Ching Siu-tung
Encyclopedia
Ching Siu-tung also known as Tony Ching, is a Hong Kong action choreographer, actor, film director and producer, who has directed over 20 films, including the critically acclaimed supernatural fantasy A Chinese Ghost Story
(1987).
in the 1960s and 1970s (his father, Ching Gong, was a Shaw Brothers Studio
director, and Ching Siu-tung had been trained in Peking opera as a child), but he made his directorial debut in 1982 with the ground-breaking wuxia
classic Duel to the Death
.
Ching worked with producer Tsui Hark
on 1987's A Chinese Ghost Story, which became an international sensation, although it was usually Tsui Hark who took most of the plaudits. He continued to work with Tsui Hark, directing sequels to that film in 1990 and 1991, and co-directing all three parts of the Swordsman series, starting in 1990. Other directorial highlights included the highly successful Royal Tramp
films (both 1992) which starred Stephen Chow
and Brigitte Lin
.
Ching continued his role as action director / choreographer throughout this period, and has continued to work in that role on high-profile international successes like Shaolin Soccer
(2001), Hero
(2002), and House of Flying Daggers
(2004).
In 2002, Ching was nominated twice for Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards
, and won in 2003 for his efforts on Hero. That same year, he made his American film
debut, directing Steven Seagal
in the direct-to-video
feature Belly of the Beast
. In 2006, he choreographed the action scenes in the Indian superhero film Krrish
, for which he won a Filmfare Best Action Award
and Zee Cine Award
.
In 2008, Ching directed An Empress and the Warriors
, in which he also served as action choreographer. The film stars Kelly Chen
, Donnie Yen
and Leon Lai
.
|1982 || Duel to the Death
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|1985 || Witch from Nepal ||
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|1987 || A Chinese Ghost Story
||
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|1989 || Fight and Love with a Terracotta Warrior ||
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|1990 || The Swordsman
||
|-
|1990 || A Chinese Ghost Story II
||
|-
|1991 || The Raid ||
|-
|1991 || A Chinese Ghost Story III
||
|-
|1992 || Swordsman II
||
|-
|1993 || Swordsman III
||
|-
|1993 || The Mad Monk
||
|-
|1994 || Wonder Seven ||
|-
|1996 || Dr. Wai in "The Scripture with No Words" ||
|-
|1997 || The Longest Day ||
|-
|2000 || Conman in Tokyo ||
|-
|2008 || An Empress and the Warriors
||
|-
|2011 || The Sorcerer and the White Snake
||
|1987 || A Better Tomorrow II ||
|-
|1992 || New Dragon Gate Inn
||
|-
|2001 || Shaolin Soccer
||
|-
|2002 || Hero
||
|-
|2004 || House of Flying Daggers
||
|-
|2005 || Royal Swordsmen
|| television series
|-
|2006 || Krrish
||
|-
|2006 || Curse of the Golden Flower
||
|-
|2008 || Irumbu Kottai Murattu Singam
||
A Chinese Ghost Story
A Chinese Ghost Story is a 1987 Hong Kong romantic comedy horror film starring Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong, and Wu Ma, directed by Ching Siu-tung, and produced by Tsui Hark...
(1987).
Career
Ching began as an actor and martial arts instructor working in Hong Kong action cinemaHong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
in the 1960s and 1970s (his father, Ching Gong, was a Shaw Brothers Studio
Shaw Brothers Studio
The Shaw Brothers Studio , owned by Shaw Brothers Ltd., was the foremost and the largest movie production company of Hong Kong movies.From their distribution base in Singapore where they founded parent company Shaw Organization in 1924, and as a strategic development of their movie distribution...
director, and Ching Siu-tung had been trained in Peking opera as a child), but he made his directorial debut in 1982 with the ground-breaking wuxia
Wuxia
Wuxia is a broad genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists. Although wuxia is traditionally a form of literature, its popularity has caused it to spread to diverse art forms like Chinese opera, manhua , films, television series, and video games...
classic Duel to the Death
Duel to the Death
Duel to the Death is a 1983 Hong Kong wuxia film starring Damian Lau and Norman Chu. It is the directorial debut of Ching Siu-tung.-Plot:...
.
Ching worked with producer Tsui Hark
Tsui Hark
Tsui Hark , born Tsui Man-kong, is a Hong Kong New Wave film director and producer. He is viewed as a major figure in the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema .-Early life:...
on 1987's A Chinese Ghost Story, which became an international sensation, although it was usually Tsui Hark who took most of the plaudits. He continued to work with Tsui Hark, directing sequels to that film in 1990 and 1991, and co-directing all three parts of the Swordsman series, starting in 1990. Other directorial highlights included the highly successful Royal Tramp
Royal Tramp
Royal Tramp is a 1992 Hong Kong film based on Louis Cha's novel The Deer and the Cauldron. The film was one of the five top grossing Hong Kong films in 1992. Stephen Chow, who played the protagonist Wai Siu-bo, also starred in the other four films...
films (both 1992) which starred Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
and Brigitte Lin
Brigitte Lin
Brigitte Lin or Brigitte Lin Ching Hsia is a Taiwanese actress. She was a popular actress, regarded as an icon of Chinese cinema, who acted in both Taiwanese and Hong Kong movies...
