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Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing[A] (born Cheung Fat-chung;[B] 12 September 1956 – 1 April 2003) was a Hong Kong singer and actor. One of the most influential cultural icons in the Sinophone world, Cheung was known for his debonair demeanor, flamboyant screen characters, and avant-garde, androgynous stage presence. Throughout his 26-year career, he released over 40 music albums and acted in 56 films.[4]

Key Information

Born in Kowloon, British Hong Kong, Cheung studied in England from the age of 12 until he returned home in 1976. He garnered attention in 1977 when entering RTV's Asian Singing Contest and achieved popularity in 1984 with a hit single "Monica". Cheung is regarded as one of the founding fathers of Cantopop for defining the music genre in the 1980s.[5] He announced his "retirement" from music in 1989 and emigrated to Canada the following year, but he returned to Hong Kong in 1994. His reemergence from the musical retirement in the late 1990s, particularly in his 1996 album Red, was marked by sonic experimentation and daring imagery.

In addition to music, Cheung achieved pan-Asian fame with such films as A Better Tomorrow (1986) and A Chinese Ghost Story (1987). He won the Best Actor at the 1991 Hong Kong Film Awards for his role in Days of Being Wild (1990), and became world-renowned for his performances in Farewell My Concubine (1993) and Happy Together (1997). In April 2003, Cheung died by suicide by jumping off the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hong Kong.

One of the best-selling musical acts in Hong Kong history, Cheung's studio albums Summer Romance (1987) and Most Beloved (1995) each sold over 300,000 copies and are among the best-selling albums of all time in the territory. In recognition of his work in the film industry, Cheung was selected as one of the Top 100 Foreign Actors of the 20th Century by Kinema Junpo. In 2010, CNN named him one of the 25 Greatest Asian Actors of All Time.

Early life

[edit]
Portrait of Leslie Howard, a British actor in tux and bowtie
Cheung's English name was inspired by the actor Leslie Howard (pictured in Gone with the Wind).

Cheung was born in Kowloon, British Hong Kong, the youngest of 10 children in a middle-class Hakka family. His father, Cheung Wut-hoi, was a well-known tailor who specialised in suits, whose customers included Western celebrities such as film director Alfred Hitchcock and actors Marlon Brando and Cary Grant.[6][7] Despite his father's reputation in the fashion industry, Cheung was uninspired by the profession.[8] Cheung told many interviewers that he had an unhappy childhood,[9] feeling emotionally estranged from his father and siblings, and frequently witnessing arguments and fights in the household. He felt "depressed sometimes" and longed for affection from his parents who were absent for most of his childhood.[8] His father's abusive treatment of his mother had a lasting effect on Cheung's perspectives on marriage.[10] When Cheung's father married another woman, his emotional life further deteriorated. Cheung was brought up by his grandmother, to whom he was very close. Cheung summed up his upbringing as a "silent resentment" with "nothing worth remembering," except for the death of his grandmother when he was in primary school, which was the "one thing that I do remember about my childhood."[8]

Cheung attended Rosaryhill School in Hong Kong for secondary education, and at age 12 enrolled at an independent boys boarding school, Eccles Hall School Quidenham, near Norwich in England.[8][10] During his time at Rosaryhill, Cheung did poorly academically, except that he excelled in the English language. He discovered a newfound interest in Western films and immersed himself in music, studying the original soundtrack of Romeo and Juliet.[8] He recalled that there were "racial problems" when he was in England, but he managed to make friends. During weekends, he worked as a bartender and sometimes did amateur singing at his relatives' restaurant in Southend-on-Sea. He came across the film Gone with the Wind and chose Leslie as his English name, inspired by the actor Leslie Howard, feeling that "the name can be a man's or woman's; it's very unisex."[10]

Cheung attended the University of Leeds, where he studied textile management. After one year of study, he returned to Hong Kong in 1976 when his father became paralysed on one side of his body following a stroke. As his father wanted all of his children to be at home, Cheung abandoned his studies and became a salesman for Levi's to make ends meet. Cheung recalled that during this time, "I had no plans. There I was, feeling like I was hanging in the middle of nowhere."[11]

Career

[edit]

Beginnings

[edit]

Upon returning to Hong Kong Cheung went back to high school as a mature student and formed a band, in which he was the lead singer with his classmates. In May 1977, the band members signed up individually for RTV's Asian Singing Contest. Only Cheung remained until the final round of the Hong Kong division, where he finished as the first runner-up with a rendition of "American Pie".[12] He proceeded to the pan-Asian division, finishing fifth.[8] Soon after the competition, RTV offered Cheung a three-year contract as a second-rate actor for RTV.[13] He also signed with Polydor Records with hopes of releasing music albums.[8]

Cheung's career in show business did not take off immediately. His first film role was in Erotic Dream of the Red Chamber (紅樓春上春, 1978), a softcore porn production that features his bare buttocks.[9] His first two albums were solely recorded in English, and his third album, Lover's Arrow (情人箭, 1979) was recorded in Cantonese.[13] The albums failed commercially, and critics lambasted Cheung's voice as "chicken-like".[12] Cheung's first public performance at the 1977 Hong Kong Pop Folk Music Festival was booed off the stage by the audience.[8] He described his early days into show business as "full of uncertainty ... I remember well that my singing career at the early stage was like 'a person running into a rock', full of despair and obstacles."[12] Seeing little potential in Cheung, Polydor allowed him to depart on his own terms.[8]

1982–1989: Cantopop success and film crossover

[edit]

Cheung signed with Capital Artists, a record label closely associated with the dominant television network TVB, in 1982.[14] His first hit single, "The Wind Blows On" (風繼續吹), is a cover version of Momoe Yamaguchi's Japanese single "The Other Side of Goodbye" (さよならの向こう側). The song was successful on charts, revitalising Cheung's image as a Cantopop singer.[13] The titular album was Cheung's first to be certified gold by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) Hong Kong.[15] His second album with Capital, Craziness (一片痴), is a compilation of songs he recorded for TVB dramas.[16] The album was also a success, receiving a gold certification from the IFPI Hong Kong.[17] He continued his movie crossover with roles mostly in teenage films, and earned his first major recognition for starring in Nomad (1982).[18] While Cheung had already been a well-known actor with likeable personae in TVB productions, his role as a disillusioned teenager in Nomad foresaw his future reputation as an icon of rebel.[19] The role garnered Cheung a nomination for Best Actor at the 1983 Hong Kong Film Awards.[13]

The year 1984 was when Cheung achieved mass stardom. He released the hit single "Monica", a cover of the single by Japanese singer Kōji Kikkawa. The song topped charts in Hong Kong[20] and was one of the 10 gold-certified songs honoured at TVB's 1984 Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards[21] and the 1984 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards.[22] The song's upbeat dance production introduced a new musical trend to Cantopop, in addition to the traditional sentimental ballads that had dominated the scene.[20] Cheung's 1984 self-titled album, which included "Monica", was his first to be certified platinum by the IFPI Hong Kong and sold over 200,000 copies.[20][23] He starred in the TVB drama Once Upon an Ordinary Girl (儂本多情, 1984) and the film Behind the Yellow Line (1984). In the latter, he co-starred with Maggie Cheung and Anita Mui, the latter of whom was also a musician. Both productions were commercially successful and put Cheung into the limelight as a prominent entertainer.[20] As Cheung's fame expanded, the media began to pit him against fellow singer-actor Alan Tam, as the two were the most successful male Cantopop singers at the moment. The publicised so-called rivalry contributed to Cantopop's booming sales and lasted until the end of the 1980s.[24]

Cheung's next albums with Capital were met with similar success. For Your Heart Only (為你鍾情, 1985) yielded the hit single "Wild Wind" (不羈的風), which was among the 10 gold-certified songs honoured at both TVB's Jade Solid Gold and RTHK Top 10 awards. The album also included songs Cheung recorded for TVB dramas, propelling his image as a romantic male lead.[20] His 1986 single "Who Feels the Same?" (有誰共鳴) won the Gold Song Gold Award, the distinction for the most popular song of the year, at TVB's Jade Solid Gold Awards. With this achievement, Cheung became an arguably undisputed royalty of Cantopop.[25] After the release of "Who Feels the Same?", he left Capital and joined Cinepoly Records,[20] under which his first album was Summer Romance (1987). The album was the best-selling Cantopop release of the year, earning seven times platinum certification from the IFPI Hong Kong and sold over 350,000 copies.[26] Its lead single, "Sleepless Night" (無心睡眠), won the Gold Song Gold Award at the 1987 Jade Solid Gold Awards.[20] The next two albums, Virgin Snow and Hot Summer, both were released in 1988 and sold well, receiving gold and platinum certifications from the IFPI Hong Kong.[20][23]

A turning point in his burgeoning acting career came when he was cast in John Woo's action film A Better Tomorrow (1986), in which he played a youthful and impulsive police officer torn between justice and his criminal brother.[18] The film, along with A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), propelled him to pan-Asian fame, especially in South Korea and Japan.[27] He then starred, once again, alongside Mui in Rouge (1988),[10][28] which consolidated the pair's reputation as Hong Kong’s greatest musicians and entertainers.[29] Yiu-wai Chu, author of the book Hong Kong Cantopop: A Concise History (2017), noted that Cheung and Mui formed an "unprecedented" chemistry showcasing "mystic power of charisma", not only in films but also on stage performances together.[28]

