BEIJING - Actress Shu Qi, 41, is taking a break from acting to recover from an allergy.

After posting a goodbye message on Instagram on Tuesday night (Dec 5) that led to much speculation, she told NetEase website she was "not retiring".

Doctors have told her to rest, because her face has been "allergic, inflamed and isn't getting better", she said through her Hong Kong publicist on Wednesday.

The Golden Horse winner has had a prolific decade, starring in movies including If You Are The One (2008), Tai Chi Zero (2012), Journey To The West (2013), The Assassin (2015) and The Adventurers (2017).

Tai Chi Zero and The Adventurers were helmed by actor-director Stephen Fung.

Last year, the stars announced that they had got married. Reports said the secret wedding took place in Prague, possibly on the day the two took leave from the production of The Adventurers.