Gordon Liu

Gordon Liu (Lau Kar-fai simplified Chinese: 刘家辉; traditional Chinese: 劉家輝; pinyin: Liú Jiāhuī; Wade–Giles: Liu Chia-hui; Jyutping: Lau4 Gaa1 fai1); born Sin Kam-hei (simplified Chinese: 冼锦熙; traditional Chinese: 冼錦熙; pinyin: Xiǎn Jǐnxī, 22 August 1955)^[3] is a Chinese actor and martial artist best known for his martial arts films. He entered the Hong Kong film industry as a stuntman, eventually having minor roles in several kung fu films, including the Shaw Brothers-produced Five Shaolin Masters (1974). He went on to appear in many Shaw Brothers films, often portraying Shaolin monks.

He portrayed Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung in Challenge of the Masters (1976) and Shaolin hero San Te in the critically acclaimed The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978). He went on to star in films such as Heroes of the East (1978), Dirty Ho (1979), Clan of the White Lotus, Return to the 36th Chamber (both 1980), Martial Club (1981), Shaolin and Wu Tang (1983), and Disciples of the 36th Chamber (1985). By the late-1980s, Liu had begun accepting smaller roles, such as in Lau Kar-leung's Tiger on the Beat (1988). In 1993, he played the antagonist Master Liu Hung in Last Hero in China, opposite Jet Li's character. Liu made his American film debut in 2003. He played two roles in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films: Johnny Mo, the leader of the Crazy 88 yakuza gang in Volume 1 (2003), and kung fu master Pai Mei in Volume 2 (2004). Other than being a staple in Hong Kong action movies and his foray into Hollywood, Liu also made his Bollywood debut in 2009's Chandni Chowk to China.

Liu began practising martial arts at the age of 10.^[4] He studied Hung Ga kung fu at the school founded by Lau Kar-leung's father, Lau Cham.^[5] Having starred in one of the most impactful martial arts films of all time, 1978's The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Liu is widely considered one of the greatest martial arts stars in the history of cinema.^[6]