Cheung embarked on a 23-date tour at the Hong Kong Coliseum in mid-1988, sponsored by Pepsi. The tour was a sold-out and accumulated over 250,000 spectators.[30] He also held several shows catering to the Chinese community in North America, visiting Atlantic City, Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver.[31] In light of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and the upcoming handover of Hong Kong, many Hong Kongers emigrated to Western countries. Following suit, Cheung announced his "retirement" from singing and emigrated to Vancouver, Canada, in 1989.[32] Prior to his retirement, Cheung released three further albums under Cinepoly—Leslie '89, Salute, Final Encounter—all of which received platinum certifications from the IFPI Hong Kong.[23] He won Most Popular Male Artist twice, at the 1988 and 1989 Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards.[33][34] His "farewell concert tour", in support of the album Final Encounter, ran for 33 consecutive sold-out shows at the Hong Kong Coliseum.[28] Cheung donated profits of his 1989 album Salute to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, which was named the Leslie Cheung Memorial Scholarship after his death.[35]

1990–1994: Music hiatus and major film roles

[edit]
Wong Kar-wai at a film festival. He is wearing sunglasses and sports a buzzcut hairstyle in tuxedo and a bowtie
Cheung's role in Days of Being Wild, directed by Wong Kar-wai (pictured), earned him a Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor.

After giving up singing, Cheung focused on his film career. He won the Best Actor at the 1991 Hong Kong Film Awards for his role in Wong Kar-Wai's Days of Being Wild (1990). He gained international acclaim for his role as a cross-dressing Peking opera actor in Farewell My Concubine (1993), which became the first Chinese film to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes.[36] According to Chen Kaige and Lu Wei, director and scriptwriter of the film, respectively, Cheung lost Best Actor by one vote because a Cannes jury member mistook Cheung for a woman and voted him for Best Actress.[37][38]

Although Cheung quit his singing career from 1989 to 1995, he composed more than ten songs during that time. In 1993, he won Best Original Movie Song Award from Golden Horse Film Festival for the theme song Red Cheek, White Hair for The Bride with White Hair (as a film score composer). In 1995, he wrote all three theme songs for the film The Phantom Lover (1995). As for songwriting, Cheung won four nominations for Best Original Movie Song Award at the Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards and two nominations for Best Original Film Song at the Hong Kong Film Awards.

1995–2003: Return to music and Passion Tour

[edit]
Cheung in a white shirt performing, surrounded by bodyguards
Cheung at a 1997 concert

In 1995 Cheung signed a contract with Rock Records. The same year he released his comeback album, Beloved, winning the award of IFPI Best Selling Album.[39][40] Since his 1996 album Red, Cheung started a full-on collaboration with composer C. Y. Kong and lyricist Lin Xi, embracing a daring, self-reflective, and sexually ambiguous style of expression. Cheung's 1999 song "Left and Right Hand" (左右手) suggests at his sexuality and his 2000 song "I" (我), with two versions of lyrics in Mandarin and Cantonese by Lin Xi, is known as his come-out song.[41] In 2001, Cheung directed the music video for his song "Bewildered" (夢到內河) with the help of William Chang, the production designer of The Days of Being Wild. The video, featuring intimacy between Japanese ballet dancer Nishijima Kazuhiro and Cheung,[42] was banned by Hong Kong's public broadcaster TVB for promoting homosexuality; Cheung refused to edit the scenes out.[42]

Cheung was consecutively nominated for Best Actor at Cannes for Chen Kaige's Temptress Moon (1996) and Wong Kar-wai's Happy Together (1997). In 1998, he was a member of the jury at the 48th Berlin International Film Festival.[43] Cheung's last concert tour, Passion Tour, took place in Hong Kong and overseas from 2000 to 2001. He collaborated with fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, who transformed Cheung "From Angel to Devil" in four costumes: the Angel, the Pretty Boy, the Latin Lover, and the Devil – denoting cross-cultural drag and focusing on Cheung's androgyny and bisexuality.[42] The Passion Tour broke attendance records throughout Asia, including a record for the first foreign artist to hold 16 concerts in Japan.[44] Although the concert was acclaimed in Japan, Korea, and Canada, it was panned in Hong Kong mainly for his gender-crossing.[42] Both Cheung and his agent Florence Chen attributed his later depression to the hostile reception from the Hong Kong media about the tour.[45][42] In 2011, CCTV-15 commented that the Passion Tour represented the highest standard of Chinese concerts in performance, art concept, costume props and audience response, and had never been surpassed.[42]

Other ventures

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Philanthropy

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Cheung was a supporter of several charities concerning children's welfare. He was a patron of the Children's Cancer Foundation, a charity that cares for young children with cancer and their families. Cheung donated HK$1 million (US$128,000) in 1996 and launched five sets of RED cards to help raise funds for the Children's Cancer Foundation.[46] He was the first Cantopop star to launch a charity fundraising at a concert. In 1996, although he rarely sang in public at that time, he sang three theme songs from his films to raise money for the elderly.[47] For his 1997 concert at the HK Coliseum, Cheung set up a collection booth for the RED Card charity. Donations of HK$100 or above could obtain a set of cards. Cheung said, "I will lead the way, so I donated HK$1,000,000 to Hong Kong children's cancer fund in my own name." The concert raised more than HK$800,000, to which Cheung and his friends added more than HK$100,000, and made up a million Hong Kong dollars to donate to the cancer fund.[48] He was also a patron of the End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation (ECSAF) (護苗基金), founded by veteran actress Josephine Siao (蕭芳芳).

In 1999, at a party to raise relief funds in the aftermath of the Taiwan earthquake, Cheung participated in a fried rice tasting event. He donated HK$250,000 for a bowl of rice; this was matched by fan donations, bringing the total to HK$500,000.[49] In 2000, Sun Entertainment opened the "Star Second-hand Shop", where second-hand goods donated by celebrities were auctioned to raise money for the "Sun Love Fund". Leslie Cheung was known for his very good fashion sense and he was the first to donate three well-loved, carefully selected pieces to the auction.[50] Leslie also donated his beloved badminton racket to IDclub Taiwan, to be auctioned to raise money for the children's cancer fund.[51] In 1999 and 2000, he appeared in TVB charity shows to help raise funds for ECSAF, in which he was appointed a goodwill ambassador in 2002.[citation needed] In 2003, Cheung donated HK$100,000 to the Seedling protection fund, who were holding a large-scale charity night on 12 March. He told his party guests to give him cash instead of presents, then he donated all of the money that he received to the fund.[52]

Personal life

[edit]
Cheung's wax figure at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong from Farewell My Concubine

In 1977, during the filming of the RTV series Love Story, the then 20-year-old Cheung met and fell in love with his 17-year-old co-star, Teresa Mo (毛舜筠), and they began dating after finishing the series. In 1979, Cheung proposed to Mo, but his sudden proposal startled her and she began to distance herself from him. Although Cheung and Mo eventually broke up after the proposal and briefly lost contact, they remained close friends after they had reunited for the 1992 film All's Well, Ends Well.

Cheung later went into a brief relationship with actress Shirley Yim [zh] (雪梨), the younger sister of Michelle Yim, but they broke up in 1980, due to their incompatibility for each other's lifestyles. Cheung and Ngai Sze-pui (倪詩蓓), a Hong Kong model and actress whom he met on the set of ATV series Agency 24, were in a relationship for two years from 1981 to 1983.[53][54] In 1984, at the house of Albert Yeung, Cheung met Cindy Yeung (楊諾詩), the youngest daughter of Albert Yeung who had recently returned from Boston. Yeung was also a fan of Cheung and was seven years younger than him. They went out on several dates until Yeung returned to Boston. They continued their relationship through phone calls and letters, but would part ways in the following year, still remaining good friends. Cheung felt that if he had not been in show business, he could have already been married with children, like most of his friends.

Cheung and Daffy Tong Hok-tak (唐鶴德), godson of Cheung's mother, knew each other since childhood. During his concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum in 1997, Cheung sang the love song "The Moon Represents My Heart" (月亮代表我的心) and dedicated it to his mother and Tong. This moment is seen as an official recognition of Cheung's relationship with Tong, making him one of the first public figures in the Chinese world to come out.[42][55]

In an interview in 1992, Cheung stated that "My mind is bisexual. It's easy for me to love a woman. It's also easy for me to love a man, too" and "I believe that a good actor would be androgynous, and ever changing."[42] In 2000, Cheung talked about his love life: "In terms of lovers, I think I can be a better friend than a lover. Because I am a workaholic. To share my romance, that person has to compromise something."[56] In a 2001 interview with Time magazine, Cheung said: "It's more appropriate to say I'm bisexual. I've had girlfriends. When I was 22 or so, I asked my girlfriend Teresa Mo to marry me."[57]

Death

[edit]

Cheung died by suicide on 1 April 2003 at 6:43 pm (HKT).[58] He leapt from the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel, located in the Central district of Hong Kong Island.[59] He left a suicide note saying that he had been suffering from depression.[60][61][62][63][64][65]

Depression! Many thanks to all my friends. Many thanks to Professor Felice Lieh-Mak (麥列菲菲) [Cheung's last psychiatrist]. This year has been so tough. I can't stand it anymore. Many thanks to Tong Tong [nickname for Cheung's boyfriend Daffy Tong]. Many thanks to my family. Many thanks to Sister Fei (沈殿霞). In my life I have done nothing bad. Why does it have to be like this?

