A portrait of the late kung fu master Lau Kar-leung sits against a backdrop of white flowers on the wall of the Universal Funeral Parlour. Above it hangs an imposing board with four Chinese characters that read "grandmaster of a generation". A screen at the entrance of the parlour plays footage telling the story of the grandmaster's life as his favourite songs, Unchained Melody , Always on My Mind and The Moon Represents My Heart , play in the background. The mood is sombre as Lau's family greet visitors entering the parlour to pay their respects to the martial arts expert and filmmaker. Present are his wife Mary Jean Reimer, brother, two sisters, his son and six daughters. "The days have been very hard for us [since Lau died]," said a teary-eyed Reimer. "When we saw his chair, his newspaper and his glasses, we all broke down." The kung fu master died on June 25 at the age of 76, after a two-decade struggle with lymphatic cancer. Lau is known for his martial arts movies, including The Spiritual Boxer , The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Drunken Master II . He received a lifetime achievement award at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2010. His memorial service at the funeral parlour in Hung Hom began early yesterday afternoon and ended late in the evening. The parlour was filled with wreaths from friends and fans, including Japanese movie star Yasuaki Kurata; Emperor Group chairman Albert Yeung Sau-sing, and even former gang boss Yip Kai-foon, who is currently serving a 36-year sentence in Stanley Prison. The street outside was lined with black and white flags from Lau's disciples and members of 40 kung fu schools across the city. Actor Adam Cheng Siu-chow, film star Natalis Chan Pak-cheung and his wife Cecilia Wong Hang-Sau were among those at the memorial. Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, who used to learn kung fu from a disciple of Lau's master, dedicated an entry in his blog to Lau. Lau's funeral and cremation will take place today. His ashes will be interred in Pok Fook Hill cemetery in Sha Tin.