Tsui Hark

2025-10-21T18:11:38Z

175.156.197.6: Still under French Union, independent date is 1954

{{Short description|Hong Kong filmmaker (born 1951)}}
{{Family name hatnote|[[Xu (surname 徐)|Tsui (徐)]]|lang=Chinese}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{infobox person
| name = Tsui Hark
| image = Tsui Hark2011 (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Tsui Hark at the [[New York Asian Film Festival]] on 10 July 2011
| native_name = 徐克
| native_name_lang = zh
| pronunciation =
| birth_name = Tsui Man-kong (徐文光)
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1951|2|15}}
| birth_place = [[Saigon]], [[French Indochina]]
| death_date = 
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| body_discovered =
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| burial_place = 
| burial_coordinates = 
| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|producer|screenwriter|actor}}
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Nansun Shi]]|1996|2014|reason=div}}
| module = {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes
|c=徐文光|p=Xú Wénguāng|j=Ceoi4 Man4gwong1|y=Chèuih Mahn Gwōng|v= Từ Văn Quang |p2=Xú Kè|y2=Chèuih Hāk|c2=徐克
|j2=Ceoi4 Hak1
}}
}}

'''Tsui Man-kong''' ({{zh|c=徐文光}}, {{langx|vi|Từ Văn Quang}}), known professionally as '''Tsui Hark''' ({{zh|c=徐克}}, {{langx|vi|Từ Khắc}}, born 15 February 1951), is a Hong Kong filmmaker. A major figure in the Golden Age of [[Cinema of Hong Kong|Hong Kong cinema]],<ref>{{cite web |author=Phil Mills |date=26 October 2011 |title=Interview: Tsui Hark |url=http://www.fareastfilms.com/?feature_post_type=interview-tsui-hark |work=Far East Films}}</ref> Tsui gained critical and commercial success with films such as ''[[Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain]]'' (1983), the [[Once Upon a Time in China (film series)|''Once Upon a Time in China'' film series]] (1991–1997), [[Green Snake (1993 film)|''Green Snake'']] (1993), ''[[The Lovers (1994 film)|The Lovers]]'' (1994), and ''[[The Blade (film)|The Blade]]'' (1995).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hendrix|first=Grady|title=Tsui Hark – Senses of Cinema|date=26 April 2020 |url=http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/tsui/|access-date=2020-10-10|language=en-US}}</ref> His credits as a writer and producer include ''[[A Better Tomorrow]]'' (1986), ''[[A Chinese Ghost Story]]'' (1987), ''[[The Killer (1989 film)|The Killer]]'' (1989), ''[[Swordsman II]]'' (1992), ''[[New Dragon Gate Inn]]'' (1992), ''[[The Wicked City (1992 film)|The Wicked City]]'' (1992), ''[[Iron Monkey (1993 film)|Iron Monkey]]'' (1993), and ''[[Black Mask (film)|Black Mask]]'' (1996).

Amid the [[Handover of Hong Kong|Hong Kong handover]], Tsui briefly pursued a career in the United States, directing the [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]]-led films ''[[Double Team (film)|Double Team]]'' (1997) and ''[[Knock Off (film)|Knock Off]]'' (1998), before returning to Hong Kong. Since the early 2000s, he has shifted to Mainland-Hong Kong co-productions and found success with blockbusters such as the [[Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame|''Detective Dee'' film series]], ''[[Flying Swords of Dragon Gate]]'' (2011), ''[[The Taking of Tiger Mountain]]'' (2014), and ''[[The Battle at Lake Changjin]]'' (2021).

==Early life==
Tsui was born in Saigon, Vietnam, to a large Chinese (Hoa) family with sixteen siblings.<ref>{{cite web |title=Online Exclusive: An Annotated* Tsui Hark Interview |url=http://www.filmcomment.com/article/tsui-hark-interview |work=Film Comment}}</ref> He was moved by his father to [[Guangzhou]], [[China]] as a child, and grew up there until immigrating to Hong Kong when he turned 14.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-05 |title=Tsui Hark {{!}} South China Morning Post |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/hk-magazine/article/2030477/tsui-hark |access-date=2025-05-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505011710/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/hk-magazine/article/2030477/tsui-hark |archive-date=5 May 2024 }}</ref> Tsui showed an early interest in show business and films; when he was 10, he and some friends rented an [[8 mm film|8mm]] camera to film a magic show they put on at school. He also drew comic books, an interest that would influence his cinematic style.

Tsui started his secondary education in Hong Kong in 1966. He proceeded to study film in [[Texas]], first at [[Southern Methodist University]] and then at the [[University of Texas at Austin]], graduating in 1975. He claims to have told his parents he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps as a [[pharmacist]], and that it was here he changed his given name to Hark ("overcoming").