— Leslie Cheung's suicide note (translation)

After the jumping, an informant told police, "someone fainted on the roadside", so only ambulances arrived at the scene and did not attract a large number of reporters; thus there were no photos of the scene.[66] The news of Cheung's death shocked the Chinese communities worldwide.[60][67][68][69][70][71] The day after Cheung's death, his partner Daffy Tong confirmed that Cheung had been suffering from clinical depression and had been seeing Professor Felice Lieh Mak for treatment for almost a year. He also revealed that Cheung had previously attempted suicide in November 2002.[42]

15th anniversary of Cheung's death, in Central, Hong Kong, 2018

Despite the epidemic of SARS and the WHO's warning on travelling to Hong Kong, tens of thousands attended Cheung's memorial service on 7 April 2003, including celebrities and fans from China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, the United States, and Canada. Cheung's funeral was held on 8 April 2003. Three of Cheung's friends, director Tsui Hark, lyricist James Wong, and singer Jacky Cheung, delivered eulogies. Tsui Hark, Jacky Cheung, Stanley Kwan, Eddie Lau, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Lin Xi, Lau Chun-Ho, and Law Kin-Kei served as pallbearers. Cheung was buried in Po Fook Hill, Shatin. His final album, Everything Follows the Wind (一切隨風), was released three months after his death.

In a 2012 interview, Cheung's eldest sister, Ophelia, stated Cheung was diagnosed with clinical depression caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain.[72] She mentioned that reporters were frequently found outside her brother's home, hampering his ability to visit his doctor. Thus, he would come over to her house to consult with his doctor. He would ask his sister, "Why am I depressed? I have money and so many people love me." He was reluctant to take medication for his depression.[73]

Impact and legacy

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Cheung's star on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong

Cheung's albums Summer Romance (1987)[74] and Most Beloved (1995)[75] each sold over 300,000 copies in Hong Kong and are among the best-selling albums of all time in the territory. In 2010, he was voted in a CNN poll as the third most iconic musician of all time, after Michael Jackson and The Beatles.[76] Douglas Parkes from South China Morning Post wrote that, "Cheung’s importance to the cultural memory of contemporary Hong Kong cannot be overstated. His life paralleled that of his hometown – as Cheung rose to prominence, so too did Hong Kong itself. And likewise to many his death also marked the end, or at least the beginning of the end, of the 'old' Hong Kong."[77] Anthony Fung, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong opined that, "After so many years, we hardly find any new icons, new superstars who could reach that level of importance".[78]

In recognition of his film career, Cheung was selected as one of the Top 100 Foreign Actors of the 20th Century by Kinema Junpo in 2000.[79] In 2005, he was named one of the 100 Outstanding Actors in the Past 100 Years of Chinese Cinema by the Chinese Film Performance Art Society. That same year, the Hong Kong Film Awards published a list of the 100 Best Chinese Films in the Past 100 Years of Chinese Cinema, with Cheung appearing in eight of the selected films, the most among Chinese actors.[80] In March 2010, CNN named him one of the 25 greatest Asian actors of all time.[81] In 2013, Cheung became the first contemporary celebrity to be included in the Cihai.[82] The same year, Cheung's fans set a Guinness World Record in 2013 for the largest origami crane exhibition by creating 1,956,921 origami cranes, a tribute to his birth date.[83] In 2018, 55383 Cheungkwokwing, a main-belt asteroid discovered by Bill Yeung at the Desert Eagle Observatory in 2003, was named in memory of Cheung.

Art of Leslie Cheung's Movies exhibition at Times Square (Hong Kong), April 2013

Many memorial events were held over the years since Cheung's death, including the memorial concerts in 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2023 organized by Cheung's agent Florence Chan. The proliferation of memorial events has attracted scrutiny and doubts over commercialization and opacity of revenues.[84] Cheung's agent Florence Chan faced criticism in 2013 for her much-hyped revelation of an important secret about Cheung at the year's memorial concert, which turned out to be a dream she had about Cheung telling her he could finally rest.[85][86] Chinese writer Han Songluo commented then: "In the ten years of commemorating Leslie Cheung, what we observe is an exhaustive Leslie Cheung Commemorating Contest, where the focus is not on commemoration but on novelty. It must feature new information, new developments, and new perspectives."[87] In 2023, concerns about overexploitation were raised again when two memorial concerts, organized by Chan and Universal Music, Cheung's agent and label respectively, took place on the same day of 1 April in Hong Kong, featuring separate groups of celebrities covering his songs.[88]

Discography

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Main article: Leslie Cheung discography

Filmography

[edit]
Main article: Leslie Cheung filmography

Awards and nominations

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RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards

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Year Category Recipient Result
1984 Top 10 Gold Songs "Monica[89]" Won
1985 "Wild Wind" (不羈的風) Won
1986 "Past Love" (當年情) Won
1987 "Sleepless Night" (無心睡眠) Won
Best CD Summer Romance Won
Sales Award (Best-Selling Album of the Year) Won
1988 Top 10 Gold Songs "Silence is Golden" (沉默是金) Won
"Don't Need Too Much" (無需要太多) Won
IFPI Award Leslie Cheung (張國榮) Won
1999 Top 10 Gold Songs "Left Right Hand" (左右手) Won
Golden Needle Award (金針獎) Leslie Cheung (張國榮) Won
2000 Top 10 Gold Songs "Big Heat" (大熱) Won
2002 Silver Jubilee Award Leslie Cheung (張國榮) Won

Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards

[edit]
Year Category Recipient Result
1983 Top 10 Gold Songs "Wind Blows On" (風繼續吹) Nominated
1984 "Monica" Won
1985 "Wild Wind" (不羈的風) Won
1986 "Past Love" (當年情) Won
"Who Resonates With Me" (有誰共鳴) Won
Gold Song Gold Award (金曲金獎) Won
1987 Top 10 Gold Songs "Sleepless Night" (無心睡眠) Won
Gold Song Gold Award (金曲金獎) Won
1988 Top 10 Gold Songs "Silence is Golden"(沉默是金) Won
"Closer" (贴身) Won
Most Popular Male Artist (最受歡迎男歌星) Leslie Cheung (張國榮) Won
1989 Top 10 Gold Songs "Starting from Zero" (由零開始) Won
Most Popular Male Artist (最受歡迎男歌星) Leslie Cheung (張國榮) Won
1999 Honours Award (榮譽大獎) Won
2000 Four Channel Award (Best Album of the Year) Untitled Won
Honours Award (榮譽大獎) Leslie Cheung (張國榮) Won

Other music awards

[edit]
Year Award Category Recipient Result
1988 Ultimate Song Chart Awards Ultimate Male Artist Gold Award Leslie Cheung (張國榮) Won
1989 Won
IFPI Award Side Face (側面) Won
1999 Ultimate Song Award (No. 1 Song of the Year) "Left Right Hand"(左右手) Won
Metro Radio Hit Music Awards Metro Radio Hit Song of the Year Won
Metro Radio Top 10 Hit Songs Won
2000 CCTV-MTV Music Honours Asia's Biggest Superstar Leslie Cheung (張國榮) Won
2001 Chinese Pop Music Media Awards Best Male Singer Won

Hong Kong Film Awards

[edit]
Year Category Film Result
1983 Best Actor Nomad (烈火青春) Nominated
1988 A Better Tomorrow 2 (英雄本色2) Nominated
Best Original Film Song A Chinese Ghost Story (倩女幽魂) Nominated
1989 Best Actor Rouge (胭脂扣) Nominated
1991 Days of Being Wild (阿飛正傳) Won
1994 Best Original Film Song The Bride With White Hair (白髮魔女傳) Nominated
1995 Best Actor He's a Woman, She's a Man (金枝玉葉) Nominated
Best Original Film Song Won
1996 The Phantom Lover (夜半歌聲) Nominated
1997 Best Actor Viva Erotica (色情男女) Nominated
Best Original Film Song Who's the Woman, Who's the Man? (金枝玉葉2) Nominated
1998 Best Actor Happy Together (春光乍洩) Nominated
2003 Inner Senses (異度空間) Nominated

Golden Horse Awards

[edit]
Year Category Film Result
1991 Best Leading Actor Days of Being Wild (阿飛正傳) Nominated
1993 Best Original Song The Bride With White Hair (白髮魔女傳) Won
1994 He's a Woman, She's a Man (金枝玉葉) Nominated
1995 The Phantom Lover (夜半歌聲) Nominated
1996 Best Leading Actor Temptress Moon (風月) Nominated
Best Original Song Nominated
Who's the Woman, Who's the Man? (金枝玉葉2) Nominated
1997 Best Leading Actor Happy Together (春光乍洩) Nominated
2000 Double Tap (鎗王) Nominated
2002 Inner Senses (異度空間) Nominated

