Liu Hap Wai

Biography

Liu Hap Wai was a renowned Cantonese opera actor and film star from Hong Kong, born in Shunde, Guangdong in 1903. He is counted among the "Four Great Comic Actors" of Cantonese opera alongside Ye Fu Ruo, Li Hai Quan, and Ban Ri An. In his early years, he went to Singapore to earn a living, and due to his passion for Cantonese opera, he participated in local amateur performances. He gained the recognition of the junior actor Liang Yuan Heng, who took him as an apprentice and gave him the new stage name "Xin She Zi." He returned to Hong Kong in the 1920s to work as a secondary comic actor, but faced neglect because of his weak voice and lack of handsomeness. His senior fellow disciple Ma Shi Zeng introduced him to the "Da Luo Tian" troupe, where he finally gained recognition through his performance in the play "The Thief Prince." He left a legacy of notable theatrical works that became landmarks in his art. He passed away on June 17, 1952. His funeral was held on June 20, 1952, at 2 p.m. at the Universal Funeral Parlour in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island, then moved to the Farewell Pavilion on Ka Luen Shan Road, and his remains were buried at the Hong Kong Tsz Chinese Permanent Cemetery.