Mui Yim Fong Funeral Booklet (First Page)
Hong Kong's Canto-pop diva Anita Mui dies at the age of 40
Hong Kong pop star Anita Mui announced she had cervical cancer during a news conference in Hong Kong on Sept. 5.
HONG KONG (AP) - Canto-pop diva and actress Anita Mui, one of Hong Kong's top celebrities in the 1980s, died early Tuesday after a battle with cancer, friends said. She was 40.
Mui died at Hong Kong's Sanitorium Hospital at 2:50 a.m. (1850 GMT) after suffering lung complications caused by cervical cancer, according to fellow stars keeping vigil at the hospital.
Actor Jackie Chan eulogized the veteran entertainer, who many referred to affectionately as ``Sister Mui.''
``She didn't belong to the entertainment industry. She belonged to all Hong Kong people,'' said Chan in footage shown on Cable TV. Mui appeared with Chan in ``Rumble in the Bronx.''
Local newspapers on Tuesday published special editions commemorating Mui.
Apple Daily ran photos of Hong Kong stars streaming in to visit Mui before her death, including singers Andy Lau, Eason Chan, Nicholas Tse, Sammi Cheng and Bond girl Michelle Yeoh.
Mui kicked off her career by winning a local singing contest in 1982. Her deep and melancholic voice caught notice with the acclaimed song ``Homecoming.''
Mui's frequent makeovers drew comparisons to Madonna. In 1987, she held a then record-breaking 28 concerts in Hong Kong, titled ``Ever-changing Anita.''
She was also an accomplished actress, winning Taiwan's Golden Horse award for best actress in 1987 for her role as a tormented ghost in the movie ``Rouge.''
In September, Mui told a news conference she was fighting cervical cancer after media speculation about her deteriorating health.
``I am not a weak person ... I can tell you that I have never had any fears and I will win this fight,'' she said.
Although physically frail, Mui completed another concert series in November after her cancer announcement.
Mui's death comes eight months after the suicide of Hong Kong star Leslie Cheung, who rose to fame in tandem with Mui in the 80s.
The two were reportedly close friends who would bunk together during overseas concert tours. Cheung also starred in ``Rouge.''
Canto-pop refers to hits sung in Cantonese, the dialect of Chinese that is widely spoken in Hong Kong and in many overseas Chinese communities.
Mui, who was not married, was also known for her charity work. She established the Anita Mui Charity Foundation in the early 1990s. Her elder sister, Mui Oi-fong, died in 2000, also from cancer.
Funeral arrangements were not immediately available.