Other film awards

[edit]
Year Award Category Film Result
1991 Asia Pacific Film Festival Best Actor Days of Being Wild (阿飛正傳) Nominated
1993 Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Farewell My Concubine (霸王別姬) Nominated
1994 Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards Best Actor Ashes of Time (東邪西毒) Won
Japan Film Critics Society Farewell My Concubine Won
Venice Film Festival Best Actor Ashes of Time Nominated
1996 Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Temptress Moon (風月) Nominated
1997 Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Happy Together (春光乍洩) Nominated

Ming Pao Power Academy Awards

[edit]
Year Category Recipient Result
2000 Honorary Award Leslie Cheung (張國榮) Won
Outstanding Male Singer Won
2002 Best Actor Inner Senses (異度空間) Won

See also

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References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Leslie Cheung

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Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing (張國榮; 12 September 1956 – 1 April 2003) was a Hong Kong singer, actor, and performer who became a cultural icon through his foundational contributions to Cantopop music and his versatile roles in Hong Kong cinema. Rising to prominence after placing second in the 1976 ATV Asian Music Contest, Cheung released over 40 albums across a 26-year career, earning four consecutive RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards from 1984 to 1988 and defining the sound of 1980s Cantopop alongside contemporaries like Alan Tam. In film, he starred in more than 50 productions during Hong Kong's golden age of the 1980s and 1990s, securing Best Actor honors at the Hong Kong Film Awards for Days of Being Wild (1990) and He's a Woman, She's a Man (1994), and delivering a critically acclaimed performance as the tormented Peking opera singer Cheng Dieyi in Farewell My Concubine (1993), which explored themes of identity and historical upheaval. Cheung was among the first prominent Hong Kong entertainers to publicly acknowledge his homosexuality, revealing his long-term relationship with partner Daffy Tong Hok-tak in the late 1990s and using his platform to challenge societal norms in a conservative region. However, he battled clinical depression, which led to a previous suicide attempt and culminated in his death by jumping from the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong.

Early life

Family background and childhood

Leslie Cheung was born Cheung Fat-chung on , , in , , as the youngest of ten children in a middle-class Hakka family. His father, Cheung Wut-hoi, operated a renowned tailoring business in Central, specializing in suits for Western celebrities including William Holden, Marlon Brando, and Cary Grant. The family included two brothers and seven sisters, with Cheung's upbringing marked by his father's frequent absences due to work demands. Cheung's childhood was characterized by , exacerbated by his parents' strained relationship and eventual around age 16. He later described the period as lonely, with limited paternal interaction fostering a sense of despite the family's relative affluence. This dynamic, including his father's reported practice of under pre-1970s customs, contributed to familial discord and shaped Cheung's enduring toward . Close ties with his mother and siblings provided some stability amid these tensions, instilling resilience through early self-reliance. At approximately age 15, following the escalation of family issues, Cheung was sent to a in , , where he worked part-time at relatives' establishments to support himself. This relocation exposed him to Western influences, including and , which he credited with broadening his cultural horizons and nurturing nascent performance interests observed in settings, though without formal . The experience of navigating adolescence abroad independently honed his adaptability, countering the vulnerabilities of his disrupted home life.

Education and initial career steps

Cheung completed his secondary education at Rosaryhill School in Hong Kong, where he struggled academically but demonstrated strong proficiency in English. He subsequently enrolled in the University of Leeds to study textile management, completing only one year of coursework before returning to Hong Kong in 1976 following his father's illness. Upon his return, participated in Television's (RTV) Asian Singing Contest in , securing first runner-up position in the division with a of "American Pie." This achievement prompted RTV to offer him a three-year contract as a supporting artist, marking his entry into the entertainment industry.

Music career

Debut and breakthrough (1976–1981)

Cheung entered the music industry following his first runner-up finish in Television's Asian Contest on , 1977, performing Don McLean's "American Pie," which drew from industry scouts. This placement led to a with , marking his debut amid a competitive pop scene dominated by established Cantonese singers such as . His was the I Like Dreamin', issued on , , featuring English-language tracks that reflected the era's Western influences in . This was followed by his debut studio Daydreamin' in early 1978, comprising 12 songs mostly as covers of international hits like "We're All Alone" by and "Even Now" by , with modest that introduced his vocal style to a niche audience. Early live performances met resistance, including instances of being booed off stage, highlighting the challenges of breaking through without immediate commercial traction. In 1979, Cheung released Lover's Arrow, his second album under Polydor, which continued to emphasize English and pop-oriented material while experimenting with original compositions, gradually cultivating a dedicated following despite limited chart impact. Through 1980 and 1981, he balanced music releases with television guest spots and minor acting roles, navigating label constraints and market saturation by veterans, which underscored foundational persistence before his major label shift. These years solidified basic artistry and resilience, setting the stage for Cantopop evolution without yet achieving widespread dominance.

Peak Cantopop era (1982–1989)

Cheung achieved his greatest commercial success in Cantopop during the mid-to-late 1980s, releasing multiple chart-topping singles and albums that sold hundreds of thousands of copies in Hong Kong. His 1984 self-titled album, featuring the hit "Monica," became his first to achieve platinum certification from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) Hong Kong, with sales exceeding 200,000 units. "Monica" marked a breakthrough as the first upbeat Cantopop track to win major awards, including the 7th RTHK Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award, the 5th Commercial Radio Chinese Pop Songs Award, and the TVB Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Award. The era solidified Cheung's role in defining Cantopop's polished, synth-driven sound, blending Western pop influences with Cantonese lyrics on themes of romance and urban life, as exemplified in tracks like "The Wind Continues to Blow" from his 1983 album, which earned gold certification. Albums such as these contributed to the genre's market boom, with competition among top artists driving record sales across Hong Kong. Cheung's rivalry with contemporaries like Priscilla Chan heightened fan engagement and propelled Cantopop's dominance in regional music charts through the decade. Live performances underscored his peak popularity, with sold-out runs at the Hong Kong Coliseum drawing massive crowds; his 1988 summer series attracted approximately 250,000 attendees over multiple dates, setting attendance benchmarks for solo Cantopop acts. These concerts featured elaborate staging and hit medleys, reinforcing Cheung's status as a multimedia icon before the 1989 handover uncertainties prompted his temporary retirement announcement.

Hiatus, return, and final years (1990–2003)

Following the conclusion of his 1989 world tour, Cheung entered a self-imposed hiatus from music that lasted until 1995, during which he relocated to London and shifted primary focus away from recording and performing as a singer. Despite the break, he composed over ten songs in this period. Cheung returned to music in 1995 with the release of his comeback album Most Beloved (also titled Love Leslie or Dearly Love, Leslie), which topped charts and reaffirmed his prominence in Cantopop. This was followed by Red in 1996 and his first Mandarin-language album Printemps in 1998, marking a brief revival amid evolving regional music markets influenced by rising J-pop and Mandopop trends. To support his return, Cheung embarked on an extensive world tour in 1997, performing approximately 55 shows across multiple continents. Individual concerts, such as the opening of the Crossing '97 tour, drew crowds of around 6,000 fans who remained engaged post-performance. He later conducted the Passion Tour from 2000 to 2001, which included 10 shows in Japan and set attendance records across Asia, the UK, and the US. These tours demonstrated sustained fan loyalty, though they occurred against a backdrop of shifting listener preferences toward Japanese and mainland Chinese acts, contributing to reduced album output compared to his 1980s peak.

Film career

Early roles and crossover (1977–1989)

Cheung's film debut came in 1978 with a minor role in , a low-budget adaptation of the classic novel featuring erotic elements, where his appearance was limited and notable primarily for a brief nude scene. Over the next few years, he took on supporting parts in modest productions, often portraying youthful or comedic characters, which garnered limited critical or commercial attention amid his emerging . In the early 1980s, Cheung appeared in several films, including Teenage Dreamers (1982), Energetic 21 (1982), and (1982), where he played leads like the disillusioned teen Louis in the latter, a road-trip drama exploring friendship and rebellion. These roles leaned into lighthearted or adventurous tones, aligning with Shaw Brothers' declining output of genre films, but failed to elevate his cinematic profile significantly beyond local audiences. He continued with comedic fare such as (1983), portraying Tommy Chen, a schoolboy aspiring to professional drumming despite family opposition, and First Time (1983) as Ah Fung, emphasizing youthful antics over dramatic depth. A pivotal crossover occurred in 1986 with , directed by , where Cheung portrayed Sung Tse-kit, a recent graduate whose estranged relationship with his triad-affiliated brother () drives the narrative's familial conflict. Co-starring , the film grossed over HK$30 million at the and popularized the "" , marking Cheung's shift from peripheral to intense action-drama and enhancing his in cinema. This role contrasted his prior modest successes by showcasing emotional range in high-stakes confrontations, though it remained rooted in commercial conventions rather than artistic acclaim.

