Passing the Flowers so they can be places with the rest.
CANTO-POP DIVA MOURNED
12.1.2004. 17:10:38
Thousands of grieving fans and celebrities have filed through a Hong Kong funeral parlour to pay their respects to Anita Mui - Asia's self-styled Madonna.
Prominent Chinese dissidents mingled with action movie stars, along with mourners from all over Asia, including Korea and mainland China.
Wreaths lined the walls of the funeral home, where fans had queued since Saturday night.
"After hearing about her death, I was so upset I couldn't eat for several days," a teacher in her mid-20s said.
Most fans wore black. Some carried flowers and sobbed. Others sang, played Ms Mui's songs, or prayed in silence.
One of the leaders of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, Wu'er Kaixi flew in from Taiwan to honour the singer.
Ms Mui had been a strong supporter of the Tiananmen movement.
A devout Buddhist, Ms Mui was known for her charity work, having organised numerous fund-raisers and donating a substantial sum of money to good causes.
During the height of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Hong Kong last year, Ms Mui initiated a fund-raising concert to raise spirits and money for families affected by the disease.
The event raised over HK$18mil ($A 2.97 million).
Often compared to Madonna, Ms Mui was one of Hong Kong's hottest stars and won a string of awards, attracting fans with a flamboyant on-stage persona.
Ms Mui said in September she had cervical cancer and was being treated for it.
She gave eight concerts in November and occasionally seemed breathless on stage.
