HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s entertainment and arts community is mourning the death of veteran actor and dance pioneer Lau Siu-ming, affectionately known as “Ming Sir,” who died on September 2, 2026, at the age of 94.
Lau died at around 6 p.m., according to reports citing fellow veteran actor and voice artist Ding Yue, who confirmed the news. His cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. Reports said Lau had experienced declining health in recent years.
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Rosanna Law, issued a tribute following his death, describing Lau as a distinguished figure whose lifelong dedication to dance and performing arts left a lasting mark on the city’s cultural landscape.
“Ming Sir devoted his life to dance and the performing arts.”
The government also highlighted Lau’s contributions beyond acting, including his work helping develop local dance and arts communities and his efforts to nurture emerging talent.
From Dance Pioneer to Beloved Screen Actor
Long before audiences knew Lau Siu-ming as one of Hong Kong cinema’s memorable character actors, he was already making history as a dancer.
Born in 1931, Lau became one of the early Hong Kong dancers to pursue professional training in Europe. He received a scholarship to study classical dance in France and later gained experience working with prominent European artists.
According to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Lau studied at the École Supérieure de Danse Cannes Rosella Hightower and was later invited to perform with the Ballet du XXe Siècle in Brussels.
One of his notable dance works was “Rebirth of the Phoenix,” which was performed in France during the 1960s.
After returning to Hong Kong in 1967, Lau became deeply involved in dance education, choreography and the development of the city’s performing-arts scene.
His influence extended well beyond the stage. He founded and advised several dance and arts organizations and later served on an arts panel under Hong Kong’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department, where he contributed to efforts to nurture new artistic talent.
Then Came the Movies
Lau eventually transitioned into television and film, beginning a second career that would make him recognizable to generations of Hong Kong audiences.
His film breakthrough came in 1979, when director Tsui Hark cast him in The Butterfly Murders.
From there, Lau built an extensive screen career, appearing in numerous television dramas and films and developing a reputation for playing distinctive, sometimes intimidating characters.
Among the productions associated with his career were The Legend of the Condor Heroes, Swordsman and the hugely popular A Chinese Ghost Story franchise.
His role as the terrifying Tree Demon in the 1987 classic A Chinese Ghost Story became one of his most recognizable performances. The Hong Kong Film Archive identifies Lau as part of the film’s principal cast alongside Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong and Wu Ma.
That performance helped cement the actor’s reputation for transforming himself into unusual and memorable screen characters.
A Career That Spanned More Than Five Decades
Lau’s career was unusual because his achievements were not limited to one branch of entertainment.
He was simultaneously a dancer, choreographer, teacher, actor and mentor.
The Hong Kong Arts Development Council recognized that broader contribution when it presented Lau with its Life Achievement Award at the 2018 Hong Kong Arts Development Awards ceremony, held in 2019.
He was also awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2007 for his contribution to the performing arts.
The Hong Kong government said his nuanced acting and versatility had left a valuable artistic legacy in Hong Kong’s film and television culture.
His Later Years Were Marked by Health Struggles
In his later years, Lau became increasingly private as his health deteriorated.
Previous interviews revealed that he had been dealing with multiple health problems and required a wheelchair. In a 2023 interview reported by CNA’s 8days, Lau acknowledged that he had undergone surgery and hospitalization and said he was living with several illnesses, although he remained mentally alert.
Other Hong Kong media reports said he had suffered from multiple ailments and had spent his 93rd birthday in hospital.
Despite those difficulties, Lau continued to maintain connections with people from Hong Kong’s entertainment industry.
His last public appearance was reportedly in October 2025, when he attended a reception involving Hong Kong’s cultural and arts communities.
A Final Chapter That Revealed How Much He Still Cared
Perhaps one of the most poignant tributes came from Hong Kong lawmaker Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, who recalled visiting Lau in hospital in January 2026.
Fok said Lau was already physically weak but still held his hand tightly and spoke passionately about his hopes and expectations for the future of Hong Kong’s arts industry.
That memory offers a striking picture of Lau’s final chapter: even as his health declined, his concern for the performing arts remained.
More Than the Characters He Played
For many viewers, Lau Siu-ming will forever be remembered as the imposing Tree Demon from A Chinese Ghost Story and for the many other memorable characters he brought to Hong Kong television and cinema.
But his legacy began much earlier.
He was part of a generation that helped establish modern dance in Hong Kong, took Chinese artistic experience onto international stages and later helped pass that knowledge on to younger performers.
His death therefore represents more than the loss of a veteran actor.
It marks the passing of an artist whose career connected dance, theatre, television, cinema and arts education across more than half a century.
Lau Siu-ming was 94.
But the influence of “Ming Sir” on Hong Kong’s performing arts is likely to endure far beyond the final curtain.
WWC ONE MEDIA MJE
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