After graduation, Tsui moved to [[New York City]], where he worked on ''From Spikes to Spindles'' (1976), a noted documentary film by [[Christine Choy]] on the history of the city's Chinatown. He also worked as an editor for a Chinese newspaper, developed a [[community theatre]] group and worked in a Chinese cable TV station. He returned to Hong Kong in 1977.

==Career==

===1977–1981: New Wave period===
Tsui returned to Hong Kong in 1977 and worked for TVB,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2001/hong-kong/hark_filmo/ | title=Tsui Hark: Filmography – Senses of Cinema | date=17 December 2013 }}</ref> the dominant local television station, then moved to its rival, CTV, lured by its general manager Selina Chow. Viewed as having an eye for talent (numerous future New Wave directors got their first directing gigs under Chow)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3225186/hong-kong-new-wave-cinema-key-movies-and-directors-tsui-hark-ann-hui-and-how-they-changed-filmmaking | title=Hong Kong New Wave cinema: The directors and their ground-breaking movies | date=25 June 2023 }}</ref> she put Tsui in charge of the martial arts drama, ''The Gold Dagger Romance'', which marked him as a talent to watch.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.filmcomment.com/article/an-annotated-tsui-hark-interview-part-ii/ | title=Online Exclusive: An Annotated* Tsui Hark Interview (Part II, aka Annotation Overload) }}</ref>

Producer Ng See-yuen saw ''Gold Dagger Romance'' and hired Tsui to direct his first feature, ''The Butterfly Murders'' (1979),<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.filmcomment.com/article/an-annotated-tsui-hark-interview-part-ii/ | title=Online Exclusive: An Annotated* Tsui Hark Interview (Part II, aka Annotation Overload) }}</ref> a technically challenging blend of [[wuxia]], murder mystery and science fiction / fantasy elements. His second film, ''[[We're Going to Eat You]]'' (1980), was a blend of cannibal horror, black comedy and martial arts. He was quickly typed as a member of Hong Kong's "New Wave" of directors.

Tsui's third film, ''[[Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind]]'' (1980), was a nihilistic thriller about delinquent youths on a bombing spree. Heavily censored by the [[1980s in Hong Kong|British colonial government]], it was released in 1981 in a drastically altered version titled ''Dangerous Encounter – 1st Kind'' (or alternatively, ''Don't Play with Fire''). The movie out-grossed Tsui's previous two films, however and made him a darling of film critics with writers describing it as "one of those very rare films in the history of Hong Kong cinema that brims with accusation and subversion" and saying that it described "man as trapped animals — this is the popular theme of the New Wave and the one enduring image in their narratives."<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hv3yJ6MaoYsC&pg=PA44 | isbn=978-0-7864-0990-7 | title=The Cinema of Tsui Hark | date=January 2001 | publisher=McFarland }}</ref>

===1980s–2000s: Golden era===
In 1981, Tsui joined [[Cinema City & Films Co.]], a production company founded by comedians [[Raymond Wong (film presenter)|Raymond Wong]], [[Karl Maka]] and [[Dean Shek]]. Cinema City & Films Co. was instrumental in codifying the slick Hong Kong blockbuster films of the 1980s.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} Tsui played his part in the process with pictures like the crime farce ''[[All the Wrong Clues]]'' (1981), his first hit, and ''[[Aces Go Places 3]]'' (1984), part of the studio's long-running spy spoof series.

In 1983, Tsui directed the [[wuxia]] fantasy film ''[[Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain]]'' (1983) for the studio [[Orange Sky Golden Harvest|Golden Harvest]]. Tsui imported Hollywood technicians to help create special effects whose number and complexity were unprecedented in Chinese-language cinema.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

In 1984, Tsui formed the production company [[Film Workshop]] with [[Nansun Shi]]. He also developed a reputation as a hands-on and even intrusive producer of other directors' work, fuelled by public breaks with major filmmakers like [[John Woo]] and [[King Hu]]. His most longstanding and fruitful collaboration has probably been with [[Ching Siu-tung]].{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} As action choreographer and/or director on many Film Workshop productions, Ching made a major contribution to the well-known Tsui style.

