Hong Kong star Lee Kin Yan, who once cross-dressed as the ugly woman “Ru Hua” in Stephen Chow’s films, suffered a stroke while working in mainland China six years ago and was once in critical condition. He returned to Hong Kong for treatment and underwent physical therapy to recover. Recently, he was invited by Hong Kong director Li Lik Chi to have tea and shared his recent situation.
On July 29, renowned Hong Kong director Li Lik Chi posted a video on Weibo, showing the gathering with Lee Kin Yan and accompanied it with a poem titled “Gift for Kin Yan,” revealing Lee’s condition. Li wrote: “Lee Kin Yan, also known as the familiar ‘Ru Hua,’ is actively rebuilding himself, hoping to return to the spotlight. In 2019, he suffered a stroke leading to partial paralysis. After brain surgery and long-term physical therapy, he can now stand and engage in simple conversations. Although he has lost some weight, his complexion looks good.”
In the video, Lee Kin Yan appears visibly thinner but in good spirits, smiling at the camera with a much more aged appearance than before.
According to reports from Hong Kong media, Lee Kin Yan suffered a sudden stroke while working in mainland China in 2019, falling into a coma and was urgently taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with cerebral hemorrhage. Although the surgery was successful in removing the blood clot, he faced more severe consequences: damage to the left brain, paralysis of the right side of his body, and even a loss of speech ability.
By 2022, after three years of rehabilitation and treatment, Lee Kin Yan was able to take a few steps with support. Now, three more years later, he can stand independently and interact with Li Lik Chi, introducing himself, raising a toast, indicating a rather significant recovery.
Lee Kin Yan and Stephen Chow were classmates in high school, even playing together in the Hong Kong football team at one point. Calling himself “an easily injured man,” he had to quit sports after a serious injury. His debut on the screen was in “The New Legend of Shaolin,” portraying an “ugly woman.” His second appearance was in “Flirting Scholar,” directed by Li Lik Chi and starring Stephen Chow, where he again cross-dressed as a woman. It was not until “A Chinese Odyssey” that “Ru Hua” became his iconic character.
Due to his football background, Lee Kin Yan served as the “football consultant” for the film crew of “Shaolin Soccer,” directed by Li Lik Chi and starring Stephen Chow, teaching the actors how to play and dribble the ball.