Major international roles (1990–1997)

![HKCL CWB Red Mission clothing display from Farewell My Concubine featuring Leslie Cheung's role]float-right During the 1990s, Leslie Cheung transitioned to more introspective and artistically ambitious film roles that elevated his profile beyond cinema, emphasizing psychological depth over earlier commercial vehicles. His performance in Wong Kar-wai's (1990), portraying the aimless Yuddy, earned him the at the 10th Hong Kong Film Awards in 1991, marking a critical turning point in his acting career. The film, featuring an ensemble cast including Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung, achieved a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 33 reviews, reflecting its stylistic innovation and thematic exploration of ennui. Cheung's international breakthrough came with Farewell My Concubine (1993), directed by Chen Kaige, where he played Cheng Dieyi, a Peking opera performer grappling with identity and loyalty across decades of Chinese history. The film shared the Palme d'Or at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first Chinese production to win the top prize and drawing global attention to Cheung's nuanced portrayal of emotional vulnerability. Critics, including Roger Ebert, praised the film's epic scope and Cheung's performance for its intensity, contributing to its box office success and cultural impact despite initial censorship in China. In 1994, Cheung starred as the brooding swordsman in Wong Kar-wai's , a wuxia reinterpretation blending with existential themes, alongside and dual Tony Leungs. The film's desert-bound and visual positioned it as a cult favorite in international arthouse circuits. That same year, he led (1993 release), a fantasy wuxia opposite as the tragic Ni Chang, with the production securing Best Art Direction at the 13th Hong Kong Film Awards. These roles underscored Cheung's versatility in genre films achieving festival recognition, distinguishing his 1990s output by prioritizing narrative complexity and global festival metrics over domestic pop appeal.

Later projects and collaborations (1998–2002)

Following his international successes in the 1990s, Cheung's film output diminished, shifting toward modest genre exercises amid the Hong Kong industry's post-handover contraction and his own pivot toward music commitments. In 1999, he led Moonlight Express, directed by Daniel Lee, in a Japan-Hong Kong co-production blending romance and crime elements; Cheung essayed twin roles as the late fiancé Tetsuya Edogawa, killed in a hit-and-run, and Hong Kong cop Ben, who assists the paralyzed survivor Hitomi (Takako Tokiwa) in pursuing justice across borders. The film emphasized cross-cultural longing but earned middling reception, grossing under HK$5 million locally in a market favoring blockbusters. The year 2000 saw Cheung in two supporting turns: Double Tap, an action thriller directed by Joe Ma, where he portrayed the enigmatic marksman Rick Pang, a stoic antagonist outgunning police in high-stakes shootouts; and Okinawa Rendez-vous, helmed by Gordon Chan, casting him as slick thief Jimmy Tong in a caper involving blackmail over a compromising diary, co-starring Tony Leung Ka-fai and Faye Wong. In the latter, Cheung also contributed the theme song "Without Love," tying into his ongoing musical pursuits. These roles highlighted his adeptness at charismatic villains but aligned with smaller-scale ventures, as Hong Kong cinema grappled with piracy, competition from Hollywood, and reduced audiences—evident in Okinawa's limited theatrical run and combined grosses trailing his earlier epics like Farewell My Concubine (1993), which exceeded HK$40 million regionally. Cheung's final screen appearance came in 2002's Inner Senses, a psychological horror debut directed by Law Chi-leung, where he played skeptical psychiatrist Jim Law treating Yan (Karena Lam), tormented by spectral visions; as sessions unearth Jim's repressed traumas, the narrative blurs therapy and supernatural dread. Filmed as an exception to his 2000 entertainment semi-retirement—prompted by exhaustive farewell tours—he delivered a layered performance blending clinical detachment with vulnerability, though the picture's introspective tone and genre pivot yielded moderate box office of around HK$4.5 million, underscoring the era's challenges for auteur-driven horrors over mass-appeal spectacles. These collaborations marked a contemplative close, prioritizing character depth over commercial peaks.

Artistic style and innovations

Musical and performance techniques

Leslie Cheung employed a baritone vocal style reliant on chest resonance, enabling a rich mid-to-low register tone suitable for emotional ballads, while his wide vocal range—approaching two octaves—facilitated shifts to higher notes in dynamic tracks. His vibrato mimicked natural speech inflections, enhancing lyrical intimacy and phrasing precision, particularly in the elongated final words of phrases that conveyed poignant closure. Demonstrating technical versatility, Cheung transitioned seamlessly between soulful ballads like "Chase" (1989), emphasizing sustained phrasing and subtle dynamics, and energetic dance-pop such as "Monica" (1984), where sharper attacks and rhythmic precision drove upbeat tempos. In live tours, this adaptability extended to multilingual renditions in Cantonese, Mandarin, English, and Japanese, prioritizing vocal control over mere choreography to sustain audience connection. Cheung's staging techniques incorporated Western pop influences, including high-energy movements reminiscent of Michael Jackson, but localized through Cantopop's emphasis on thematic spectacle, as seen in his 1997 world tour's pyramid stage setup revealing orchestra pits for layered accompaniment. Performances routinely exceeded three hours, showcasing improvisational vocal flourishes and stamina in sold-out venues, with full orchestration amplifying his timbre's resonance.

Fashion, androgyny, and visual identity

Leslie Cheung distinguished himself in the 1980s through stage costumes and photoshoots that incorporated gender-fluid elements, such as flowing fabrics, tailored jackets paired with skirts, and exaggerated silhouettes blending masculine tailoring with feminine ornamentation. These choices, evident in his 1988 Concert '88 performances, featured multiple rapid costume changes with dancers and video projections to emphasize a dual visual identity, departing from conventional male pop star aesthetics in Hong Kong. In photoshoots, such as a 1986 black-and-white portrait session, he adopted poses and styling that highlighted androgynous refinement, including sleek hairstyles and minimalist yet provocative attire. This visual approach provoked criticism from conservative segments of media, which viewed his androgynous presentations in concerts and as deviations from traditional , leading to public attacks on his during the . Despite such pushback, Cheung's style contributed to shifting trends in Asian , positioning him as a counterpart to Western figures like by introducing gender-bending visuals into visuals and influencing subsequent expressions of fluidity in popular culture. His emphasis on aesthetic innovation over rigid norms helped normalize experimental fashion in the region, as seen in later exhibitions exploring androgyny in media.

Cross-medium influences

Leslie Cheung's concert performances honed a dynamic stage presence that enhanced his charisma, allowing fluid transitions between musical and cinematic expressions. His tour, comprising 55 shows across multiple continents including 24 at the , featured and androgynous elements that informed his role as the emotionally volatile Fai in Happy Together (), where expressive physicality and vocal nuance mirrored live intensity. This crossover enabled Cheung to infuse screen roles with the immediacy of live performance, as evident in A Better Tomorrow (1986), where his poised demeanor under pressure echoed concert poise under spotlights. In musically demanding film roles, Cheung leveraged his Cantopop vocal expertise for authenticity. Portraying Cheng Dieyi, a Peking opera dan performer in Farewell My Concubine (1993), he drew on years of singing and stage training to execute operatic arias convincingly, without formal acting background, contributing to the film's Palme d'Or win at Cannes and its portrayal of artistic endurance amid historical turmoil. His androgynous aesthetic, first popularized in music videos and tours during the 1980s, directly shaped such characterizations, blending feminine grace with masculine resolve to challenge gender norms on screen. Cheung reciprocated by providing theme songs that amplified film narratives and commercial reach. He sang the theme for A Better Tomorrow (1986), intertwining his vocal style with the film's heroic brotherhood motif to boost its status as a genre-defining export. Similarly, contributions to the A Chinese Ghost Story trilogy soundtracks (1987–1991), where he starred in sequels and performed themes, fused romantic balladry with supernatural fantasy, aiding the series' pan-Asian popularity. For He's a Woman, She's a Man (1994), his track "Chase" underscored themes of identity fluidity, echoing his cross-medium persona. These interplays positioned Cheung as a pivotal figure in Hong Kong's 1990s cultural export surge, where Cantopop hits like Summer Romance (1987)—a chart-topping —and internationally lauded films merged to project urban sophistication and emotional depth globally, fostering demand for Hong Kong in and beyond. His integrated artistry exemplified the era's multimedia synergy, driving box-office successes and sales that symbolized the territory's pre-handover creative zenith.

Other activities

Business ventures and philanthropy

Cheung pursued real estate investments during the 1990s, acquiring the Turtle Cove property in Hong Kong's Southside district in 1995 for HK$26 million through a company he controlled. This purchase reflected his interest in high-value assets amid Hong Kong's booming property market at the time. In philanthropy, Cheung supported organizations aiding children, including a performance at a 1984 TVB charity event for Po Leung Kuk, which operates orphanages and child protection services in Hong Kong. He donated HK$1 million to the Hong Kong Children's Cancer Foundation in 1996 and released five sets of promotional cards from his album RED to aid fundraising efforts for the group. Additionally, he directed all profits from his 1989 album Salute to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Cheung also backed causes for the elderly, contributing to charities focused on their welfare alongside child-related initiatives and disaster relief.

Public engagements and activism

Leslie Cheung maintained a notably restrained approach to public , eschewing overt political involvement and focusing instead on occasional commentary related to and industry conditions. Throughout his , he avoided aligning with partisan causes, reflecting a preference for privacy and artistic autonomy amid Hong Kong's evolving socio-political landscape in the lead-up to the 1997 handover. In the 1990s, Cheung's public engagements beyond performance venues included interviews where he critiqued the structural pressures of the entertainment sector, such as grueling production demands and inadequate creative support. For instance, in a 1998 discussion during the promotion of A Time to Remember, he observed that local directors rarely used storyboards—except for figures like —contrasting this with more methodical international practices, which he linked to broader inefficiencies in the declining . Earlier, his 1989 retirement from music followed a marathon of 33 sold-out concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum, after which he publicly cited exhaustion from the "bitterness" of seven years under intense scrutiny and schedules, signaling a need for respite from fame's toll. These reflections underscored his view of the industry's human costs without advocating systemic reform. Cheung's rare forays into broader social discourse were limited and non-confrontational, often tied to professional awards events where he emphasized perseverance over critique. At the 13th Hong Kong Film Awards in 1994, his acceptance speech highlighted personal resilience amid , but stopped short of broader calls for change. This pattern contrasted with more vocal peers, aligning with his self-described apolitical stance that prioritized artistic output over public .