Film Workshop releases became consistent box office hits in Hong Kong and around Asia, drawing audiences with their visual adventurousness, their broad commercial appeal, and hectic camerawork and pace. With Tsui having been called the 'Steven Spielberg of Asia', Film Workshop became the 'Amblin of Hong Kong'.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=CORLISS |first1=Richard |title=He makes movies move That's why Tsui Hark is the Hong Kong Spielberg |url=http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2047487,00.html |magazine=Time |date=2 July 2001 |access-date=8 August 2021}}</ref> He produced [[John Woo]]'s ''[[A Better Tomorrow]]'' (1986), which launched a craze for [[Heroic bloodshed]] movies, and Ching Siu-tung's ''[[A Chinese Ghost Story]]'' (1987), which did the same for period ghost fantasies. ''[[Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain]]'' and ''[[The Swordsman (1990 film)|The Swordsman]]'' (1990) birthed the modern-day special effects industry in Hong Kong.

In fact, Tsui's "movie brat" nostalgia is one of the main ingredients in his work. He often resurrects and revises classic films and genres: the murder mystery in ''[[The Butterfly Murders]]'' (1979); the Shanghai musical comedy in ''[[Shanghai Blues]]'' (1985). ''[[Peking Opera Blues]]'' (1986) plays with and pays tribute to the traditions of the [[Peking opera]] that his mother took him to see as a small boy and which had such a strong influence on Hong Kong action cinema. ''[[The Lovers (1994 film)|The Lovers]]'' (1994) adapts a retold, cross-dressing period romance, best known from Li Han-hsiang's 1963 opera film ''The Love Eterne''. ''A Chinese Ghost Story'' remakes Li's supernatural romance ''The Enchanting Shadow'' (1959) as a special effects action movie.

The pattern is also seen in perhaps Tsui's most successful work to date, the [[Once Upon a Time in China (film series)|''Once Upon a Time in China'' film series]] (1991–97). [[Jet Li]] played the role of Chinese folk hero [[Wong Fei-hung]] in the first three films and the sixth, ''[[Once Upon a Time in China and America]]''. This series is the clearest expression in his oeuvre of Tsui's Chinese nationalism and his passionate engagement with the upheavals of Chinese history, particularly in the face of Western power and influence.

Tsui also dabbled in acting, mostly for other directors. Notable roles include one-third of the comic relief trio in [[Corey Yuen]]'s film ''[[Yes, Madam (1985 film)|Yes, Madam]]!'' (1985) and a villain in [[Patrick Tam (film director)|Patrick Tam]]'s darkly comic crime story ''Final Victory'' (1987), written by [[Wong Kar-wai]]. He also made frequent cameo appearances in his own productions, such as a music judge in ''[[A Better Tomorrow]]'' and a phony FBI agent in ''[[Aces Go Places II]]''.

In the face of an industry downturn in the '90s, he produced two expensive movies. ''[[Green Snake (1993 film)|Green Snake]]'' (1993) was a poetic and lyric movie based on a favourite Chinese fairy tale. ''[[The Blade (film)|The Blade]]'' (1995) was a gory, deliberately rough-hewn revision of the 1967 [[wuxia]] classic ''[[The One-Armed Swordsman]]''.

In the mid-to-late '90s, Tsui tried Hollywood with two films starring [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]]: ''[[Double Team (film)|Double Team]]'' (1997) and ''[[Knock Off (film)|Knock Off]]'' (1998). In 2002, he made ''[[Black Mask 2: City of Masks]]'', an American market sequel to Jet Li's [[Black Mask (film)|1996 film]]. It was released [[direct-to-video]] in the United States in December of that year before being theatrically released the next month in Hong Kong.

===2000s–present: China-Hong Kong co-productions===
[[File:Tsui Hark.jpg|thumb|Tsui Hark in 2008]]
Tsui returned to directing at home in 2000 after not having made a local film since 1996. ''[[Time and Tide (2000 film)|Time and Tide]]'' (2000) and ''[[The Legend of Zu]]'' (2001) were action extravaganzas with lavish computer-generated imagery that gained cult admirers but no mass success.

Tsui continues to push technical boundaries and revise old favourites. ''Master Q 2001'' was Hong Kong's first combination of live action and [[Pixar]]-style [[3D computer graphics|3D computer animation]]. ''Era of Vampires'' (2002; US title, "Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters") reworked a subgenre popular in the '80s, hybrid martial arts / supernatural horror films featuring the "hopping corpses" of Chinese folk legend.

In 2005, Tsui launched the multimedia production ''[[Seven Swords]]'', a film adaptation of [[Liang Yusheng]]'s novels ''[[Saiwai Qixia Zhuan]]'' and ''[[Qijian Xia Tianshan]]''. The film came with a television series counterpart (''[[Seven Swordsmen]]''), a comic book series, a cellphone game, clothing brand, and an online multi-player video game. The film was relatively successful, and in February 2006 Tsui announced plans to begin filming the second late in the year. As of 2008, Tsui continues to work on the script for ''Seven Swords 2'' in between filming projects. In 2011 there has been no news nor plans about a ''Seven Swords 2''. Rumors has it that due to lack of interest by the filmmakers of finishing the hexalogy lead the project into being cancelled.

