Veteran Hong Kong actress Hung Suet Nei, also known as Suet Nay, is mourning the death of her husband, renowned martial arts choreographer Tang Chia.
He died on Monday (Jun 23) at the age of 88 after falling from a height in Jordan, a district in Hong Kong.
According to Hong Kong media, the incident occurred around 5pm.
Police received a report from a driver who witnessed a man falling from above and hitting a roadside sign before landing at the junction of Austin Road and Pine Tree Hill Road.
He is believed to have fallen from the rooftop of a nearby building and died on the spot.
No suicide note was found.
Tang Chia began his career in martial arts at the age of 15 under the mentorship of martial artist Yuen Siu Tien.
He started appearing in films at 19, and in the 1960s, he rose to prominence as one of director Chang Cheh’s most trusted action choreographers, alongside Lau Kar Leung, at Shaw Brothers.
In the 1980s, Tang Chia directed several classic kung fu films such as Shaolin Prince (1983), Shaolin Intruders (1983), and Opium And The Kung Fu Master (1984) – all regarded as standout works in the martial arts film genre.
He later joined TVB as a martial arts choreographer and gradually withdrew from the entertainment industry in the late 1980s.
Suet Nay was a popular Cantonese film starlet in the 1960s, best known for her iconic role as the swordswoman in The Legend Of Wonder Lady.
At the peak of her career, she met Tang Chia on set. Captivated by his work ethic and loyalty, she wooed him and they married in 1969.
They were widely regarded as one of Hong Kong showbiz’s most loving couples.
After retiring from showbiz in the late 1980s, the couple and their two sons immigrated to Canada but returned in the 1990s as they had difficulties adjusting to life overseas.
When Suet Nay rejoined TVB in 1997, Tang Chia frequently accompanied her to events and shoots, preparing nourishing soups for her.
Suet Nay once affectionately described her husband as her bodyguard, manager, and assistant, admitting that her strong personality often led to arguments – but Tang Chia always chose to give in.
In recent years, Suet Nay was diagnosed with hereditary hearing loss, which left one ear completely deaf.
Because of this, Tang Chia was always by her side, supporting her as a “personal hearing aid”.
According to reports, Suet Nay has been battling pancreatic cancer and hospitalised for long-term treatment.
It is believed that Tang Chia had been greatly affected by her condition.
Sources say he had previously expressed to their son how devastated he was, even saying he wished to “die together” with Suet Nay.
He was scheduled to visit a lawyer to sign his will but allegedly took his own life before he could leave for the appointment.
A copy of the will was reportedly found at their home.
This story was originally published in 8Days.
