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| Lau Shun received the Academy of Performing Artists honorary fellowship in 2019 |
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| Lau Shun (right) in HAIL THE JUDGE brought life to Lee Nin Ying, his scene with Stephen Chow (left) has even become classic |
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| Liza Wang (right) and Law Kar Ying (center) would forever miss Lau Shun (left) courtesy of mingpao.com |
Known as the "Thousand Faced Tathagata" of the Beijing opera and Cantonese opera, Master Lau Shun passed away on the 29th at age 87. The news of his death was confirmed by his junior colleague Law Kar Ying through social media. Law Kar Ying was sorry for the death of his brother Lau Shun and was also full of nostalgia. He made a long post to pay tribute to this respected Peking Opera master and an important person who has contributed a lot to the development of Cantonese opera.
Law Kar Ying shared a photo with Lau Shun, and revealed in the eulogy how they met. Law Kar Ying posted, "Today at 6PM, my senior colleague Mr. Lau Shun passed away. Born on the Year of the Rabbit, he was 87 this year. In 1980, when his opera troupe came to perform in Hong Kong Ma Yuqi introduced me to him. In 1982 he and his wife Guo Jinhua settled in Hong Kong. Since then Yau Sing Po, Lee Kei Fung, Lee Bo Ying and I trained with him. 20 or 30 people including my students, Siu Ying and Ngai Hin also trained with him. He was very skilled, his method of teaching was very authentic. I learned a lot and was even able to become a director. Many Cantonese opera stars like Chan Ho Kau, Lee Lung, Lung Koon Tin, Wan Fei Yin, Chan Ka Ming also studied with him, all of whom improved a lot. His contribution to Cantonese Opera was enormous. When his master Li Wanchun came to Hong Kong, he recommended me, Brother Po, Brother Kei to become Li Wanchun's disciples, thus we called him elder brother instead. He directed Liza Wang Ming Chuen's MU GUIYING, the river crossing fight scene was very cheerful. For the operas I constantly performed, he grasped the art, plot, movement for us and raised the entire opera's style, from which I also learned a lot. The artistic achievement transformation of the latter half of my life was all due to Mr. Liu's effort. He also once taught at the Academy of Performing Arts, Hung Mui, Cheng Wing Mui, Sung Hung Bo, Wong Hei Wing all have learned from him. Yet Performing Arts personnel matter became complicated and he left his post. In the past decade his health has not been well and gradually showed signs of aging. He still wholeheartedly instructed Hong Wah, Chan Ka Ming, Kim Lun, Kim Ying, Ng Kwok Wah and others. With his passing, another Beijing Opera master of the older generation is gone. The Hong Kong Cantonese Opera scene has benefitted heavily and would always remember him. Mr. Lau, I am very saddened. I am still thinking about having tea and dining with you. Unfortunately, Heaven didn't give me the opportunity to. May you have a safe journey."
Lau Shun was a senior Beijing opera actor and opera director. Born in Beijing in 1939, since childhood he studied Beijing Opera, learning from Li Wanchun, Li Shaochun, and other famous Beijing opera masters. In 1958 he graduated from the Chinese opera school, once was an actor in the Chinese Beijing Opera Theatre. In the 1980s he accompanied the Beijing Opera Company to perform in Hong Kong and later settled in Hong Kong, where he taught at the Hong Kong Dance Company and served as the coordinator of the Chinese Opera Curriculum and artistic guidance for the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. He cultivated opera and performance talents. In April 2021, Lau Shun was awarded the honorary fellowship by the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts as his achievement was recognized again.
Lau Shun was invited by director Tsui Hark in 1986 to serve as an opera director in the film PEKING OPERA BLUES (DOH MA DAN) and then entered the film industry. Lau Shun performed in a number of classic film works, including THE SWORDSMAN (SIU NGO GONG WU) as the feminine and fierce Eastern Depot eunuch "Gu Jinfu" in 1990. He was nominated for the 10th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Supporting Actor. In addition in "GOD OF GAMBLERS III BACK TO SHANGHAI", "NEW DRAGON INN", "ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 3" (WONG FEI HUNG 3: SI WONG JUNG BA), and " A CHINESE GHOST STORY 3" (SIN NUI YAU WAN III: DOH DOH DOH), his interpretations of roles that could be both good and evil have already reached mastery skills and earned him the title of "Thousand Faced Tathagata" and "the Best Golden Support Actor". The audience relished the most was Lau Shun as the grand eunuch Lee Nin Ying in the Stephen Chow Sing Chi classic film HAIL THE JUDGE (GAU BUN SI MA GUOON). Their war of words became the climax of the film that was unforgettable to the audience. In 2013 he participated in the film THE GRANDMASTERS (YUT DOI JUNG I) and took part in almost 100 films.






