.
Ching continued his role as action director / choreographer throughout this period, and has continued to work in that role on high-profile international successes like Shaolin Soccer
Shaolin Soccer
Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Stephen Chow. A former Shaolin monk reunites his five brothers, years after their master's death, to apply their superhuman martial arts skills to play soccer and bring Shaolin kung fu to the masses.In 2008 a...
(2001), Hero
Hero (2002 film)
Hero is a 2002 wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. Starring Jet Li as the nameless protagonist, the film is based on the story of Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin in 227 BC....
(2002), and House of Flying Daggers
House of Flying Daggers
House of Flying Daggers is a 2004 wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. It differs from other wuxia films in that it is more of a love story than a straight martial arts film....
(2004).
In 2002, Ching was nominated twice for Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards
Hong Kong Film Awards
The Hong Kong Film Awards , founded in 1982, are the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong and among the most respected in mainland China and Taiwan. Award ceremonies are held annually, typically in April. The Awards recognize achievement in all aspects of filmmaking, such as directing,...
, and won in 2003 for his efforts on Hero. That same year, he made his American film
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
debut, directing Steven Seagal
Steven Seagal
Steven Frederic Seagal is an American action film star, producer, writer, martial artist, guitarist and reserve deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan...
in the direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
feature Belly of the Beast
Belly of the Beast
Belly of the Beast is a 2003 action film starring Steven Seagal, and directed by Hong Kong action choreographer Ching Siu-tung. Seagal plays an ex-CIA agent on a quest to find his kidnapped daughter.-Plot:...
. In 2006, he choreographed the action scenes in the Indian superhero film Krrish
Krrish
Krrish is a 2006 Indian superhero science-fiction film The film was directed, produced, and written by Rakesh Roshan, while the screenplay was written by Robin Bhatt, Sachin Bhowmick, Honey Irani, Akarsh Khurana, and Sanjay Masoom. The film is a sequel to Koi.....
, for which he won a Filmfare Best Action Award
Filmfare Best Action Award
The Filmfare Best Action Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.Although the awards started in 1953, the best action category did not start until 1996.-Superlatives:Most Awards*Allan Amin - 3...
and Zee Cine Award
Zee Cine Awards
The Zee Cine Awards or "ZCA" for short is an awards ceremony for the Hindi film industry. It was first held in 1998 in Mumbai. Since then, it has gained substantial popularity as a notable awards ceremony to the Indian population as well as to the viewers of Zee Network.In 2004, the ZCA went...
.
In 2008, Ching directed An Empress and the Warriors
An Empress and the Warriors
An Empress and the Warriors is a 2008 Hong Kong historical drama film directed by Ching Siu-tung and starring Donnie Yen, Kelly Chen, Leon Lai and Kou Zhenhai.-Plot:...
, in which he also served as action choreographer. The film stars Kelly Chen
Kelly Chen
Kelly Chen is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress. Kelly has also been known as a diva in Asia. She has a great success in Asia Entertainment industry with nearly 20 million record sales of 38 albums...
, Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer, and world wushu tournament medalist...
and Leon Lai
Leon Lai
Leon Lai is a Hong Kong-based actor and Cantopop singer. The media refer to Aaron Kwok, Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings . He uses the stage name "Li Ming" or "Lai Ming" which literally means "dawn."-Biography:...
.
Director
|-|1982 || Duel to the Death
Duel to the Death
Duel to the Death is a 1983 Hong Kong wuxia film starring Damian Lau and Norman Chu. It is the directorial debut of Ching Siu-tung.-Plot:...
||
|-
|1985 || Witch from Nepal ||
|-
|1987 || A Chinese Ghost Story
A Chinese Ghost Story
A Chinese Ghost Story is a 1987 Hong Kong romantic comedy horror film starring Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong, and Wu Ma, directed by Ching Siu-tung, and produced by Tsui Hark...
||
|-
|1989 || Fight and Love with a Terracotta Warrior ||
|-
|1990 || The Swordsman
The Swordsman
The Swordsman or Swordsman is a 1990 Hong Kong wuxia film. King Hu was credited as the director but he allegedly left the project midway, and the film was completed by a team led by producer Tsui Hark. The film is adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer...
