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Martial arts legend, Bruce Leung, has sadly died aged 77. The Kung Fu Hustle star, also known as Leung Choi-sang and Leung Siu-lung, died on January 14, following heart failure, surrounded by his family, according to reports.

Leung was known as one of the Four Dragons of Chinese cinema alongside Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Ti Lung because of their influence in Chinese-language martial arts cinema.

Paying tribute to his friend, Jackie, who worked with Leung on the film, Magnificent Bodyguards as well as other projects, took to social media, sharing his sadness, writing: "Just returned to Beijing and was shocked to hear the news of Mr. Leung Siu-lung's passing. For a moment, I couldn't believe it..."

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Jackie continued: "In my memory, he was always a kung fu master who was proficient in many traditional martial arts, each with its own unique style. He applied his lifelong learning to film and television works, making him an excellent action director.

"As an actor, he created so many classic roles, deeply loved by audiences and admired by us colleagues. Brother Leung, it's snowing in Beijing, the sky is overcast, I miss you."

Leung learned martial arts from his dad at a young age and over the course of his career appeared in dozens of kung fu films. After making a name for himself in the 70s and 80s, the popular performer swapped acting to go into business.

The married father-of-three the made a massive comeback comeback as the villain Beast in Stephen Chow's 2004 global hit Kung Fu Hustle.

It is understood that the family is handling the funeral arrangements privately, with a scheduled service on January 26 in Longgang, Shenzhen.

The sad news of Leung's death came as a shock to fans, particularly as a photo from a social gathering was shared just one day before the sad news was announced.

The circulating picture, taken in Luohu, shows Leung smiling and giving a thumbs-up to the camera while sharing a hotpot with friends. He appeared in good spirits and was seen presenting a friend with his personally signed 'True Kung Fu' calligraphy.