Joey Wong Cho-Yee (AKA Joey Wang, Wang Tsu Hsien) (Chinese: 王祖賢, born 31 January 1967) is a Taiwanese former actress and singer who rose to pan-Asian fame for her roles in Hong Kong films, particularly the A Chinese Ghost Story series (1987–1991). After the Chinese film Shanghai Story (2004), she retired to Canada.

Biography

Wong was born on 31 January 1967 and raised in Taipei, where she completed her secondary school.[citation needed] She has an older brother, a younger brother and a sister.[citation needed] Her father was a basketball player who encouraged her to become a professional basketball player.[citation needed] At 14, she shot a TV commercial for sport shoes which drew the attention of a film producer, who cast her in a leading role of the film It'll Be Very Cold by the Lakeside This Year. Her film debut attracted the attention of producer Mona Fong of Shaw Brothers who invited her to Hong Kong, where Wong appeared in the film Let's Make Laugh II, opposite Derek Yee Tung Sing. [citation needed]

Wong's breakthrough came with her role of Nie Xiaoqian in Tsui Hark's A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), which established her as a film icon across East Asia, including China, Japan and South Korea. In the following years, she starred in numerous films, often playing supernatural or mythical characters such as ghosts or vixens. In 1989, Wong starred in the Japanese television series A Woman From Hong Kong. She made her singing debut in 1992 with the release of a single, Hold You in My Arms Forever, in both Japanese and Mandarin. The following year, she played the White Snake opposite Maggie Cheung's Green Snake in Tsui Hark’s Green Snake (1993), a reimagining of the Legend of the White Snake.

In 1994, following controversy over her involvement in the marriage of businessman Peter Lam, Wong announced her intention to retire from acting and largely withdrew from the public eye. She made a brief return in 1997, starring in the Japanese film Peking Genjin (Peking Man) and releasing a companion CD single, Who Are You?. In 1998, she released the extended Japanese CD Angelus and her first and only full-length Mandarin album, Isolation (also known as Isolated From the World). Following the album’s release, she entered semi-retirement but returned to film in 2001 with Peony Pavilion. Shortly after, she announced her retirement again in 2002 after ending her long-term relationship with Taiwanese singer Chyi Chin. In 2004, Wong made her final film appearance in Shanghai Story. However, the unexpected suicide of her close friend and A Chinese Ghost Story co-star Leslie Cheung led her to withdraw from the entertainment industry entirely. She subsequently announced her retirement again and emigrated to Vancouver, Canada, where she has lived as a Buddhist. Since 2025, she has also been the owner of a moxibustion center.[1]

Personal life

Wong had an on-and-off relationship with Taiwanese singer Chyi Chin that spanned decades, lasting approximately from 1986 to 1991 and resuming from 1995 to 2002.[2]