In August 2008, Tsui provided art direction for the [[direct-to-video]] anime feature titled ''Kungfu Master'' (a.k.a. ''Wong Fei Hong vs Kungfu Panda''), an apparent unofficial sequel to ''[[Kung Fu Panda (film)|Kung Fu Panda]]'', featuring Chinese folk hero [[Wong Fei-hung]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Kungfu Master | work=Product listing | publisher=Sensasian | url=http://sensasian.com/product.php/EN/V17937H-D | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914045201/http://sensasian.com/product.php/en/V17937H-D/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=14 September 2008 | access-date=1 September 2008}}</ref> He also directed the 2008 thriller ''[[Missing (2008 film)|Missing]]'' starring [[Angelica Lee]] and the 2008 romantic comedy film ''[[All About Women]]'' featuring comic graphics and extensive ADR dubbing.

Tsui's latest work in 2010 is ''[[Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame]]'', a rare but successful blend of wuxia, suspense-thriller, mystery, and comedy, which was in competition for the Golden Lion award and was also nominated and won numerous other awards.

In 2010 he announced his first 3-D film, ''[[The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate]]'', which is a re-imagining of his 1992 film ''[[New Dragon Gate Inn]]'' starring [[Tony Leung Ka-Fai]], [[Maggie Cheung]] and [[Brigitte Lin]]. In 2011 [[Huayi Brothers]] announced that Tsui will be making a prequel to ''Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame''; shot in 3-D, it was released in 2013 as ''[[Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon]]''.

In October 2011, Tsui received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at the 16th [[Busan International Film Festival]] for his contributions to Hong Kong cinema. He is the fifth Chinese filmmaker to receive this award at Busan.<ref>{{cite web | title = Tsui Hark to receive Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at Busan | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20180509150827/http://asiapacificarts.usc.edu/(X(1)A(kLAbTf4d1AEkAAAAMWNhNTg4YTUtMWIzMC00ZDdiLWIxYWMtZmU2ZDAxMWU5OTRlTYS-YZxAFlW5KzBDZWlassFkl8s1))/w_apa/showarticle.aspx?articleID=17339&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1|archive-date=9 May 2018|url-status=dead|url=http://asiapacificarts.usc.edu/(X(1)A(kLAbTf4d1AEkAAAAMWNhNTg4YTUtMWIzMC00ZDdiLWIxYWMtZmU2ZDAxMWU5OTRlTYS-YZxAFlW5KzBDZWlassFkl8s1))/w_apa/showarticle.aspx?articleID=17339&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1| work = Asia Pacific Arts | date = 9 February 2011|publisher=University of Southern California|author-last1=Xie|author-first1=Claudia}}</ref>

His film ''[[The Taking of Tiger Mountain]]'' premiered in China in December 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/john-woos-crossing-joins-3-d-december|title= John Woo's Crossing joins 3-D December|author= Stephen Cremin|date= 18 April 2014|access-date= 20 May 2014|work= [[Film Business Asia]]|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140429093616/http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/john-woos-crossing-joins-3-d-december|archive-date= 29 April 2014|df= dmy-all}}</ref>

Tsui worked on a film with [[Milkyway Image]] alongside [[Ann Hui]], [[Ringo Lam]], [[Patrick Tam (film director)|Patrick Tam]], [[Johnnie To]], [[Sammo Hung]] and [[Yuen Woo-Ping]]. Each director created a segment based on Hong Kong history.<ref name="screen-daily">{{cite web|url=http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/news/johnnie-to-assembles-top-hong-kong-talent/5082782.article|work=[[Screen Daily]]|title=Johnnie To assembles top Hong Kong talent|access-date=9 February 2015|date=6 February 2015|last=Shackleton|first=Liz|archive-date=7 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207152610/http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/news/johnnie-to-assembles-top-hong-kong-talent/5082782.article|url-status=live}}</ref> The completed film, ''[[Septet: The Story of Hong Kong]]'', was shown at the Busan International Film Festival on 21 October 2020 and at the annual Hong Kong International Film Festival in April 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.igafencu.com/r/hong-kong-international-film-festival-2021/|title=Must-watch Chinese film premieres at the 2021 Hong Kong International Film Festival|access-date=25 April 2021|archive-date=25 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425152655/https://www.igafencu.com/r/hong-kong-international-film-festival-2021/|url-status=dead}} igafencu.com. 2021-04-07</ref>

In 2021 Tsui co-directed ''[[The Battle at Lake Changjin]]'' with [[Chen Kaige]] and [[Dante Lam]]. The film is the most expensive film ever produced in China, the [[List of highest-grossing films in China|highest-grossing Chinese film of all time]], and the [[List of highest-grossing non-English films|highest-grossing non-English film]].

