Sifu in Love

14 January 2008

Visitors 

WELOME
Lam Ching Ying and Miss Yuen King Tan's heartbreaking relationship is still mysterious and there are missing details but I try my best to see clear and let you know the reality behind the gossips. I am doing a full research on this subject in official Chinese sites, newspapers and I use reliable sources, interviews, memoirs.



Posted by Katie @ 1/14/2008 | Link

11 January 2008

Encounter 

After divorcing his wife in 1993, Lam Ching Ying arranged his life around his busy working schedule and his kids. He had no intention to marry again as he declared in an interview made with him and Norman Chu, his co-star in The Vampire Expert II series.





They shared the same passion for ma-jong, they were both divorced with children, so they got along well. Meanwhile Norman’s children were abroad with their Mum, Ching Ying raised his kids with the help of his parents and his sister. He loved being a single father, he adored his kids, who understood that their Daddy can’t be with them all the time. They watched him on telly and taped all his movies. They had dozens of tapes on the shelves. The world they had built for themselves radically changed in 1995.

On the set of The Vampire Expert Lam Ching Ying met Miss Yuen King Tan.

Miss Yuen is the lady clown of Hong Kong movie world. Her film appearances have usually tended to be brief, the often outlandish nature of the roles she plays, of the performance she delivers and of the outfits she wears have made her one of Hong Kong's comic cinema’s most noticeable comediennes.

In 1995 she was cast in the supernatural series called The Vampire Expert, which was inspired by the classic Mr Vampire movie.




The two played Taoist Priests, but while the character played by Lam Ching Ying knows his job, Miss Yuen's does not. She does know some of the practice but all she cares is money and fame. In her effort to get the village's attention she gets into trouble all the time. But Mao Xiao Fang is always there to save the day. The real danger makes them unite...


The TV series was a real success and brought fame for the whole cast. People were enchanted by the story. It was witty and mysterious, filled with all those ancient Taosist elements people seeked and secretly missed from their lives. Lam Ching Ying played his part with a great feeling and as professionally as he played all the characters he formulated over his career.


The two, Miss Yuen and Ching Ying were not only fighting on set but they have been continuing their "battle" off-screen, too.
Posted by Katie @ 1/11/2008 | Link

10 January 2008

Fighting for Love 

Miss Yuen was totally enchanted by Lam's cool manner, his wisdom, his quiet, calm personality. But for her taste this low key attitude was too much. She wanted to try Lam's patience and get his attention. She was the only one who indulged herself in making fun of Ching Ying. She played practical jokes on him, teasing him, laughing at him and his seriousness. At one time though she lost her temper and after yet another refusal she bit Ching-Ying on the arm. She got totally angry at the supercool Lam and could not take a no as an answer.



She was determined to be Lam's girlfriend and was never put off. Once she borrowed someone's car and offered Lam a lift. He coldly rejected her again with a clever answer: "No, thank you! I have two good legs, so I walk home." Yuen was not the type to give up.




When filming was over she tried to find other opportunities to meet Lam.

In September 1995 - Yuen invited Ching Ying to her birthday party and to everyone's greatest surprise he accepted the invitation and turned up at her house. At the end of the evening Ching Ying said goodbye to her with a kiss on the forehead which really gave her encouragement. This determination and the crack on the ice helped her to make the last brave step.


In the Spring of 1996 she sold her house and rented a room in the house opposite to Ching Ying's in Tai Po. A month later she moved into Lam's flat.


Posted by Katie @ 1/10/2008 | Link

09 January 2008

Rumors and Mystification 

Rumors started to spread immediatelly and even though they never appeared together publicly they were seen in each other's company at restaurants and shops. They both had a great admiration towards food and cooking. They planned to have a business together later on when they both retire from film making.



Miss Yuen fulfilled her dream since and has her own cooking book and her weight watchers style healthy eating program. A businesswoman was born.






They often went out for dinner and to buy seeds at the local flourist who remembers them as his frequent customers. Lam adored flowers and planted many in his backyard.

Extra attention was not good for their relationship though.

In September 1996 in an interview Miss Yuen denied the rumors about their love affair and declared their relationship to be a good friendship and nothing else.

In October, the same year Lam confirmed Miss Yuen's words by telling the press that he has no intention to marry again, has two children who take up his time and energy and above all, Miss Yuen and he could never be a good match, regarding those major differences in their manner and view of life.

The following next months passed with breaking up news, but the two had been seen together in shopping centers and restaurants.
In the Spring of 1997 Miss Yuan started to talk about a possible marriage later that year.
Everything seemed lovely and promising.
Posted by Katie @ 1/09/2008 | Link

08 January 2008

Shocked 

After this wonderful news the following Autumn caused a major shock. The news spread: Lam Ching Ying left Miss Yuen, moved out from their flat and had not been seen since. Ching Ying was considered heartless and rough on his girlfriend. Noone gave a proper answer. Lam disappeared. Even ATV Company was mad at him. They met him in September to discuss the details of the third installment of the series. Master Lam agreed and signed, but this time they couldn't get in touch with him. All they could believe in was, that if he had problems, there was no reason for him to agree.

And then the tragic news: Lam Ching Ying passed away at the St. Theresa Hospital on the 8th of November at the age of 45.

No answers for a while. Just a deep silence and shock.
Posted by Katie @ 1/08/2008 | Link

07 January 2008

Mourning 

His funeral was humble, attended by his parents, close family and school-mate friends. The Buddhist ceremony was held in the evening of the 13th at around 7 o'clock. Fifty monks and a Priest arrived not long before seven and started a 3 hours long prayer for Ching Ying.






The Funeral Hall was full of flower-arrangements and baskets. One of them, the largest was unlabelled but known as Miss Yuen's.



Miss Yuen herself attended the funeral dressed in black, paying tribute to Lam's family, then spending some time at Ching Ying's coffin. After that she dressed into a robe and was praying with the monks.

After the funeral she did not stop working. TV shows, series were waiting for her, even on the funeral's evening. She was cheerful and strong. She refused the reporters' questions about their love affair, she denied it and stressed that she needs no holiday to relax.
Working was her natural healer.



The following days news papers were full of news, guessings and questions, but for the answers people had to wait a bit more.

Sifu Lam quietly departed from this world, but left a loud confusion behind.

A few weeks had to pass until Miss Yuen was able to talk about their relationship and dispel the rumours around their breaking up. She told the press the story of Lam's last few months.

Posted by Katie @ 1/07/2008 | Link

06 January 2008

Memories 


Posted by Katie @ 1/06/2008 | Link

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