, mentor to kung fu film superstar Bruce Lee and Hollywood action director John Woo, has died in a hospital at the age of 79, newspapers reported Sunday.Chang died of pulmonary disease on Saturday morning, according to several Chinese-language newspapers in Hong Kong, AP reported.
Born in 1923 in mainland China, Chang was one of the most distinguished filmmakers in Hong Kong during the 1960s and 1970s. He received a lifetime achievement award at this year's Hong Kong Film Awards.
Apart from his kung fu films, Chang was well-known for his ability to discover and turn young martial artists into major stars. Lee and Woo were two of his proteges.
Chang directed Lee in many of his films, while Woo, of Hollywood's ``Face/Off'' and ``Mission: Impossible 2'' fame, had worked as Chang's assistant for many years.
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