Cheng Pei-pei’s talent agency released an official statement on Friday announcing she had died in the United States on Wednesday at the age of 78. She had long suffered from a degenerative brain disease and has donated her brain to medical research. Photo: File

A still from the film “Lovers’ Rock” featuring Cheng in 1964. Photo: File

In the film “Come Drink With Me”, 19-year-old Cheng played Golden Swallow, winning her the accolade of “Queen of Martial Arts.” Photo: File

In 1970, after a year of marriage, she retired from the film industry. She made a comeback in 1992 and starred in 1990’s “Flirting Scholar” alongside Stephen Chow, the highest-grossing Hong Kong film of that year. Photo: Screenshot

In Ang Lee's 2000 film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” Cheng portrayed the character Jade Fox, winning her the Best Supporting Actress award at the 20th Hong Kong Film Awards. Photo: Screenshot

Cheng is interviewed on the set of the TV drama “Legendary Fighter – Yang’s Heroine” on Jan. 26, 2011, in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Photo: VCG

Cheng rests on the set of the TV drama “The Patriot Yue Fei.” Photo: VCG

Cheng attends the Moet British Independent Film Awards on Dec. 7, 2014 in the U.K. Photo: VCG

During the 24th Huading Awards, Cheng appears on stage alongside her daughter, Marsha Yuan on Nov. 9, 2018 in Hong Kong. She was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Chinese TV dramas. Photo: VCG

Cheng stars in the Disney film “Mulan” in 2020. Photo: Cheng Pei-pei’s Weibo