芳艷芬

Fong Yim Fun was a famous Cantonese opera artist in the 1940s and 1950s, also known as the "Queen of Cantonese Opera", playing on stage and in over 150 movies, her sweet and mellow vocal style epitomised the tender-natured essence of the traditional Chinese woman and gave birth to a separate singing school. Setting the standard for "fa dan" (female principal) roles in Cantonese Opera, she enjoyed screen fame when films like "Mysterious Murder" and "She says 'No' to Marriage" were released in 1951, the theme songs also proving hugely popular. In 1953, Fong founded the Chik Lei (Zhili) Film Company developing a more active role in film production, also adapting many of her operatic masterpieces for the screen including "Hongling’s Blood", "Belle of Penang", and "The Sweepstakes Seller". Fong gave up her career marrying in 1959. In 1984, she founded the Kwan Fong Charitable Foundation to promote Chinese culture which saw her comeback to the stage in aid of charitable causes between 1987 and 1997.