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|-
|1990 || A Chinese Ghost Story II
A Chinese Ghost Story II
A Chinese Ghost Story II is a 1990 Hong Kong romantic comedy-horror film directed by Ching Siu-tung and produced by Tsui Hark...
||
|-
|1991 || The Raid ||
|-
|1991 || A Chinese Ghost Story III
A Chinese Ghost Story III
A Chinese Ghost Story III is a 1991 Hong Kong romantic comedy-horror film directed by Ching Siu-Tung and produced by Tsui Hark. It is the sequel to A Chinese Ghost Story and A Chinese Ghost Story II....
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|1992 || Swordsman II
Swordsman II
Swordsman II, also known as The Legend of the Swordsman, is a 1992 Hong Kong wuxia film. It was directed by Ching Siu-tung and Stanley Tong and written by Hanson Chan, Tang Pik-yin and Tsui Hark. The film was the second part of a trilogy. It starred Jet Li, Brigitte Lin, Rosamund Kwan and Michelle...
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|1993 || Swordsman III
The East is Red (1993 film)
The East is Red, also known as Swordsman III, is a 1993 Hong Kong film loosely based on Dongfang Bubai, a character from Louis Cha's novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. The film was produced by Tsui Hark, directed by Ching Siu-tung, and starred Brigitte Lin, Joey Wong and Yu Rongguang...
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|1993 || The Mad Monk
The Mad Monk
Ji Gong is a 1993 Hong Kong comedy film directed by Johnny To, and starring Stephen Chow as the "Mad Monk" Ji Gong, a popular Chinese folklore figure from the Southern Song Dynasty...
||
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|1994 || Wonder Seven ||
|-
|1996 || Dr. Wai in "The Scripture with No Words" ||
|-
|1997 || The Longest Day ||
|-
|2000 || Conman in Tokyo ||
|-
|2008 || An Empress and the Warriors
An Empress and the Warriors
An Empress and the Warriors is a 2008 Hong Kong historical drama film directed by Ching Siu-tung and starring Donnie Yen, Kelly Chen, Leon Lai and Kou Zhenhai.-Plot:...
||
|-
|2011 || The Sorcerer and the White Snake
The Sorcerer and the White Snake
The Sorcerer and the White Snake, previously known as, It's Love and Madame White Snake is a 2011 film directed by Ching Siu-tung and starring Jet Li. It is based on the Chinese Legend of the White Snake. Production started in September 10, 2010 and ended on January 16, 2011...
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Action choreographer
|-|1987 || A Better Tomorrow II ||
|-
|1992 || New Dragon Gate Inn
New Dragon Gate Inn
New Dragon Gate Inn is a 1992 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Raymond Lee and produced by Tsui Hark, starring Tony Leung Ka-fai, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung and Donnie Yen. It was released as Dragon Inn in North America....
||
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|2001 || Shaolin Soccer
Shaolin Soccer
Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Stephen Chow. A former Shaolin monk reunites his five brothers, years after their master's death, to apply their superhuman martial arts skills to play soccer and bring Shaolin kung fu to the masses.In 2008 a...
||
|-
|2002 || Hero
Hero (2002 film)
Hero is a 2002 wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. Starring Jet Li as the nameless protagonist, the film is based on the story of Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin in 227 BC....
||
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|2004 || House of Flying Daggers
House of Flying Daggers
House of Flying Daggers is a 2004 wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. It differs from other wuxia films in that it is more of a love story than a straight martial arts film....
||
|-
|2005 || Royal Swordsmen
Tianxia Diyi
Tianxia Diyi, also known known as Royal Swordsmen, is a wuxia television series. The series was directed by Deng Yancheng and Wei Liyuan, and starred Roger Kwok, Li Yapeng, Wallace Huo, Dicky Cheung, Damian Lau, Tammy Chen and Michelle Ye in the lead roles...
|| television series
|-
|2006 || Krrish
Krrish
Krrish is a 2006 Indian superhero science-fiction film The film was directed, produced, and written by Rakesh Roshan, while the screenplay was written by Robin Bhatt, Sachin Bhowmick, Honey Irani, Akarsh Khurana, and Sanjay Masoom. The film is a sequel to Koi.....
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|2006 || Curse of the Golden Flower
Curse of the Golden Flower
Curse of the Golden Flower is a 2006 Chinese epic drama film directed by Zhang Yimou.With a budget of US$45 million, it was at the time of its release the most expensive Chinese film to date, surpassing Chen Kaige's The Promise...
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|2008 || Irumbu Kottai Murattu Singam
Irumbu Kottai Murattu Singam
Irumbukkottai Murattu Singam is a 2010 Indian Tamil western film directed by Chimbu Deven, starring choreographer-turned-actor Lawrence Raghavendra, Sandhya, Lakshmi Rai and Padmapriya in lead roles. The film is a "Western adventure comedy film" based on Cowboy stories, which is set in the 17th...
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