Personal life

Family relationships

Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing was born on September 12, 1956, as the youngest of ten children in a Hong Kong family; his father worked as a tailor servicing Western celebrities such as William Holden and Cary Grant, while his mother assisted in the family business. His parents' marriage was strained by ongoing conflicts, culminating in divorce during his early years, which Cheung later described as fostering an environment of emotional neglect amid frequent household arguments. Cheung maintained a close, devoted bond with his , demonstrating through ongoing support and , in contrast to his distant relationship with his , from whom he felt emotionally estranged and with whom interactions remained even in adulthood. He often spent more time with his grandmother or a hired during childhood, as both parents were preoccupied with work, leaving him primarily under the care of older siblings, including a sixth sister who acted as a surrogate caregiver. Among his siblings—two older brothers ranked seventh and eighth in the family order, and the rest sisters—Cheung experienced typical sibling dynamics marked by occasional conflicts, such as fights between his "fat brother" and eldest sister Ophelia, who was known for her strict demeanor toward younger family members. The family resided together in a multi-story apartment in Hong Kong's Central District during his youth, though Cheung noted feelings of isolation as older brothers pursued social activities like dating, leaving him alone at home.

Romantic partnerships

Leslie Cheung's longest and most publicly acknowledged romantic partnership was with Daffy Tong Hok-ming, which began after they reconnected in December 1982 at a social event at the Regent Hotel in Hong Kong, following a childhood acquaintance. The relationship endured for over two decades, until Cheung's death in 2003, with Tong maintaining a low public profile but receiving onstage references from Cheung as "Mr. Tong." During his 1997 series at the , Cheung dedicated the "" to Tong each night, a interpreted by audiences as an expression of their bond. Tong, who was Cheung's mother's godson, continued to honor Cheung's legacy posthumously through memorials and preservation efforts. Prior to this, Cheung had briefer relationships, including one with actress during the 1977 filming of the RTV series Love Story, where they met as co-stars and briefly dated before it ended. Other early partnerships, such as with Shirley Yim around 1979–1980, remain less documented beyond contemporary reports of short durations. Claims of additional rumored partners lack substantiation from primary sources and are not corroborated in biographical accounts focused on Cheung's .

Health challenges

In the year leading up to 2003, Leslie Cheung experienced severe depression accompanied by persistent insomnia, which significantly impaired his daily functioning. These symptoms were documented through accounts from close associates and medical consultations, with Cheung himself expressing bewilderment at their onset despite professional success and public adoration. Cheung sought professional psychiatric treatment starting around mid-2002, attending sessions for nearly a year to address the depression, which was attributed to a chemical imbalance by family members citing medical evaluations. No verifiable records indicate substance abuse as a contributing factor to these health challenges; reports consistently emphasize the absence of drug or alcohol dependency in his personal history.

Sexuality and public perception

Evolution of public statements

During the 1980s, amid rising fame as a Cantopop idol, Cheung faced persistent media speculation about his sexuality, often fueled by his androgynous image and close male friendships; he repeatedly denied being gay, stating in an August 1988 interview that rumors arose merely from him "talking to a guy," insisting there was "no truth" to such claims. This era reflected a pattern of deflection typical for public figures in conservative Hong Kong society, where homosexuality remained criminalized until 1991. By the early , Cheung's statements shifted toward , acknowledging bisexual inclinations without explicit labels; in a , he remarked, "My is bisexual. It's easy for me to love a . It's also easy for me to love a man, too," framing it as a natural fluidity rather than a definitive identity. This marked an initial public affirmation of male attractions, though he avoided formal declarations, preferring to let performances—like his roles in films exploring same-sex themes—convey personal resonance. Entering the 2000s, Cheung grew more direct in interviews, reaffirming as self-description over rigid categorization; in a May 7, 2001, Time magazine profile, he stated, "It's more appropriate to say I'm bisexual. I've had girlfriends... But people these days are more open-minded," crediting past relationships while emphasizing contemporary attractions to men, including his long-term partner Daffy Tong. Throughout, Cheung eschewed a traditional "" announcement, prioritizing lived actions—such as dedicating concerts to Tong and intimate on-stage displays—over verbal proclamations, viewing labels as secondary to authentic expression.

Cultural context in Hong Kong and Asia

In Hong Kong during the 1980s and 1990s, societal attitudes toward homosexuality were shaped by a tension between entrenched Confucian values emphasizing filial piety, family lineage, and heterosexual marriage for progeny, and encroaching Western liberal influences from British colonial rule. Traditional norms, rooted in Confucian ideals of social harmony and familial duty, viewed non-heteronormative expressions as disruptive to continuity and collective obligations, fostering widespread stigma and silence around same-sex relations. Decriminalization of adult homosexual acts occurred only in 1991, reflecting gradual legal acknowledgment amid colonial-era reforms, yet public discourse remained constrained by cultural reticence rather than outright prohibition. The 1997 handover to mainland China amplified anxieties over eroding civil liberties, including those related to personal expression, as fears of Beijing's more authoritarian oversight clashed with Hong Kong's relatively permissive media environment. Pre-handover, media outlets like TVB exercised self-censorship on explicit LGBT content to align with conservative audience expectations, though artistic androgyny in entertainment faced less scrutiny if framed as performative flair. Across broader Asia, similar Confucian legacies in societies like Taiwan and mainland China reinforced familial pressures against visibility, with homosexuality often pathologized or ignored in official narratives until the late 1990s. Acceptance among fans and the public exhibited generational divides: older cohorts, socialized in traditional values, tolerated aesthetic boundary-pushing as cultural export or celebrity eccentricity without deeper endorsement, while younger urbanites, exposed to global media and post-colonial hybridization, showed nascent openness influenced by Western identity models emerging in the 1990s. Surveys from the era indicated persistent homonegativity, particularly among women and rural migrants, tempered by urban cosmopolitanism but not yet yielding widespread advocacy. This bifurcated reception underscored a broader Asian context where economic modernization outpaced attitudinal shifts, leaving non-conformity in a liminal space between tolerance and taboo.

Debates on openness versus privacy

Leslie Cheung's public acknowledgments of same-sex attractions, including his 1992 statement that "My mind is bisexual. It is easy for me to love a woman. It is also easy for me to love men, too," sparked ongoing discussions about the balance between personal disclosure and privacy in his life. He lived openly with his partner Daffy Tong from the early 1990s until his death in 2003, a relationship that lasted over two decades and was known to the public, yet Cheung refrained from explicit labels like "gay" in many contexts to safeguard his family's privacy amid Hong Kong's conservative cultural norms. This selective approach fueled debates, with proponents of greater openness arguing it limited his potential as an unequivocal role model, while defenders highlighted the era's risks, including media harassment and societal stigma that could extend to relatives. Advocates for Cheung's level of candor emphasize its inspirational impact on younger generations in Asia, where homosexuality faced legal and social penalties; his visibility as one of the few self-identified queer celebrities in the 1990s encouraged discreet queer communities by demonstrating resilience against backlash, such as tabloid dismissals labeling him "perverted." Despite potential career sabotage in a market reliant on heterosexual romantic imagery, his 1997 concert dedication to his male lover in Vienna exemplified a bold public affirmation that motivated fans navigating similar invisibility. This stance, they contend, advanced queer acceptance indirectly through cultural influence rather than confrontation, given Hong Kong's lack of anti-discrimination protections until decades later. Critics, however, contend that Cheung's guardedness—evident in his avoidance of definitive personal labels despite on-screen portrayals of same-sex desire—reflected career pragmatism over authentic advocacy, allowing him to retain mass-market appeal in conservative Chinese-speaking audiences while benefiting from queer subcultural admiration. His reluctance to fully "out" himself earlier, even as he cohabited with partners post-1990, is seen by some as prioritizing familial discretion and professional longevity, potentially diluting his role in broader LGBTQ+ visibility efforts amid regional taboos. This ambiguity, while protective, drew accusations of exploiting queer aesthetics for artistic gain without commensurate personal risk, complicating posthumous claims of him as an uncompromised icon.

Death

Events leading to April 1, 2003

Cheung's 46th birthday on , 2002, marked one of his final social engagements, where he requested guests contribute cash directly to the End Foundation rather than offering personal gifts, which he intended to donate on their behalf. The psychological horror film Inner Senses, in which Cheung portrayed a therapist confronting apparitions and patient delusions, premiered on , 2002; the role's intensity contributed to his experiencing persistent nightmares and insomnia, exacerbating sleep disturbances that had begun during production. These sleep issues intensified through late 2002 and into 2003, prompting Cheung to forgo additional professional commitments and limit public visibility amid Hong Kong's SARS epidemic. His last documented public gesture occurred in March 2003, when he donated HK$100,000 to the Seedoek Protection Fund during their child welfare charity initiative.