==Personal life==
Tsui Hark has been married twice. He was briefly married during his time studying in the U.S. in the 1970s. In 1977, he met [[Nansun Shi]] while working at [[Commercial Television (Hong Kong TV station)|Commercial Television]] in Hong Kong and they began dating a year later. In 1984, they founded a film studio, where Shi was responsible for financing, distribution, and promotion. The couple co-produced over a hundred films. In 1993, rumors circulated about Tsui's affair with [[Sally Yeh]], allegedly causing a temporary split with Shi. In 1996, Tsui and Shi married in [[Beverly Hills, California|Beverly Hills]], [[California]]. In 2008, Tsui was reported to have been living with ''[[Seven Swords]]'' (2005) actress Chen Jiajia in [[Beijing]]. When asked about their status of marriage, Shi then responded, "Let me give you a standard answer. I've been saying this for years: what happens between two people is private and doesn't concern a third party."<ref>{{Cite web |title=徐克22岁小女友曝光出演《七剑》受力捧(图)_cctv.com提供 |url=https://news.cctv.com/performance/20080326/100383.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404082428/https://news.cctv.com/performance/20080326/100383.shtml |archive-date=2024-04-04 |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=news.cctv.com |url-status=live}}</ref> By 2011, Tsui began dating his assistant, Lele, whom he had met online during the filming of ''[[Flying Swords of Dragon Gate]]'' (2011).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-16 |title=徐克為新歡放棄「最好的女人」曾與樂壇天后傳緋聞傳激嬲施南生嗌分手 |url=https://www.singtao.ca/6203624/2023-03-16/news-%E5%BE%90%E5%85%8B%E7%82%BA%E6%96%B0%E6%AD%A1%E6%94%BE%E6%A3%84%E3%80%8C%E6%9C%80%E5%A5%BD%E7%9A%84%E5%A5%B3%E4%BA%BA%E3%80%8D+%E6%9B%BE%E8%88%87%E6%A8%82%E5%A3%87%E5%A4%A9%E5%90%8E%E5%82%B3%E7%B7%8B%E8%81%9E%E5%82%B3%E6%BF%80%E5%AC%B2%E6%96%BD%E5%8D%97%E7%94%9F%E5%97%8C%E5%88%86%E6%89%8B/?variant=zh-tw |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404081803/https://www.singtao.ca/6203624/2023-03-16/news-%E5%BE%90%E5%85%8B%E7%82%BA%E6%96%B0%E6%AD%A1%E6%94%BE%E6%A3%84%E3%80%8C%E6%9C%80%E5%A5%BD%E7%9A%84%E5%A5%B3%E4%BA%BA%E3%80%8D+%E6%9B%BE%E8%88%87%E6%A8%82%E5%A3%87%E5%A4%A9%E5%90%8E%E5%82%B3%E7%B7%8B%E8%81%9E%E5%82%B3%E6%BF%80%E5%AC%B2%E6%96%BD%E5%8D%97%E7%94%9F%E5%97%8C%E5%88%86%E6%89%8B/?variant=zh-tw |archive-date=2024-04-04 |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=Sing Tao Canada 星島加拿大 |language=zh-TW |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=徐克被曝半年前结束30年婚姻剧组人员默认-搜狐娱乐 |url=https://yule.sohu.com/20080319/n255783280.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404081819/https://yule.sohu.com/20080319/n255783280.shtml |archive-date=2024-04-04 |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=yule.sohu.com |url-status=live}}</ref> Shi announced their divorce in 2014, adding that Tsui and Lele had been together for some time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=自由時報電子報 |date=2014-07-04 |title=徐克施南生終結18年婚 – 自由娛樂 |url=https://ent.ltn.com.tw/news/paper/793004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404083210/https://ent.ltn.com.tw/news/paper/793004 |archive-date=2024-04-04 |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=ent.ltn.com.tw |language=zh-TW |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=徐克高调约会年轻女助理前妻：最近已离婚(图)-中新网 |url=https://www.chinanews.com.cn/yl/2014/07-04/6349471.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404081800/https://www.chinanews.com.cn/yl/2014/07-04/6349471.shtml |archive-date=2024-04-04 |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=www.chinanews.com.cn |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! scope="col" | Director
! scope="col" | Writer
! scope="col" | Producer
! Notes
|-
| 1979
| ''[[The Butterfly Murders]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
|
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1980
| ''[[We're Going to Eat You]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| Also known as ''Hell Has No Gates''
|-
| ''[[Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
|-
| 1981
| ''[[All the Wrong Clues for the Right Solution]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1983
| ''[[Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
|
|-
| ''Search for the Gods''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Short film
|-
| rowspan=2 |1984
| ''[[Shanghai Blues]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[Aces Go Places 3]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Also known as ''Mad Mission 3''
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Working Class (film)|Working Class]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=2 |1986
| ''[[A Better Tomorrow]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[Peking Opera Blues]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=2 |1987
| ''[[A Chinese Ghost Story]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[A Better Tomorrow II]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=2 |1988
| ''[[The Big Heat (1988 film)|The Big Heat]]''
| {{Partial|Uncredited}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[I Love Maria]]''
| {{Partial|Uncredited}}
| {{Partial|Uncredited}}
| {{yes}}
| Also known as ''Roboforce''
|-
|rowspan=2 |1989
| ''[[A Better Tomorrow III: Love & Death in Saigon]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[The Killer (1989 film)|The Killer]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=4 |1990
| ''[[Fight and Love with a Terracotta Warrior]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[The Swordsman (1990 film)|The Swordsman]]''
| {{Partial|Uncredited}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''Spygame''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[A Chinese Ghost Story II]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| Also editor
|-
| rowspan=5 |1991