From 1993 to 1995, Wong was involved in a high-profile affair with Hong Kong businessman Peter Lam, which contributed to his divorce from his wife, Tse Ling-ling, in 1995. The scandal, which was publicly denounced by Lam's mother, derailed Wong’s career, significantly reducing her film output thereafter.[3][4]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Chinese Role Notes
1984 Lake Spirit 今年湖畔會很冷 Gong Yu Ping
1985 How to Choose a Royal Bride 天官賜福 Nalan Qiong Yao
Working Class 打工皇帝 Amy
Let's Make a Laugh II 再見七日情 Joey
1986 The Ghost Snatchers 俾鬼捉 Hsueh
Last Song in Paris 偶然 Julia [5]
Walking Beside Me 心動 Joey Ling
A Hearty Response 義蓋雲天 Kwong Sun
100 Ways to Murder Your Wife 殺妻二人組 Wang Hsiao Hsien
Where's Officer Tuba? 霹靂大喇叭 Joanne
1987 To Err Is Humane 標錯參 Jo Chou
Private Life 香港小姐寫真 Sam Lee Shing-Pui a.k.a. Miss Hong Kong
Pretty Girl 紅粉情佳人 Lin Yun Fung
A Chinese Ghost Story 倩女幽魂 Lip Siu Sin Nominated Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress
The Legend of Wisely 衛斯理傳奇 Sue Pak a.k.a. Legend of the Golden Pearl
1988 Law or Justice? 法中情 Joey Ling
My Dream Is Yours 夢過界 Yik Man Sing
The Big Heat 城巿特警 Nurse Ada
The Diary of a Big Man 大丈夫日記 Joey
Fractured Follies 長短腳之戀 May Yau
Carry On Hotel 金裝大酒店 Sunflower
Picture of a Nymph 畫中仙 Mo Chiu
1989 Deception 驚魂記 Queenie / Catherine a.k.a. Web of Deception
God of Gamblers 賭神 Jane
Mr. Coconut 合家歡 Ling
My Heart is That Eternal Rose 殺手蝴蝶夢 Lap
Spirit Love 飛越陰陽界 Ginny / Ah Fun
The Reincarnation of Golden Lotus 潘金蓮之前世今生 Lotus
Missing Man 都市獵人 Rebecca / Yat
Gift from Heaven 打工狂想曲 Angie
1990 Spy Games 中日南北和 Inspector Wong
Demoness from Thousand Years 千年女妖 Yun Yuk Yi
An Eye for an Eye 唯我獨尊 Wong Fung Yee
Ming Ghost 阿嬰 Ying
Kung Fu VS Acrobatic 摩登如來神掌 Princess Yun Lo a.k.a. Modern Buddha's Palm
A Tale from the East 漫畫奇俠 Chu Kor Yee
The Big Score 絕橋智多星 Penny Shang
Family Honor 無名家族 Hor Yee
Point of No Return 都市煞星 Julie Kao
Killer's Romance 浪漫殺手自由人 Paula
The Cyprus Tigers 東方老虎 Joey
A Chinese Ghost Story II 倩女幽魂II人間道 Windy Fu Ching Fung
1991 Hong Kong Godfather 衝擊天子門生 Mrs Leung Chun Bong
A Chinese Ghost Story III 倩女幽魂III 道道道 Lotus Won Catalonian International Film Festival for Best Actress
Lady Wolf 狼女
Fox Legend 靈狐 Suet Gei a.k.a. Foxy Spirits
Fantasy Romance 魔畫情 Ching
The Banquet 豪門夜宴 Jacky's wife
Red and Black 鬼幹部 Shan
A Chinese Legend 追日 Ku Moon Cher
An Eternal Combat 天地玄門 Gigi Wong Yi San
1992 Casino Tycoon 賭城大亨之新哥傳奇 Vivian Cheng Le Erh
Casino Tycoon II 賭城大亨II之至尊無敵 Vivian Cheng Le Erh Guest star
Painted Skin 畫皮之陰陽法王 Yau Fung
The Prince of Temple Street 廟街十二少 Teresa
1993 Butterfly and Sword 新流星蝴蝶劍 Butterfly
The Beheaded 1000 千人斬 Blood Lotus
The Eagle Shooting Heroes 射鵰英雄傳之東成西就 Suqiu
City Hunter 城市獵人 Carrie / Kaori
Green Snake 青蛇 White Snake
Chez N'Ham Story 芝士火腿 Joey Chan
The East Is Red 東方不敗─風雲再起 Cici / Snow
All Men Are Brothers 水滸傳之英雄本色 Lin Chung's wife
1997 Peking Man 北京猿人 Hao Yan
2001 Peony Pavilion 遊園驚夢 Rong Lan Nominated Golden Bauhinia Awards for Best Actress
2004 Shanghai Story 美麗上海 May
Sources:[6]

Television

Year Title Notes
1998 世纪末之诗 Japanese television series

Discography

Singles

Title Release Date
永遠に抱きしめて  11 March 1992
Who are you?  3 December 1997

Awards and nominations

Year Award Nominated work Category Result
1987 Hong Kong Film Awards A Chinese Ghost Story Best Actress Nominated
1992 Catalonian International Film Festival A Chinese Ghost Story III Best Actress Won
2002 Golden Bauhinia Awards Peony Pavilion Nominated

References

  1. ^ "王祖贤加拿大开艾灸馆:后半生更重视内心平静". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 2025-03-09.
  2. ^ 聯合新聞網. "王祖賢情纏齊秦17年最終心碎 回顧王祖賢坎坷的兩段情". 報時光 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2025-03-09.
  3. ^ ""最强正宫"因王祖贤获天价赡养费 前家婆百岁生日喜同框". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 2025-03-09.
  4. ^ "https://m.sohu.com/n/308808803/". m.sohu.com (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 2025-03-09. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  5. ^ "LAST SONG IN PARIS (1986)". bfi.org.uk. 1986. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  6. ^ "Joey Wong Cho-Yin". hkmdb.com. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
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