In this Hong Kong name, the surname is Ching. In accordance with Hong Kong custom, the Western-style name is Tony Ching and the Chinese-style name is Ching Siu-tung.
Ching Siu-tung
Born
Ching Tung-er (程冬儿)

(1953-10-31) 31 October 1953 (age 72)[1][2]
British Hong Kong
Awards
Hong Kong Film Awards – Best Action Choreography
1987 Witch from Nepal
1991 The Swordsman
2003 Hero

Golden Horse Awards – Best Action Choreography
1992 New Dragon Gate Inn
2001 Shaolin Soccer

Chinese name
Traditional Chinese程小東
Simplified Chinese程小东
Transcriptions

Tony Ching Siu-tung (Chinese: 程小東; born Ching Tung'er[3] on 31 October 1953),[2] also rendered Cheng Xiaodong,[4][5][6] is a Hong Kong action choreographer, actor, film director and producer, who has directed over 20 films, including the critically acclaimed supernatural fantasy A Chinese Ghost Story (1987). He produced the expensive music video for "L'Âme-stram-gram" by the French singer Mylène Farmer in the style of A Chinese Ghost Story at a cost of €1 million. He studied in the Eastern Drama Academy and trained in Northern Style Kung Fu for 7 years.

Early life

Ching was born in Hong Kong,[7] to parents who had relocated from Shou County, Anhui. He is the son of martial arts film director Cheng Kang [zh] (also known as Cheng Gang[7][8] or Ching Gong).[9][10] As a child, he attended Hong Kong Oriental Drama School for seven years. He first became involved in his father's films at age 17 by acting as a stuntman.[3]

Career

Ching began as an actor and martial arts instructor working in Hong Kong action cinema in the 1960s and 1970s (his father, Ching Gong, was a Shaw Brothers Studio director,[11] and Ching Siu-tung had been trained in Peking opera as a child), but he made his directorial debut in 1982 with the ground-breaking wuxia classic Duel to the Death.

Ching worked with producer Tsui Hark on 1987's A Chinese Ghost Story, which became an international sensation, although it was usually Tsui Hark who took most of the plaudits. He continued to work with Tsui Hark, directing sequels to that film in 1990 and 1991, and co-directing all three parts of the Swordsman series, starting in 1990.

Ching continued his role as action director / choreographer throughout this period, and has continued to work in that role on high-profile international successes like Shaolin Soccer (2001), Hero (2002), and House of Flying Daggers (2004).

In 2002, Ching was nominated twice for Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards, and won in 2003 for his efforts on Hero. That same year, he made his American film debut, directing Steven Seagal in the direct-to-video feature Belly of the Beast. In 2006, he choreographed the action scenes in the Indian superhero film Krrish, for which he won a Filmfare Best Action Award and Zee Cine Award.

In 2008, Ching directed An Empress and the Warriors, in which he also served as action choreographer. The film stars Kelly Chen, Donnie Yen and Leon Lai.

Filmography

[12] [13]

References

  1. ^ "BAFTA and Asian Film Awards Academy to Host Masterclass with Tony Ching, the Chinese Action Choreographer & Director". www.bafta.org. 16 August 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Tony Ching Siu-tung - HKMDB". Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b "资料：著名武术指导/导演程小东简介". 新浪网. 2 March 2008.
  4. ^ "Modern Chinese Literature". Modern Chinese Literature. 8: 96. 1993.
  5. ^ Zhang, Yingjin (23 April 2012). A Companion to Chinese Cinema. pp. 522, 659. ISBN 978-1444330298.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  6. ^ Shaw, Ain-ling (2003). The Shaw Screen: A Preliminary Study. pp. 43, 157. ISBN 978-9628050215.
  7. ^ a b "Tony CHING Siu Tung – Asian Film Awards Academy". Asian Film Awards Academy.
  8. ^ "How 2 fight choreographers made their names under the shadow of others". South China Morning Post. 1 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Tony Ching Siu Tong: Behind Hong Kong Action Movies". Asian Film Awards Ceremony.
  10. ^ Dossey, Evan (27 February 2026). "88 Films: Duel to the Death". Midwest Film Journal.
  11. ^ "Dialogue: Tony Ching Siu-Tung". The Hollywood Reporter. 18 March 2008.
  12. ^ Ching Siu-tung at hkmdb.com
  13. ^ Ching Siu-tung at chinesemov.com