Gordon Liu

Gordon Liu
Gordon Liu in "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin"
Background information
Chinese name	劉家輝 (traditional)
Chinese name	刘家辉 (simplified)
Pinyin	Liú Jiāhuī (Mandarin)
Jyutping	Lau4 Gaa1-fai1 (Cantonese)
Birth name	冼錦熙 (traditional) 冼锦熙 (simplified) Xiǎn Jǐnxī (Mandarin) Sin2 Gam2hei1(Cantonese)
Born	(1955-08-22) August 22, 1955 (age 61) Guangdong, China
Occupation	martial arts film actor, martial artist
Years active	1974–2012

Gordon Liu (Lau Ka-fai Chinese: 劉家輝; pinyin: Liu Jiahui; Wade–Giles: Liu Chia-hui, birth name Xian Jinxi; born August 22, 1955) is a Chinese martial arts film actor and martial artist. He became famous for playing the lead role of San Te in The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) and its sequels. He later became known for his two roles in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films: Johnny Mo, the leader of the Crazy 88 Yakuza gang in Volume 1 (2003); and kung fu master Pai Mei in Volume 2 (2004).

Liu was born in Guangdong Province, China. He trained at Lau Cham's martial arts school of Hung Gar discipline, which descended from Wong Fei-hung's grand student (father to Lau Kar Leung). Liu is often wrongly cited as being the adopted son of Lau Cham, and adoptive brother of famed directors / actors Lau Kar-leung (Liu Chia-liang) and Lau Kar-wing (Liu Chia-Yung). In fact, he was not adopted by the Lau brothers' family, he is actually just Lau Cham's godson. In his youth, he skipped school to train in Chinese martial arts without his parents' knowledge. Lau Cham's wife assisted in his training and due to the friendship and respect he felt for his sifu and his wife, he took on the name Lau Ka-fai. As he grew up, he found a job as a shipping clerk to make ends meet. His interests had always been towards martial arts and he was eventually offered a role by Lau Kar-leung. His name prior to being adopted was Xian Jinxi (冼錦熙). Liu has been married twice. He has two daughters from his first marriage, and a son and daughter from his second marriage.