Cheng Pei-pei, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” Star, Dies at 78: 'She Was a True Hero'

The Chinese-born actress is regarded as a pioneer in martial arts films and was nicknamed the 'Queen of Martial Arts'

• Cheng Pei-pei died in the San Francisco Bay area on Thursday, July 17, after suffering from a degenerative brain disease, her representatives at Echelon Talent Management confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE on Friday, July 19

• Cheng achieved international acclaim as villain Jade Fox in 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, where she starred opposite Michelle Yeoh

• Cheng is survived by her four children, including former National Geographic host Harry Yuan, and actress daughter Eugenia Yuan

Cheng Pei-pei, known as a pioneer in martial arts and acting, has died. She was 78.

The Shanghai, China native died in the San Francisco Bay area on Thursday, July 17, after suffering from a degenerative brain disease, her representatives at Echelon Talent Management confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE on Friday, July 19.

"We are saddened by the loss of our client and dear friend Cheng Pei Pei," her representatives said in a statement. "She was not only the 'Queen of Martial Arts' and the first Asian action heroine, but she was also a true hero for what she did to help others till her very last days. She will be deeply missed by all those whose lives she touched,”

Variety was first to report the news, adding that Cheng has donated her brain to medical research.

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce that the rumors are true. Our mother, Cheng Pei-pei, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on July 17,” her family said in a statement posted to Facebook.

“In 2019, our mom was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative, atypical parkinsonism syndrome – unofficially, corticobasal degeneration (CBD). It is a rare disease with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, however, current treatments cannot slow the progression. She chose not to make this news public so that she could deal with her condition in private and spend her remaining time with her children and grandchildren.”

In a separate statement obtained by PEOPLE, her family shared, "She loved being an actress and knew, even with her hard work, how fortunate she was to have the career she had. Our mom remained humble and approachable, patient and kind, and always generous with her time, eager to help others whenever she could. She will be dearly missed."

Cheng is widely regarded as a pioneer of martial arts roles. Before moving to California in the 1970s, she relocated to Hong Kong and studied ballet and dance.

The training proved beneficial as she transitioned to martial arts, action and swordplay films on the heels of her breakout role in 1966’s Come Drink With Me, a role which she initially obtained without "having any formal martial arts training," her representatives said.

"Her background in ballet and traditional Chinese dance translated beautifully onscreen, showcasing her organic and fluid fighting moves that embodies the power and grace of her character, Golden Swallow," her representatives added, before stating that her "meticulously choreographed fight scenes soon set the gold standard for later Wuxia films and the action films."

Once moving to America, Cheng achieved international acclaim after starring as villain Jade Fox in 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, where she starred opposite Michelle Yeoh.

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The motion picture saw box office success, bringing in $128 million in North America alone, making history as the first foreign-language film to gross more than $100 million in the market. The Ang Lee-directed film also won four Oscars.

Throughout her career, Cheng starred in 20 Wuxia films, which were a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Her representatives noted that she "challenged" the "stereotypes" of the genre of films that often "depicted women as weak or in supporting roles."

Related: 'Mulan' Praised as 'Vibrant' and 'Absolutely Fantastic' in First Reactions to Live-Action Epic

"At a time when it was most difficult, Cheng’s performances redefined the notion of femininity in Asian Cinema," her representatives said. "She demonstrated that women could be smart, powerful and strong, without compromising their grace or intelligence."

In more recent years, Cheng starred in the 2020 live action remake of Mulan. She is survived by her four children, including Harry Yuan, who is a former National Geographic host.

Like her mother, Cheng’s daughter Eugenia Yuan is also an actress — appearing in Hong Kong films such as 3 Extremes II and The Eye 2 and the Australian television series Secret City.

Eugenia also saw success in American productions like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny and the revived Hawaii Five-O television series. In addition to acting, she is a former U.S. Olympic gymnast.

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