Hsi Kin, born in 1921 and a native of Chao'an, Guangdong, returned to the Mainland during the War of Resistance against Japan as an overseas Chinese youth and took part in anti-Japanese propaganda work before settling in Hong Kong after the war. In the early 1950s, when Wong Cheuk-hon set up a company to distribute Cantonese films, Hsi joined its publicity department; in 1952, when Wong founded Liberty Film Co., Hsi became its head of publicity. Through the mid- to late 1950s he followed Wong into the Cantonese productions made under the Lan Kwong Film Company banner, working in publicity and production, and served as production manager on films such as Broken-Zither Bower (1955). In 1960 he left Wong's company and, recruiting Chaozhou opera performers and training newcomers, formed the Dongshan Chaozhou Music Company, which performed on stage and made films. As its production manager, he helped make Hong Kong's first Chaozhou-dialect opera film, A Pair of Carved Jade (1960). Backed by further funding, the troupe grew into Tung Shan Film Co., where Tsang Mo-hei handled business and Hsi, writing under the pen name Yiu Sheung-sit, handled production. Tung Shan released films including Strange Visitor (1960), Pearl Phoenix (co-directed, 1961), Birthday Ceremony (co-directed, 1961), Jin Yunu (1961) and The Riverside Pavilion (1962). In 1962 Hsi left to found Ling Tung Film Co., producing A Wronged Woman who Shakes the Heavens (1963) and A Troubled Romance (1963), then distanced himself from Chaozhou-dialect cinema. Returning to Lan Kwong in 1964, he was production manager on Beware of the Husband (1964) and Four Sisters (1966) and associate producer on My Dearest Wife (1965). After Wong formed First Film Organisation in 1968 Hsi again joined him to head publicity. In 1972 he formed Lucky Entertainment Enterprises with the producer Li Shih-jung, gaining a reputation for 'million-dollar' publicity and producing The Flying Tiger (1973), Money, Money, Money (1974) and Magnificent 2 (1975). He returned to Taiwan in 1975 and died in Taipei on 10 February 1980.
Hsi Kin was a central force behind Hong Kong's Chaozhou-dialect operatic cinema. From helping make the territory's first such film, A Pair of Carved Jade (1960), he recruited Chaozhou opera talent, trained newcomers and produced a run of Chaozhou-dialect films under Tung Shan, preserving Chaozhou opera on screen. Writing scripts under the pen name Yiu Sheung-sit and co-directing some films, he was a rare all-rounder moving between publicity, production, screenwriting and direction. He later turned to Mandarin-film publicity and distribution, heading publicity for the First Film Organisation in Taiwan; his Lucky Entertainment Enterprises, known for 'million-dollar' publicity, linked the distribution networks of Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Achievements
- 1960 · Formed the Dongshan Chaozhou Music Company and helped make A Pair of Carved Jade, Hong Kong's first Chaozhou-dialect opera film.
- 1961 · Produced and co-directed several Tung Shan Chaozhou-dialect operatic films, including Pearl Phoenix and Birthday Ceremony.
- 1972 · Co-founded Lucky Entertainment Enterprises with producer Li Shih-jung, known for its 'million-dollar' publicity and also active in distribution and production.