Yam Bing-yee (; 20 September 1931 – 21 May 2022) was a Chinese actress and
Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Guangdong Province. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Like all versions of Ch ...
singer from
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
. Yam was credited with over 150 films.
Early life
In 1931, Yam was born in
Nanhai County, Guangdong Province, China. Yam's cousin was
Yam Kim-fai
Yam Kim-fai (, 4 February 1913 (Lunar 29 December 1912 – 29 November 1989), also known as Ren Jianhui was a renowned Cantonese opera actress in China and Hong Kong.
Yam was most notable for her unique ability to sing in the lower register. Tha ...
.
Career
At age 11, Yam began her
Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Guangdong Province. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Like all versions of Ch ...
performance. Yam studied under
Yam Kim-fai
Yam Kim-fai (, 4 February 1913 (Lunar 29 December 1912 – 29 November 1989), also known as Ren Jianhui was a renowned Cantonese opera actress in China and Hong Kong.
Yam was most notable for her unique ability to sing in the lower register. Tha ...
. In 1948, Yam crossed over as an actress in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
films. Yam appeared in Good Girl Covers for Both Sides, a 1948 Drama film and The Thirteenth Girl's Adventure in Nengren Temple, a 1948 Martial Arts film. Yam first appeared with
Yam Kim-fai
Yam Kim-fai (, 4 February 1913 (Lunar 29 December 1912 – 29 November 1989), also known as Ren Jianhui was a renowned Cantonese opera actress in China and Hong Kong.
Yam was most notable for her unique ability to sing in the lower register. Tha ...
in Frolicking with a Pretty Maid in the Wineshop, a 1952
Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Guangdong Province. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Like all versions of Ch ...
film directed by Chan Pei. Yam utilized her acrobatic skills in The Golden Cat, a 1961 Martial Arts film directed by Lung To. Yam is known for appearing in second lead roles in the 1940s to 1960s
Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Guangdong Province. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Like all versions of Ch ...
films.
In 1957, Yam appeared on stage as the original cast of Sin Fung Ming Opera Company to present The Flower Princess for the first time in Hong Kong at the Lee Theater. Yam's last film was Silent Romance, a 1984 comedy film directed by Frankie Chan Fan-Kei.
Awards
*2011 Award for Outstanding Contribution in Arts, Hong Kong Arts Development Awards.
Filmography
Films
This is a partial list of films.
* 1948 Good Girl Covers for Both Sides
* 1948 The Thirteenth Girl's Adventure in Nengren Temple
* 1952 Frolicking with a Pretty Maid in the Wineshop
* 1958 The Merry Phoenix
* 1959 The Fairy of Ninth Heaven
* 1959 The Purple Hairpin (aka Zi chai ji)
* 1961 The Golden Cat
* 1963 Funny Thief
* 1964 The Pitiless Sword (aka The Revenge Battle)
References
External links
Yam Bing Yee at hkcinemagic.comYam Bing Yee at scmp.com*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Yam, Bing-yee
1931 births
2022 deaths
Hong Kong Cantonese opera actresses
Hong Kong film actresses