More than 1,000 people lined the streets as the funeral procession of the man hailed as the godfather of Hong Kong pop, Roman Tam Pak-sin, proceeded to Cape Collinson for cremation yesterday.
Not since the funeral of singer-songwriter Wong Ka-kui, of rock group Beyond, in July 1993 have so many people turned up to pay their last respects to a celebrity.
Tam died on October 18 after a two-year battle with liver cancer. He was 57.
Many fans rushed forward and waved goodbye when the hearse passed, forcing traffic outside the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point to come to a standstill while police moved in and set up barriers to push back the crowds.
'I have been his fan since primary school and used to own about 100 of his albums,' said a fan, Ben Ng Chi-keung, 31.
'He was a superstar but he was such a nice and sincere person.