom of his
heart; when he went to study in Australia, each time he returned home
Uncle Chi would pick him up at the airport. He said, "That smile told
me how much he missed me. He was a Papa who loved me very much."
Second son Liu Man Shun mentioned how he and his father got
long when Uncle Chi was hospitalized early in the year. He read little
inspirational stories to Uncle Chi, while Uncle Chi would fix his
pronunciation. This became their new activity. Later the family even
had a TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE script table reads at the hospital, which
was a play that he liked and performed. Man Shun's job was production
related, Uncle Chi often gave him advice. Man Shun said, "I don't have
the chance to consult him and ask him for his advice, but I am very
grateful to be his final student, to become a student and son he can
be proud of."
Chan Man Yi also mentioned in 2006 when their youngest son Liu
Man Lok passed, their family of five once recorded a song IN HEAVENLY
HOME. Uncle Chi missed his son, so he listened to this song everyday.
IN HEAVENLY HOME was played and had Man Lok's voice, along with their
warm family photos.
As the ceremony neared its end, Chan Man Yi returned to the
stage and thanked the production team for planning a beautiful yet
peaceful ceremony. She said, "I believe Uncle Chi would definitely
accept and be happy with it. After Uncle Chi passed, I saw many people
from different locations, with different religions and different
political viewers, they all had very positive recognition of him. I was
very touched inside. I also didn't think that so many people would
attend a funeral. My feeling is like everyone gave a final award to
Liu Kai Chi. I am very grateful to everyone for teaming up to
give him this Oscar of life. I hereby accept this award on Liu Kai
Chi's behalf, again thank you everyone for your love for Uncle Chi.
Thank you!"
Fong Chung Shun, Paw Hee Ching and Michelle Yim (Mai Suet) before leaving the
church. They talked about Uncle Chi and got choked up. Sister Bau
described the ceremony as peaceful yet warmth. Although it was sad it
was also happy, enabling Uncle Chi to depart in a blessed atmosphere.
Fong Chung Shun got choked up and shook his head as he could not speak,
after settling down he said that he and Uncle Chi were friends for years.
He remembered that after working on PROJECT GUTENBERG (MO SEUNG), Chow
Yun Fat formed a team to start running. The last time they ran
together was in November last year. Then Uncle Chi got sick and went to
the hospital, to avoid bothering Uncle Chi he did not visit. After
finishing the last run with Uncle Chi, did he have any regret? Fong
Chung Shun said, "No regret, we ran together for years. I saw him
becoming more and more open, happier and happier." Also on the
running team, Mai Suet remembered Uncle Chi's running style and thought
he was very handsome. Yesterday at the ceremony were also photos from
Uncle Chi's runs. Sister Bau emotionally said, "Uncle Chi would always
run with us. We ran the worst so we were in division C, he was
division A, constantly going back and forth to watch over us." Speaking
of Uncle Chi's final wish of making the film TAKE TWO (FAN DAU YUN SUN)
to cultivate new comers, Sister Bau said that someone was already
helping with the production. Everyone would definitely help if they
could.
Hong Kong Federation of Film Workers' Tin Kai Man said that the
ceremony was simple, Uncle Chi's sons were in charge of the arrangement.
How was Man Yi? Tin Kai Man said, "She's OK, nothing special. She has
been very strong throughout our communication."
Uncle Chi contributed his life to show business, making over
92 films, 110 television series and over 21 plays. In the past decade
he even dedicated himself to education. Chan Man Yi revealed, "When in
school he was discriminated against, so very early on he already learned
to respect others and understood that everyone was equal. In 1984 when
he went to the Mainland to work on the television series THE LEGEND OF
A BOXER, at the time the director demanded Mainland actors to shave
their heads but not the Hong Kong actors. He thought why did the Hong
Kong actors have special privilege, without saying anything he had his
head shaved. His action touched me very deeply."
Man Yi privately asked which one of his movies did her husband
like the most? He said that he really enjoyed CAGEMAN, but not because
it won an award. She said, "He said that this film was able to reflect
social problem. Ironically after 30 some years not only the problem
hasn't been resolved but created so many varieties of subdivided rooms.
It is the shame of Hong Kong people!" In the past 2 years as Hong Kong
faced the pandemic and the social movement, property owner Uncle Chi
reduced and even cancelled rent to get through the hard times with
everyone.
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