Suicide note and immediate reactions

Cheung jumped from the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong at approximately 6:41 p.m. on April 1, 2003, leaving a suicide note addressed to his longtime partner, Daffy Tong Hok-tak. In the note, Cheung cited his ongoing depression as the cause, stated that the act was no one's fault, and expressed thanks to Tong, his family, and fans. The note contained no references to homophobia or external societal pressures. Tong, who had spoken with Cheung by phone around noon that day and reported him sounding normal, publicly confirmed the following day that Cheung had been battling clinical depression for an extended period and had attempted once before, in 2002. He described Cheung's condition as severe despite treatment, attributing the death solely to struggles rather than interpersonal conflicts. Fans reacted with immediate grief, gathering at the hotel site to lay flowers and hold informal vigils within hours of the news breaking, reflecting Cheung's status as a beloved across . The Hong Kong entertainment industry expressed profound shock, with peers like the "Four Kings" of —, , , and —agreeing to tributes and some halting promotional activities temporarily in mourning. This outpouring underscored the abrupt loss of a figure central to the region's , prompting widespread media coverage and public reflection on . The coroner's inquest into Leslie Cheung's death, conducted by Hong Kong's Coroner's Court as required for unnatural fatalities, determined the cause as suicide by jumping from the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on April 1, 2003, supported by a suicide note discovered on his body expressing depression and fatigue. Authorities found no evidence of foul play, and police investigations confirmed the act as deliberate, with Cheung having entered the hotel dressed formally shortly before the incident. Cheung's family successfully petitioned for a waiver of postmortem autopsy, citing cultural sensitivities, which the coroner approved. Media coverage in immediately following the death was extensive and frenzied, dominating front pages with color photographs of the scene, detailed timelines, and speculative accounts of Cheung's final hours, often emphasizing emotional and dramatic elements. This saturation included intrusions into the of Cheung's family and associates, such as aggressive pursuit by photographers during periods, which drew retrospective complaints of despite the public's interest-driven demand for information. The intensity of the reporting later contributed to broader discussions on in cases, highlighting risks of that could influence vulnerable individuals, though no formal legal actions against outlets were reported in the immediate aftermath.

Controversies and criticisms

Speculated causes of depression and suicide

Cheung's longtime partner, Daffy Tong, confirmed after his death that he had been suffering from clinical depression for at least a year prior, including a suicide attempt in 2002, and had sought medical treatment without resolution. His elder sister, Ophelia Cheung, attributed the condition to a chemical imbalance in the brain, framing it as a biological disorder rather than purely environmental. Empirical evidence from family statements and partner disclosures points to endogenous factors, such as neurochemical dysregulation, over external societal pressures alone, though the interplay remains complex. Severe insomnia compounded Cheung's depression, with reports indicating prolonged sleep disturbances that medical interventions failed to alleviate, contributing to physical symptoms like hand tremors and gastrointestinal issues. Biographer Nigel Collett, drawing on interviews and records, posits that perfectionism—evident in Cheung's exacting standards for vocal performances and acting roles—likely amplified internal stressors, rather than sexuality being the sole driver, as Cheung had navigated public life as an openly gay man with considerable autonomy and acclaim. Collett notes unknown precipitants for the depressive episodes, emphasizing individual psychological vulnerabilities over deterministic cultural narratives. Progressive-leaning media and advocacy sources often speculate that homophobia in conservative Hong Kong society fueled Cheung's despair, portraying his suicide as a casualty of systemic discrimination against LGBTQ individuals and downplaying personal agency. This interpretation, while highlighting real cultural conservatism, lacks direct causal evidence linking specific incidents of prejudice to his decline, given Cheung's career longevity and the entertainment industry's relative acceptance of his image, which enabled breakthroughs like androgynous roles in films such as Farewell My Concubine. Counterviews stress genetic and temperamental factors, including potential hereditary depression risks, as family disclosures suggest biochemical roots independent of external validation. Public scrutiny of his openness, while a double-edged sword—facilitating artistic freedom and fan devotion—may have heightened self-criticism in a perfectionist prone to rumination, but thriving professionally amid it underscores resilience against blanket societal blame.

Backlash against androgynous image

In the mid-1980s, Leslie Cheung's embrace of androgynous aesthetics—characterized by heavy makeup, long hair, flowing garments, and stage personas blending masculine and feminine elements—elicited sharp rebukes from Hong Kong's conservative media outlets. These performances, including concerts with bold and unconventional costumes, were frequently labeled as excessive deviations from traditional male presentation, prompting accusations of undermining societal gender norms in a culture still rooted in Confucian values emphasizing clear male authority and restraint. Local press coverage often framed Cheung's style as a form of "gender insubordination," subjecting him to sustained negative scrutiny that highlighted his isolation in defying entrenched expectations for male entertainers to embody physical vigor and conventional masculinity. This media hostility reflected broader societal tensions in 1980s Hong Kong, where rapid modernization coexisted with resistance to Western-influenced individualism and fluid self-expression, particularly among older demographics and traditionalist commentators who viewed androgyny as disruptive to family-oriented cultural stability. Cheung's approach, while pioneering in artistic terms, polarized audiences: it cultivated intense loyalty among younger, urban fans drawn to its rebellious flair, yet alienated segments preferring his pre-1980s image of clean-cut, relatable masculinity seen in early hits like "Monica" (1984). Such divisions underscored a causal dynamic where stylistic innovation amplified niche cultural influence—elevating Cheung as an icon for boundary-pushers—but constrained broader, enduring mainstream viability in Asia's norm-adherent markets, as evidenced by the era's predominant success of artists adhering to gendered archetypes.

Career decisions and financial issues

Cheung's decision to retire from pop music in 1989, at age 33, marked a significant pivot to film acting amid personal burnout from an intense performance schedule. He emigrated to Canada shortly after, entering a music hiatus that extended until 1995, during which he released no albums as a singer but composed tracks for others. This timing preceded the broader stagnation in Hong Kong's entertainment sector, though Cantopop remained robust into the early 1990s; critics later viewed the extended absence as a professional misstep, depriving the industry of a leading figure during a period when diversification into multimedia could have bolstered his market position. In early 1997, Cheung held a series of farewell concerts in , effectively retiring from live to prioritize cinema, just months before the to and the ensuing Asian that began in October. The crisis triggered a sharp contraction in 's and music industries, with output plummeting due to , reduced consumer spending, and rising — productions fell from over 200 annually in the mid-1990s to under 100 by 2003. Cheung's shift left him vulnerable to the downturn, as acting roles became scarcer; he reportedly dropped out of multiple projects, including Sylvia Chang's 20, 30, 40, contributing to perceptions of career instability in his final years. Professional critiques highlighted Cheung's over-reliance on his signature persona—marked by emotional ballads and dramatic stage presence—as limiting adaptability to evolving Asian pop landscapes. While Cantopop thrived on solo artists like Cheung in the 1980s, its factory-style model faltered against J-pop's polished production and K-pop's idol training systems by the late 1990s, with Hong Kong acts struggling to compete in export markets. Cheung's retirements exacerbated this, forgoing opportunities to reinvent amid the shift toward group-oriented, globally marketed acts, though he maintained influence through selective film roles.

Legacy and impact

Influence on Hong Kong entertainment

Leslie Cheung significantly elevated the commercial stature of Cantopop through his chart-topping releases in the late 1980s, including hits like "Unruly Wind" and "Sleepless Night," which sustained record sales amid the genre's golden age. His emotive vocal style and elaborate stage productions set new standards for live performances in Hong Kong, drawing massive audiences to concerts that showcased technical innovations such as synchronized lighting and choreography. Cheung's boundary-pushing androgynous aesthetics, featuring feminine attire and makeup, challenged traditional gender norms in local entertainment, influencing subsequent artists to experiment with fluid identities on stage and screen. As a pioneer alongside contemporaries like Anita Mui and precursors to the "Four Heavenly Kings" including Jacky Cheung, with whom he maintained a decades-long friendship, Cheung's career trajectory inspired rigorous vocal training and multifaceted artistry among emerging talents in Hong Kong's music scene. His emphasis on emotional depth in lyrics and delivery contributed to Cantopop's maturation from light pop to a medium capable of addressing personal and societal themes, bolstering the industry's output during its peak when annual album sales reached 9.2 million units in 1996. Following the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China, Cheung emerged as a cultural emblem of the pre-sovereignty era's unbridled creativity and cosmopolitan flair in entertainment, evoking a time when the industry thrived independently with global aspirations yet rooted in local Cantonese expression. His works, blending Western influences with Hong Kong's urban ethos, underscored the vibrancy of that period, where stars like Cheung commanded fervent local fandoms and defined the city's identity against impending political shifts. This legacy positioned him as a reference point for nostalgia, highlighting the contrast with post-handover challenges like declining record sales and censored content in the local industry.

