Actress Kathy Chow Hoi-mei, who died in a Beijing hospital aged 57 from an unknown illness on December 11, was best known for her many roles in TV drama series produced not only in Hong Kong but also Taiwan and mainland China.
A descendant of the Guwalgiya, a prominent Manchu clan, Chow was born and raised in Hong Kong. She was an unsuccessful contestant in the 1985 Miss Hong Kong beauty pageant before joining local broadcaster TVB as a trainee actress the same year and appearing in her first series, The Yang Saga.
She relocated from Hong Kong to Beijing in 2003 but it was not until 2014, when she appeared in the costume drama The Empress of China alongside mainland Chinese star Fan Bingbing, that she became a household name on the mainland.
Here are five of Chow’s most beloved screen roles.
The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (1994)
The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber is a Taiwanese TV series adapted from Louis Cha’s novel of the same title.
It follows Zhang Wuji, who is caught in a complex web of martial-arts clans and power struggles during the Ming dynasty. In his quest to uncover his true identity and seek justice, he embarks on an epic journey filled with love, loyalty and betrayal.
Chow plays Zhou Zhiruo, a woman who is betrayed by Zhang Wuji on her wedding day and sets out to take revenge.
Chow initially had doubts about the antagonist role but, subsequently, her excellent performance made her known as “the most beautiful and memorable version” of Zhou Zhiruo.
The Feud of Two Brothers (1986)
In this TVB drama Chow plays Fang Xuening, a character who regains control of her life after a betrayal.
The drama appeared in the top 10 on a list of 100 classic Chinese TV series of the 20th century, selected by Singaporean TV media.
Time Before Time (1997)
Time Before Time is a supernatural period drama set in 1940s Hong Kong.
The chemistry between the two leads – Chow as a ghost and Gordon Lam Ka-tung as her love interest – made the show a big hit in 1997. Chow received a lot of attention from the public and her popularity skyrocketed.
The Empress of China (2014)
This drama describes the legendary life of the Tang dynasty’s Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history.
Chow plays Pure Consort Yang, an important concubine in the harem of the Emperor Taizong – to whom Wu was a lesser wife before his death – and also a princess from the previous overthrown Sui dynasty. She helps Wu many times in the series’ early stages, before she becomes empress, with the intention of using Wu to get revenge for her family’s downfall.
This show is considered one of mainland China’s most expensive TV series, reportedly costing over 300 million yuan to make. It was first broadcast in mainland China, where it achieved record ratings.
Goodbye Kiss MV (1993)
Not strictly a drama role but Chow appeared in the music video of Jacky Cheung Hok-yau’s 1993 Mandarin hit Goodbye Kiss.
In the most recent messages left under the YouTube video, viewers praise Chow not only for her beauty but also her grace as an actor.