| ''[[Once Upon a Time in China]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[The Raid (1991 film)|The Raid]]''
| {{Partial|Uncredited}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[A Chinese Ghost Story III]]''
| {{Partial|Uncredited}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[King of Chess (1991 film)|King of Chess]]''
| {{Partial|Uncredited}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes|Executive}}
|
|-
|-
| ''[[The Banquet (1991 film)|The Banquet]]''
| {{yes}}{{efn|Co-directed with [[Alfred Cheung]], [[Joe Cheung]] and [[Clifton Ko]]}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
|-
| rowspan=6 |1992
| ''[[Twin Dragons]]''
| {{yes}}{{efn|Co-directed with [[Ringo Lam]]}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| Also known as ''Shuang long hui''<br />and ''Brother vs. Brother''
|-
| ''[[Once Upon a Time in China II]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[The Master (1992 film)|The Master]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Filmed in 1989
|-
| ''[[Swordsman II]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Also known as ''The Legend of the Swordsman''
|-
| ''[[New Dragon Gate Inn]]''
| {{Partial|Uncredited}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Also known as ''Dragon Inn''
|-
| ''[[The Wicked City (1992 film)|The Wicked City]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=5 |1993
| ''[[Iron Monkey (1993 film)|Iron Monkey]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[The East Is Red (1993 film)|The East Is Red]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Also known as ''Swordsman III''
|-
| ''[[Once Upon a Time in China III]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[Green Snake (1993 film)|Green Snake]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[Once Upon a Time in China IV]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=3 |1994
| ''[[Burning Paradise]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[The Lovers (1994 film)|The Lovers]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[Once Upon a Time in China V]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=3 |1995
| ''[[The Chinese Feast]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[Love in the Time of Twilight]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[The Blade (film)|The Blade]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Also editor and production manager
|-
| rowspan=3 |1996
| ''[[Tristar (film)|Tristar]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[Shanghai Grand]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[Black Mask (film)|Black Mask]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=3 |1997
| ''[[Once Upon a Time in China and America]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[Double Team (film)|Double Team]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| American and English-language debut
|-
| ''[[A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes|Executive}}
| Also editor
|-
| 1998
| ''[[Knock Off (film)|Knock Off]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
|
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Time and Tide (2000 film)|Time and Tide]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2001
| ''[[The Legend of Zu]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Also known as ''Zu Warriors''
|-
| ''Old Master Q 2001''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=2 |2002
| ''[[The Era of Vampires]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Also known as ''Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters''
|-
| ''[[Black Mask 2: City of Masks]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| 2003
| ''1:99 Shorts''
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
| 1 segment
|-
| 2004
| ''Xanda''
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
| Also known as ''Sanda''
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Seven Swords]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
| 2006
| ''The Warrior''
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
| Also action director
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Triangle (2007 film)|Triangle]]''
|{{yes}}{{efn|Co-directed with [[Ringo Lam]] and [[Johnnie To]]}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=2 |2008
| ''[[Missing (2008 film)|Missing]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[All About Women]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
| Also editor
|-
| 2010
| ''[[Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
| 2011
| ''[[Flying Swords of Dragon Gate]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=2 |2013
| ''Sheng dan mei gui''
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
| 2014
| ''[[The Taking of Tiger Mountain]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Sword Master (film)|Sword Master]]''
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
| rowspan=2 |2017
| ''[[Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
| ''[[The Thousand Faces of Dunjia]]''
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
| 2018
| ''[[Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
| Also story writer
|-
|2019
|''[[The Climbers (2019 film)|The Climbers]]''
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
|2020
| ''[[Septet: The Story of Hong Kong]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
| 1 segment, also acted as editor
|-
| 2021
| ''[[The Battle at Lake Changjin]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
| Also editor
|-
| 2022
| ''[[The Battle at Lake Changjin II]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
| 2025
| ''[[Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
| Also costume and production designer
|-
| TBA
| ''Shih, Queen of the Sea''
|{{TBA}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|Co-writer with Anthony McCarten
|-
|}

