Leslie Cheung cafe in Chengdu, China ensures legacy of Canto-pop and film star lives on
- A devoted Cheung fan launched a cafe dedicated to his late idol in Chengdu, four years after the star’s death
- Cheung was one of the biggest stars of the Hong Kong entertainment industry for a quarter of a century
Autographed portraits, vinyl records and posters of Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing adorn the walls of a back-alley cafe in Chengdu, southwest China.
At Wei Ni Zhong Qing, customers sip their coffee bearing images of the Hong Kong Canto-pop and film legend. Playing on the television is a live concert of the late star wooing and mesmerising audiences with his lithe dance moves and magnetic voice.
Needless to say, Lu Xiaochuan, who opened the Chengdu cafe – named after the ballad and smash hit For Your Heart Only – in 2007, is a big Cheung fan. He says although the singer-actor died in 2003, his name lives on as people still listen to his songs and watch his films. The cafe on Chunxi Road is there to keep his legacy alive, Lu says.
The 45-year-old first heard the star three decades ago on his elder brother’s cassette tapes.
“I have loved to listen to Cantonese songs since I was young … At that time, Cantonese and Taiwanese pop songs were first introduced to China. Of all the singers, I love him the most for his thick and sexy baritone,” he gushes.