Hong Kong veteran artist Law Kar-ying, who is about to celebrate his 80th birthday, recently released his personal biography titled “The Law Kar-ying Story”. He held a sharing session at the Hong Kong Book Fair, where his wife, Lydia Shum, showed her support.
On July 19th, Law Kar-ying, accompanied by his wife Lydia Shum, attended a book lecture in Hong Kong. During the promotional event, the couple bantered sweetly, creating a joyful atmosphere filled with laughter.
Law Kar-ying jokingly mentioned that his biography wouldn’t delve much into his love life, but would share Lydia Shum’s “ways of managing husband” and household management skills. He praised his wife for her usual gentle and refined demeanor, only to be teased by Lydia Shum on the spot, saying “Wow, he talks so differently”.
Law Kar-ying revealed that he had been preparing his biography for over a year. During the writing process, Lydia Shum strictly instructed him, saying, “You can say what needs to be said, but don’t speak of things that shouldn’t be said, especially don’t reveal too much about my family.” He described “The Law Kar-ying Story” as a personal narrative documenting the highs and lows of his 80-year life journey, with a playful hint that ninety percent of the content is true, adding, “Many biographies tend to have some dramatization, and in my case, I share Law Kar-ying’s life story, sprinkled with some seasoning, a mix of truth and fiction which will be unveiled as you read.”
Lydia Shum disclosed that she had read the new book for the first time at the event. When asked if there were contents related to Lydia Shum in the book, Law Kar-ying replied, “Of course, and 99% of it is true.” Lydia Shum, flipping through Law Kar-ying’s new book beside him, inquired teasingly, “In which chapter and section will I finally make an appearance?”
Discussing their marriage, Law Kar-ying was asked to evaluate his wife. He promptly exclaimed, “I love you,” eliciting laughter from the audience. He joked that he might get his “ears pulled” once they are back home.
The romance between Lydia Shum and Law Kar-ying started in 1988 when they co-starred in Cantonese opera “Mu Guiying Fights Hongzhou”. This spark from the stage transcended into reality, and the two eventually fell in love. They had faced illnesses together, never leaving each other’s side, and this “till death do us part” experience elevated their relationship. Law Kar-ying entered matrimony at the age of 62, expressing his gratitude for being fortunate enough to “finally wait for a Lydia Shum till the end of my life”.
The couple will hold a concert in Guangzhou in August. Lydia Shum had previously suffered from plantar fasciitis. Regarding this, Law Kar-ying mentioned that he would gently massage her feet to alleviate the pain.
Recently, Stephen Chow’s comedy film “Kung Fu Comedy” has been a major success in mainland China. Law Kar-ying and Stephen Chow were once a classic comedy duo in the Chinese film industry. Their notable works include “From Beijing with Love” (Law Kar-ying as Da Wenxi), “Journey to the West” series (Law Kar-ying as Tang Monk), “The Mad Monk” (Law Kar-ying as Fa Hai), and “God of Cookery” (Law Kar-ying as competition judge). These absurd characters from the movies have become classics in the history of Chinese cinema.
Apart from live-action cameos, Law Kar-ying collaborated with Stephen Chow again in 2017 for the film “Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back”. However, this time Law Kar-ying worked behind the scenes, providing the Cantonese voice dubbing for the film, voicing “Tang Monk’s master”.
Law Kar-ying rose to fame with these classic supporting roles in the film industry. In his biography, he documented his journey from Cantonese opera to movies, thanking Stephen Chow for transforming his acting career. He lamented, “Without Stephen Chow, there would be no Law Kar-ying in comedy.”