'''Television'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! scope="col" | Director
! scope="col" | Writer
! scope="col" | Producer
! Notes
|-
| 1986
| ''Spirit Chaser Aisha''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| Lost media
|-
| 1995–1996
| ''[[Wong Fei Hung Series]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Episodes "The Final Victory" and "The Ideal Century"
|-
| 2005–2006
| ''[[Seven Swordsmen]]''
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
|}

===Acting roles===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1980
| ''[[Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind]]''
| Interpol Officer
| Uncredited cameo
|-
| rowspan=2| 1982
| ''[[Aces Go Places]]''
| Ballerina Director
| Also known as ''Diamondfinger'' and ''Mad Mission''
|-
| ''Yi jiu ling wu de dong tian''
| Li Shutong
|
|-
| rowspan=3 | 1983
| ''[[Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain]]''
| Blue Army soldier fighting Fat Man
|
|-
| ''[[Aces Go Places 2]]''
| FBI
| Also known as ''Mad Mission II''
|-
| ''Wo ai Ye Laixiang''
| Japanese Ambassador
|
|-
| rowspan=3 |1984
| ''[[Shanghai Blues]]''
| Pedestrian Who Gets Soaked
|
|-
| ''[[Aces Go Places 3]]''
| Police Officer in Computer Room
| Also known as ''Mad Mission 3''
|-
| ''[[Run, Tiger, Run]]''
| Grandpa Steak
|
|-
| rowspan=3 |1985
| ''[[Kung Hei Fat Choy (film)|Kung Hei Fat Choy]]''
| Gold Grabber
|
|-
| ''[[Working Class (film)|Working Class]]''
| Sunny
|
|-
| ''[[Yes, Madam (1985 film)|Yes, Madam]]''
| Panadol
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1986
| ''[[A Better Tomorrow]]''
| Music Judge
|
|-
| ''[[Happy Ghost III]]''
| Reincarnation Director
|
|-
| 1987
| ''[[Final Victory]]''
| Big Bo
|
|-
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" |1988
| ''[[The Big Heat (1988 film)|The Big Heat]]''
| Inspector Yiuming Butt
| Uncredited
|-
| ''[[I Love Maria]]''
| Whiskey
| Also known as ''Roboforce''
|-
| 1989
| ''[[A Better Tomorrow III: Love & Death in Saigon]]''
| Police Officer in Computer Room
|
|-
| 1992
| ''[[The Wicked City (1992 film)|The Wicked City]]''
| Card player
|
|-
| 1997
| ''[[A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation]]''
| Solid Gold (voice)
|
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Time and Tide (2000 film)|Time and Tide]]''
| Narrator (voice)
| Uncredited cameo
|-
| 2008
| ''[[All About Women]]''
| Taxi driver
| Uncredited cameo
|-
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" |2011
| ''[[A Simple Life]]''
| Director Tsui
| Also known as ''Sister Peach''
|-
| ''[[The Great Magician]]''
| Warlord
|
|-
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" |2016
| ''[[The Mermaid (2016 film)|The Mermaid]]''
| Uncle Rich
| Credited under the name "Ke Xu"
|-
| ''[[The Bodyguard (2016 film)|The Bodyguard]]''
| Old Man
|
|-
| 2017
| ''[[Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back]]''
| Theater employee
|
|-
|}

===Other credits===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1983
| ''All the Wrong Spies''
| Production designer
|
|-
| 1986
| ''[[Righting Wrongs]]''
| Action choreographer
| Also known as ''Above the Law''
|-
|}

== Awards and nominations ==
=== Golden Horse Awards ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:85%; "
|-
! style="width:3%;"|Year
! style="width:20%;"|Category
! style="width:20%;"|Film
! style="width:3%;"|Result
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[18th Golden Horse Awards|1981]]
| [[Golden Horse Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| ''[[All the Wrong Clues for the Right Solution]]''
|{{won}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[29th Golden Horse Awards|1992]]
| [[Golden Horse Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]]
| ''[[Swordsman II]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[31st Golden Horse Awards|1994]]
| Best Adapted Screenplay
| ''[[The Lovers (1994 film)|The Lovers]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[34th Golden Horse Awards|1997]]
| Best Adapted Screenplay
| ''[[A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[42nd Golden Horse Awards|2005]]
| Best Adapted Screenplay
| ''[[Seven Swords]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| [[52nd Golden Horse Awards|2015]]
| Best Director
| ''[[The Taking of Tiger Mountain]]''
|{{nom}}
|}

