A martial arts performer who appeared in the comedy action film Kung Fu Hustle has passed away at the age of 69.
The Matrix and Charlie’s Angels movie fight scenes were choreographed by Yuen Cheung-yan. Before moving to Hollywood, he worked as a stuntman and director in the 1960s and was a stuntman before beginning his career in the 1960s.
Michelle Yeoh’s 1993 film Tai Chi Master is one of his biggest film credits to date. He appeared in both the 2003 sequel Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle and the 2000 remake of the Charlie’s Angels movie starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu. Additionally, he performed stunts in The Matrix Reloaded.
However, his most well-known role is the beggar in Stephen Chow’s 2004 film Kung Fu Hustle, where he attempted to sell Chow the “Buddha’s Palm” martial arts manual.


His father Yuen Siu-tien, a member of Hong Kong’s renowned Yuen family, was a martial artist and actor who co-starred with Jackie Chan during his heyday.
Yuen Woo-ping, his older brother, has performed martial arts both in Hong Kong and Hollywood. While brother Yuen Shun-yi is a stuntman, actor, and martial artist. Their father, who passed away in 1979 at the age of 66, taught them all martial arts at a young age. On January 1st, Cheung-yan reportedly passed away in Hong Kong’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital at noon.
Lee Lik-chi, a fellow film director and actor, stated in a statement on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, “May Master Yuen rest in eternal peace.” He stated that a funeral would be held on February 1, but he provided no further information regarding Yuen’s cause of death.
On social media, tributes poured in as the martial arts star’s death became known. Yuen Cheung-yan passed away too soon, according to a fan. Another person expressed sadness that Yuen Cheung-Yan had passed.
He was present in all of Hong Kong’s action movies, including the famous Yuen family. He eventually became a comedic actor, director, and stuntman, and even managed to get his acting career in Hollywood (Daredevil, Charlie’s Angels)”(9).
A third person cited one of their favorite Yuen Cheung-Yan choreographed scenes as “one of my favorite tidbits from his work on Charlie’s Angels where he hid some fun Iron Monkey Easter eggs in Drew Barrymore’s fight scene.”
The legendary Hong Kong supporting actor who played the mysterious beggar in the movie “Kung Fu Hustle” and was sadly passed away on January 1, 2026, according to a fourth post.
While a fifth person stated: “Corey Yuen was lost just yesterday.” One of the greats, Yuen Cheung-yan, please RIP.
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