In a turbulent flight, passengers were all terrified, except for an elderly man who remained calm, holding a glass of red wine. When asked by others if he had ever experienced death, he casually replied, “I have lived.” This nonchalant response perfectly epitomized his fearless attitude towards life and death, just like a free-spirited breeze. He was Tsai Lan – a writer, filmmaker, gourmet, and one of the “Four Great Talents” of Hong Kong.
With Tsai Lan’s passing on June 26, the four talents finally reunited in the heavens. Jin Yong, Ni Kuang, James Wong, and Tsai Lan – each with their unique talents yet equally elegant; they delved into martial arts, science fiction, poetry, music, or humor, collectively composing the most brilliant chapter of Hong Kong culture. Their departure marked the end of a golden era of Hong Kong culture, leaving behind numerous legendary tales of integrity, camaraderie, and wisdom.
Tsai Lan, born in Singapore in 1941, grew up above a theater, deeply influenced by movies and literature. At the age of 16, he traveled alone to Japan to study film, embarking on a lifelong journey around the world. In 1963, at the age of 22, he settled in Hong Kong, joined Shaw Brothers as a production manager, and later became vice president of Golden Harvest, producing dozens of films in the 80s and 90s, contributing to the golden age of Hong Kong cinema…
To avoid being constrained by directors, he chose to be a producer, jokingly saying, “I can manage five or six movies at the same time.” This “playful” nature extended to his writing and dining experiences. He published over 200 works covering travel, food, jokes, philosophy, and biographies…
After losing his beloved wife in 2023, he chose to live in a waterfront hotel in Victoria Harbour, taken care of by an eight-person team round the clock, with monthly expenses exceeding 500,000 Hong Kong dollars. He once said, “Having money but not spending it is no different from being poor.” Understanding the balance between enjoyment and savings for the future, he remained composed in the face of wealth and death.
Ni Kuang, born in Shanghai in 1935, served as a soldier in his youth and later fled to Hong Kong due to political reasons. He started as a laborer, attended night school, and eventually turned to writing, calling himself the “person who has written the most in Chinese in the world.” He published his first novel in 1958 and…
Ni Kuang, also a behind-the-scenes hero of films, wrote over 300 screenplays, including “Big Brother Cheng,” “Fist of Fury,” among others, contributing to the golden age of Hong Kong cinema and receiving the Hong Kong Film Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Known for his cheerful demeanor, his views on death, like Tsai Lan’s, were philosophical. He had a firm belief that death is inevitable and did not see the need to grieve over it. Diagnosed with skin cancer in 2019, he chose not to undergo treatment and accepted “going with the illness.” Ni Kuang passed away silently in 2022, leaving behind his wit and wisdom.
One of Ni Kuang’s most cherished old friends was the late James Wong, who passed away over a decade ago without informing him. James Wong, born in Guangzhou in 1941, fled to Hong Kong, graduated from the Chinese department of the University of Hong Kong, excelled in lyric writing, accumulating millions of words. His musical duo with Joseph Koo, known as “Wong and Koo,” was hailed as the “godfather of Hong Kong lyrics,” penning over 1,000 songs…
James Wong was a man of abundant talents, humor, and versatility, venturing into film, literature, and hosting, but also experiencing life’s lows. In the 1990s, he found himself in dire financial straits, even contemplating suicide due to debt. But fueled by maternal love, he worked tirelessly to repay his debts and eventually made a triumphant comeback.
In November 2004, James Wong passed away from terminal lung cancer at the age of 63. He once reflected, “People cannot transcend death, but Li Bai’s poetry can traverse time.” Today, James Wong’s lyrics have indeed surpassed time, enduring in people’s hearts.
Jin Yong, originally named Louis Cha, was born in Zhejiang in 1924 and had a passion for classics from a young age. He launched Ming Pao in 1959, which grew into a media empire. The reason Jin Yong started writing martial arts novels can be traced back to a Tai Chi vs. White Crane martial arts battle in Macau in 1954…
Under the pen name Jin Yong, he began serializing his first martial arts novel, “The Book and the Sword,” and quickly rose to fame. He subsequently released several classic works, until he decided to cease writing martial arts novels after completing his fifteenth work, “The Deer and the Cauldron,” in 1972.
Jin Yong’s martial arts world was characterized by sincere and rich emotional storytelling, with iconic characters like Guo Jing, Huang Rong, Yang Guo, and Xiao Longnu deeply beloved by readers, influencing generations of Chinese individuals…
With profound historical knowledge and a unique literary style, Jin Yong ingeniously integrated Chinese history, philosophy, and martial arts into his novels, infusing them with rich Chinese cultural heritage. Since the 1980s, Jin Yong’s martial arts novels have become a popular field of study in Chinese literature domestically and internationally, inspiring various academic conferences…
Jin Yong passed away in 2018 at the age of 94. Although he is no longer with us, his works and thoughts continue to resonate in the Chinese world, revered as the “contemporary master of Chinese literature.” His literary achievements extend beyond martial arts novels, becoming a significant symbol of Chinese culture.
Jin Yong wielded his pen like a sword, Ni Kuang ventured into the universe with imagination, James Wong wrote about human emotions through lyrics, and Tsai Lan embraced life with humor. The Four Great Talents of Hong Kong played their roles with nuance, scripted a tale of talent, belonging to Hong Kong and the Chinese cultural renaissance. Unafraid of death, they lived their lives magnificently…
Today, as they reunite in the heavens, discussing history, romance, raising their glasses in merriment, indifferent to life and death. For us, as we revisit their words, images, and melodies, we can once again encounter their spirits.
Though the Four Great Talents are no longer here, their spirit will never fade.