=== Hong Kong Film Awards ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:85%; "
|-
! style="width:3%;"|Year
! style="width:20%;"|Category
! style="width:20%;"|Film
! style="width:3%;"|Result
|-
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | [[4th Hong Kong Film Awards|1985]]
| [[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | ''[[Shanghai Blues]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| [[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
|{{nom}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | [[6th Hong Kong Film Awards|1987]]
| Best Film
| ''[[A Better Tomorrow]]''
|{{won}}
|-
| [[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography|Best Action Choreography]]
| ''[[Righting Wrongs]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | [[7th Hong Kong Film Awards|1988]]
| Best Film
| ''[[A Chinese Ghost Story]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| [[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]]
| ''[[Final Victory]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | [[9th Hong Kong Film Awards|1990]]
| Best Film
|''[[The Killer (1989 film)|The Killer]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | [[11th Hong Kong Film Awards|1992]]
| Best Film
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | ''[[Once Upon a Time in China]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| Best Director
|{{won}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | [[12th Hong Kong Film Awards|1993]]
| Best Film
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | ''[[Once Upon a Time in China II]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| Best Director
|{{nom}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | ''[[14th Hong Kong Film Awards|1995]]''
| Best Director
| ''[[The Lovers (1994 film)|The Lovers]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | [[25th Hong Kong Film Awards|2006]]
| Best Film
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | ''[[Seven Swords]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| Best Director
|{{nom}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | [[30th Hong Kong Film Awards|2011]]
| Best Film
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | ''[[Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| Best Director
|{{won}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | [[31st Hong Kong Film Awards|2012]]
| Best Film
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | ''[[Flying Swords of Dragon Gate]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
| Best Director
|{{nom}}
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | [[35th Hong Kong Film Awards|2016]]
| Best Director
| ''[[The Taking of Tiger Mountain]]''
|{{won}}
|}

== Explanatory notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}

== General and cited references ==
* [[David Bordwell|Bordwell, David]]. ''Planet Hong Kong: Popular Cinema and the Art of Entertainment''. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2000. {{ISBN|0-674-00214-8}}.
* Dannen, Fredric, and Barry Long. ''Hong Kong Babylon: The Insider's Guide to the Hollywood of the East''. New York: Miramax, 1997. {{ISBN|0-7868-6267-X}}.
* Hampton, Howard. "Once Upon a Time in Hong Kong: Tsui Hark and Ching Siu-tung". ''Film Comment'' July–August 1997: pp. 16–19 & 24–27.
* Morton, Lisa. ''The Cinema of Tsui Hark''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company, Inc., 2001. {{ISBN|0-7864-0990-8}}.
* Teo, Stephen. ''Hong Kong Cinema: The Extra Dimensions''. London: British Film Institute, 1997. {{ISBN|0-85170-514-6}}.
* Yang, Jeff, and Dina Gan, Terry Hong and the staff of ''A.'' magazine. ''Eastern Standard Time: A Guide to Asian Influence on American Culture''. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997. {{ISBN|0-395-76341-X}}.
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/arts/12iht-Tsui12.html "Bringing a Wealth of Cinematic Knowledge to the Screen in 3-D"]. ''[[The New York Times]]''.

==Further reading==
* Ho, Sam, ed. ''The Swordsman and His Juang Hu: Tsui Hark and Hong Kong Film''. Hong Kong University Press, 2002. {{ISBN|962-8050-15-X}}.
* Schroeder, Andrew. ''Tsui Hark's Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain''. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2004. {{ISBN|962-209-651-4}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|0007139}}

{{Tsui Hark}}
{{Asian Filmmaker of the Year}}
{{Golden Horse Award for Best Director}}
{{Golden Rooster Award Best Director}}
{{Best Director HKFA}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tsui, Hark}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:20th-century Hong Kong male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Hong Kong male actors]]
[[Category:Chinese film directors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Ho Chi Minh City]]
[[Category:Hoa people]]
[[Category:Hong Kong film directors]]
[[Category:Hong Kong film producers]]
[[Category:Hong Kong male film actors]]
[[Category:Hong Kong male television actors]]
[[Category:Hong Kong people of Hoa descent]]
[[Category:Hong Kong screenwriters]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Moody College of Communication alumni]]
[[Category:Vietnamese emigrants to Hong Kong]]

Vero - Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

Tsui Hark