THE STORY GOES that he helped point out a young actor named Bruce Lee to Hong Kong's big studios. He also told a young John Woo he would be better off staying behind the camera. In a city that has produced some supremely talented film-makers, Chang Cheh was one of the true masters of the art.

When the legendary director died on June 22 at the age of 79, he left a legacy of 100 or so films that helped define the martial-arts genre. "He contributed to both the artistic value of martial-arts films and the prosperity of the Hong Kong film industry," says Law Kar, of the Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA).

"His films created a new era for martial-arts films in the late 1960s. The style of fighting was innovative. He stressed the use of genuine kung fu so the fight scenes were no longer just violence. When it was shot in a beautiful way, fighting, in his films, was like dancing." Chang also kept an eye out for new talent, and gave some of Hong Kong's greatest stars their first breaks. "He discovered talent for both acting and for those who would work behind the scenes. David Chiang, Ti Lung, Chen Kuan-tai and Alexander Fu Sheng, who all worked with him, were at one time our biggest movie stars," says Law.

"John Woo and martial-arts director Lau Kar-leung were another pair who found their path under Chang's guidance and support." This month, the HKFA is paying a special tribute to the master with screenings of his films, an exhibition and the publication of his memoirs.