On the afternoon of August 3, the legendary Chinese movie star and singer-dancer, Grace Chang, passed away in Hong Kong at the age of 93. The news was confirmed by cultural figure Deng Xiaoyu on social media platforms.
Active in the 1950s and 60s, Grace Chang was known for her versatility in singing, acting, and dancing, earning her the title of “Thousand-Faced Girl”.
Born Zhang Yufang in Nanjing, Grace Chang grew up in Shanghai before her family moved to Hong Kong in 1949, where she showcased extraordinary artistic talent. She received formal Western classical music education from a young age, specializing in Western vocal and piano, and also studied Kunqu opera with master Yu Zhenfei, followed by training under Peking opera divas. This blend of Eastern and Western foundations allowed her to master a variety of artistic styles ranging from Western opera to cha-cha, mambo, and traditional Chinese opera in her later career.
In 1952, while in her final year of high school, Grace Chang enrolled in the acting training program at the Taishan Film Company founded by Pu Wan Cang, making her official debut in the film “The Seven Sisters”. Joining International Motion Pictures Corporation in the mid-1950s marked the peak of her career. The company tailor-made the film “Mambo Girl” for her, which created a sensation upon its release, establishing Grace Chang as a household name in the Chinese-speaking world.
During the golden age that followed, Grace Chang starred in a series of blockbuster musical films like “Miss Flying” and “Beauty and the Car” and “Love of the Wild Rose”. Her performance of the songs “Carmen” and “Indescribable Joy” in “Love of the Wild Rose” became iconic. Her role as “Ma Qiuming” in the epic film “Stars, Moon, Sun” is etched in the history of Chinese cinema.
Grace Chang’s influence extended beyond the Chinese-speaking world. In 1954, during the filming of “Soldier of Fortune” in Hong Kong, Hollywood star Clark Gable needed a Chinese actress fluent in English to play the role of a fisherwoman. Out of over two thousand applicants, Grace Chang was the only one selected for the role.
At the end of the 1950s, Grace Chang was invited to the United States to appear on the popular TV show hosted by Dinah Shore, recording and releasing an English album titled “Hong Kong’s Grace Chang”. She was among the few Chinese female singers to successfully penetrate the mainstream music market in North America.
Despite reaching the peak of her career, Grace Chang married businessman Gao Fuquan in London in 1961. After starring in the film “Tears and Laughter” in 1964, she bid farewell to the film and music industries to focus on her family.
Although Grace Chang stayed away from the limelight for over six decades, her works remain timeless. In 2018, her classic songs “I Want Your Love” and “I Want to Fly to the Blue Skies” were featured as core soundtracks in the Hollywood romantic comedy “Crazy Rich Asians,” reintroducing her artistic charm to a global audience half a century later.
Grace Chang made her final public appearance in 2021, where fellow actress Brigitte Lin celebrated her birthday wearing a red dress. At that time, Grace Chang appeared vibrant and stylish, defying her age of almost 90. It was evident that she was highly respected by her peers and fans, including former actress Lydia Shum who also attended the gathering.