KUALA LUMPUR: Veteran Chinese martial arts actress Cheng Pei-Pei, renowned for her roles in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Come Drink With Me, has died at 78.
The news was confirmed by her management company, Supreme Art Entertainment in a statement today.
Supreme Art said that Cheng died on Wednesday in the United States, surrounded by her children and close family members.
She had been unwell in recent years but chose to keep her illness private.
"She had been focusing on managing her health and spending time with her family.
"Beyond her professional achievements, Pei-Pei was an approachable, kind and patient mother who loved helping others," it said.
According to Variety magazine, Cheng suffered from a degenerative brain disease and had donated her brain to medical research.
Born in Shanghai, China, on Jan 6, 1946, Cheng moved to Hong Kong in 1962 and made her debut two years later in the film Lovers' Rock.
She was widely respected as a pioneer of martial arts heroines and has acted in Golden Swallow, Brothers Five and How To Meet The Lucky Stars.
Cheng relocated to the United States in the 1970s to raise her four children.