Global cultural reach

Leslie Cheung's portrayal of Cheng Dieyi in Farewell My Concubine (1993) achieved significant international acclaim, with the film securing the Palme d'Or at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival as the first Chinese production to win the award, alongside nominations for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Cinematography in 1994. Cheung's depiction of an androgynous Peking opera performer navigating identity and repression resonated globally, introducing Western audiences to nuanced queer themes in Chinese cinema and earning praise for its emotional depth. Cheung's androgynous aesthetic and open embrace of gender fluidity positioned him as a parallel figure to Western icons like David Bowie and Boy George, exerting influence on global queer cultural expressions by challenging binary norms through film and performance. His adoption of Western designers such as Giorgio Armani in the 1970s and 1980s, combined with flamboyant stage personas, contributed to a cross-cultural dialogue on masculinity, inspiring later discussions of dandyism and non-conformity in international fashion and media. In metrics of global stardom, Cheung's export contrasted his domestic dominance in Hong Kong, where he commanded sold-out arenas and topped charts, against more niche Western recognition focused on arthouse circuits and circles rather than mainstream pop crossover. His roles in gay characters marked him as Asian performers achieving such in international markets during the , fostering enduring appreciation among communities and film scholars in and .

Posthumous recognition and recent developments

Fans have held annual memorials at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong, the site of Cheung's death, with gatherings peaking around the April 1 anniversary. On April 1, 2025, hundreds of admirers assembled to lay flowers and honor his legacy as a singer and actor. These events underscore ongoing public devotion, though they have prompted discussions on balancing tribute with awareness of mental health issues tied to his suicide. Posthumous exhibitions have celebrated Cheung's career milestones. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum's "Miss You Much Leslie" exhibition in March 2023 marked the 20th anniversary of his passing, drawing over 7,600 visitors with displays of memorabilia and film clips. Similarly, the "Timeless Leslie Encounter" installation at Olympian City in 2023 featured interactive tributes and a neon-lit mosaic of his works. Recent film revivals have renewed interest in Cheung's cinematic roles. In March 2025, theaters in South Korea re-released select classics ahead of the 22nd anniversary of his death. "A Chinese Ghost Story," co-starring Cheung, received a 4K re-release on the Chinese mainland on March 21, 2025, 38 years after its Hong Kong premiere. A 4K-restored version of "Farewell My Concubine" screened at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in September 2023, highlighting his Palme d'Or-winning performance. In 2025, Nigel Collett's biography offered fresh insights into Cheung's life, drawing on extensive to address relationships, struggles, and industry pitfalls, thereby challenging persistent myths through documented evidence. This , discussed in interviews that year, emphasizes empirical over sensational narratives.

Works and accolades

Discography highlights

Leslie Cheung's 1984 album Leslie, best known for the titular hit "Monica", marked his commercial breakthrough in Cantopop, achieving platinum certification from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) Hong Kong and selling over 200,000 copies domestically. This release propelled him from supporting roles in TVB dramas to a leading recording artist, with "Monica" dominating airplay and establishing his signature blend of upbeat pop and romantic ballads. Subsequent albums solidified his market dominance. Summer Romance '87 (1987) topped Hong Kong sales charts as the year's best-selling Cantopop release, earning recognition for its infectious synth-pop tracks and contributing to Cheung's status as one of the territory's top-selling artists of the decade. His 1995 comeback album Most Beloved post-retirement hiatus achieved strong regional performance, with reported sales exceeding 300,000 units in Hong Kong alone. The 1996 album Red represented a stylistic evolution, incorporating jazz, R&B, and trip-hop elements into Cantopop, and received critical acclaim for its mature soundscapes, though specific sales data remains less documented compared to earlier peaks. Cheung's discography overall reflects evolving production values, from glossy 1980s pop to experimental fusion, with cumulative album sales placing him among Hong Kong's highest-grossing Cantopop figures, though exact totals vary by reporting standards.

Filmography overview

Leslie Cheung entered the film industry in the late 1970s with minor roles but achieved breakthrough prominence in the mid-1980s through action and romance genres. His role as the principled police officer Kit in John Woo's A Better Tomorrow (1986) marked a pivotal success, establishing him as a leading man and revitalizing Hong Kong's heroic bloodshed cinema with its massive commercial impact. Subsequent 1980s films like the fantasy romance A Chinese Ghost Story (1987) and the ghostly period drama Rouge (1988) further solidified his versatility, blending commercial appeal with supernatural elements. In the 1990s, Cheung transitioned to more introspective, auteur-driven projects, often collaborating with . He portrayed the restless Yuddy in Days of Being Wild (), earning the Hong Kong Film Award for ; the film grossed HK$9,751,942 in despite its stylistic ambitions. This era peaked with his critically lauded performance as the devoted Peking opera singer Cheng Dieyi in Chen Kaige's Farewell My Concubine (), which won the at and achieved over US$5 million in U.S. box office earnings. Cheung also starred as the brooding swordsman Ouyang Feng in Kar-wai's ensemble Ashes of Time () and the expatriate Ho Po-wing in Happy Together (1997), both exemplifying his shift toward complex, emotionally layered characters. Cheung's final screen appearance came in the psychological horror Inner Senses (2002), released shortly before his death, capping a career that evolved from box office-driven action to internationally recognized dramatic depth.

Awards and nominations by category

Cheung garnered significant recognition in both music and film, with 14 wins at the Hong Kong Film Awards across acting and song categories, alongside multiple nominations, and dominated Hong Kong's music scene through chart-topping honors at RTHK and TVB ceremonies.

Music awards

Cheung's music accolades peaked in the 1980s, where he swept the RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards for four consecutive years from 1984 to 1988, with multiple songs from albums like Leslie (1983) and For Your Love Only (1985) entering the top rankings annually. His track "Monica" (1984) earned gold certification and topped TVB's Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards, contributing to his receipt of the Four Channel Award for Best Album in subsequent years. In 1999, RTHK honored his career with the Golden Needle Award, the highest distinction for outstanding contributions to Cantopop.
YearAward/CeremonyCategory/WorkResult
1984RTHK Top 10 Gold SongsMultiple tracks incl. "Monica"Won (top honors)
1985–1988RTHK Top 10 Gold SongsAnnual sweeps (e.g., "Lilac" 1985, "Hot Summer" 1988)Won
1984TVB Jade Solid Gold Best Ten"Monica"Won
1987TVB Jade Solid Gold Best TenGold Song Award (multiple)Won
1999RTHK Top 10 Gold SongsGolden Needle Award (lifetime)Won
2000TVB Jade Solid Gold Best TenUntitled albumBest Album (Four Channel Award)
Nominations in music were less formalized but included runner-up placements in early career contests like the 1976 ATV Asian Music Contest, where he placed second.

Film awards

In film, Cheung secured one competitive Best Actor win at the Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA) for Days of Being Wild (1991), with additional nominations for roles in Happy Together (1998) and Inner Senses (2003), reflecting his transition to dramatic leads under directors like Wong Kar-wai. He also won HKFA Best Original Film Song for The Bride with White Hair (1994) and He's a Woman, She's a Man (1995), totaling four song victories. At the Golden Horse Awards, he received a Best Original Song win for The Bride with White Hair (1993) and faced multiple Best Actor nominations, including for Temptress Moon (1996), Double Tap (2000), and Inner Senses (2002). The Hong Kong Film Critics Society awarded him Best Actor for Ashes of Time (1994). Hong Kong Film Awards table:
YearCategoryFilm/SongResult
1983Best ActorUnspecified roleNominated
1991Best ActorDays of Being WildWon
1994Best Original Film Song"The Bride with White Hair"Won
1995Best Original Film SongHe's a Woman, She's a ManWon
1998Best ActorHappy TogetherNominated
2003Best ActorInner SensesNominated
Golden Horse Awards table:
YearCategoryFilm/SongResult
1993Best Original SongThe Bride with White HairWon
1996Best ActorTemptress MoonNominated
1996Best Original Film Song"Love with All My Heart" (Who's the Woman, She's the Man)Nominated
2000Best ActorDouble TapNominated
2002Best ActorInner SensesNominated

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  131. https://laotiantimes.com/2023/03/24/timeless-leslie-encounter-at-olympian-city-pays-tribute-to-leslie-cheung-in-commemoration-of-20-years-of-his-legacy-with-20-stories-of-encounter-430-inch-mosaic-classics-on-a-neon-light-wall/
  132. https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-03-21/entertainment/movies/Leslie-Cheung-classics-return-to-theaters-ahead-of-22nd-anniversary-of-his-death/2267239
  133. http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2025-03/22/content_117780684.htm
  134. https://www.lifestyleasia.com/hk/whats-on/news-whats-on/leslie-cheung-farewell-my-concubine-4k-restored-version-hong-kong-venue-ticket-details/
  135. https://www.yesasia.com/global/leslie-vinyl-lp-limited-edition/1032092511-0-0-0-en/info.html
  136. http://www.lesliecheung.com/index.asp?Section=/introduction/biography&Doc=/introduction/awards
  137. https://bestsellingalbums.org/artist/7661
  138. https://www.imdb.com/list/ls000050979/
  139. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101258/trivia
  140. https://events.webster.edu/event/farewell_my_concubine
  141. https://chinesemov.com/actors2/Leslie-Cheung-Awards
  142. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002000/awards/
  143. https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/comments/1fg91pq/a_man_ahead_of_his_time_leslie_cheung/
  144. https://www.queersaints.com/saints/st-leslie-cheung
  145. https://www.lesliecheung.com/index.asp?Section=/introduction/biography&Doc=/introduction/awards
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