According to St Headline, the incident occurred on the afternoon of 23/6. A driver reported to the police that a man had fallen onto a road sign near Pine Tree Hill Road. The impact caused the body to be dismembered. The witness stated that after hearing a loud noise, he exited his vehicle and discovered blood splattered on it.
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Police cover the remains of Tang Kai at the scene. Photo: St Headline |
Police cover the remains of Tang Kai at the scene. Photo: St Headline
The victim was identified as Tang Kai, husband of veteran actress Suet Nei. The director was 88 years old. Initial police investigations suggest he fell from a balcony. The cause of the fall is currently under investigation, and no suicide note has been found.
Tang Kai lived with his wife and son. In recent years, Suet Nei has been battling pancreatic cancer and has spent extended periods in hospital. A source from On reported that Tang Kai had been experiencing negative emotions lately. On 23/6, the director had planned to visit a lawyer's office to sign his will, but he was unable to do so.
Born Wong Tong in Macau in 1937, Tang Kai began his martial arts training at the age of 15 and entered the film industry at 19. In 1963, alongside martial arts actor Liu Chia-Liang, he co-directed the action sequences for the film The Fate of Lee Khan. He later served as action director for films such as Buddha's Palm, The Lady Assassin, The Black Cat, Golden Swallow, The One-Armed Swordsman, The Flying Guillotine, New One-Armed Swordsman, Shaolin Temple, and Fong Sai-Yuk and Hung Hei-Kwun.
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Tang Kai (right) and actor Ti Lung in character for "The Magic Blade". Photo: HK01 |
Tang Kai (right) and actor Ti Lung in character for "The Magic Blade". Photo: HK01
In 1976, Tang Kai made a significant impact in the martial arts world by designing the 360-degree rotating blade prop for director Chor Yuen's film The Magic Blade, an adaptation of Gu Long's martial arts novel. In 2011, the Hong Kong Film Archive selected the film for its list of "100 Hong Kong movies you must see".
A scene from "The Magic Blade" starring Ti Lung. Video: Bilibili
In the 1980s, Tang Kai directed and choreographed the action for films like Shaolin Invaders, Shaolin Intruders, and The Master of Kung Fu. After leaving Shaw Brothers Studio, he worked briefly in television before retiring. In 1993, director Tsui Hark invited Tang Kai to return to filmmaking as the action director for the film Green Snake.
Tang Kai married actress Suet Nei in 1969, and the couple had two children. In the 1980s, the family moved to Canada but later returned to Hong Kong. According to On, the couple were deeply devoted to each other and inseparable.
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Tang Kai and Suet Nei. Photo: On |
Tang Kai and Suet Nei. Photo: On
Upon hearing the news, martial arts actor Cheung Lei, a friend of Tang Kai, expressed his grief, saying he could only pray for his friend. Actress Nancy Sit Ka Yin expressed concern for Suet Nei, fearing she might not be able to cope with the loss. Sit Ka Yin said, "Life is unpredictable. The most important thing is good health. Kai was a good person. I'm heartbroken to say goodbye to him".
By Nhu Anh (via St Headline, On)
