Donnie Yen has gone from Ip Man to fireman.

The Hong Kong actor, who is well known for playing the Wing Chun master of that name in the Ip Man movies (2008 to 2019), has been appointed the International Image Ambassador of Hong Kong Fire Services Department.

According to a press release on Thursday (Jan 14), Yen, 57, was presented with the certificate of appointment by Mr Joseph Leung, the director of fire services, at a ceremony held at the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy in Hong Kong.

At the ceremony, Yen said he was honoured to serve in the role and shared some anecdotes from the filming of the Fire Services promotional videos.

He revealed that he would record a song for the department for the first time.

Mr Leung said Yen's distinctive heroic image strongly resonates with the intrepidity of the Fire Services personnel.

He added that Yen's dedication to work and perfection-seeking professionalism parallels the department's spirit to constantly strive for improvement and excellence.

Yen had recently uploaded on social media a promotional video for the department, writing: "(A) real hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than (himself or herself). Honoured to be part of this."

In another promotional video, Yen is asked if he is Ip Man and replies that he is a fireman or "ambulance man".

Yen is starring in an upcoming crime thriller, Raging Fire, with Nicholas Tse and Qin Lan, directed by the late Benny Chan.