Novelist Chiung Yao (瓊瑤) passed away on Dec. 4 at the age of 86. Upon hearing the news, Minister of Culture Li Yuan expressed his sincere condolences. The Ministry of Culture also lamented her passing, commenting that her works have a profound influence on the cultural industry in Taiwan.
Minister Li noted that Chiung Yao’s energy and passion for writing made her novels the epitome of Chinese language romance, and have broken the border between literature and entertainment, showcasing the potential of Taiwan’s literature to the world.
Born Chen Che (陳喆) in China’s Sichuan in 1938, Chiung Yao moved to Taiwan with her family in 1949, and graduated from Taipei Second Girls’ High School (now Zhongshan Girls High School). She shot to fame in 1963 with her debut novel “Outside the Window (窗外),” cementing her status as a prominent Chinese language romance novelist.
An active writer for more than 50 years, Chiung Yao has penned over 60 novels throughout her career, many of which have been adapted into films, such as “The Young Ones (彩雲飛)”; “Cloud of Romance (我是一片雲)”; and “Many Enchanting Nights (幾度夕陽紅).” She has also worked as the screenwriter for numerous television dramas, including “My Fair Princess (還珠格格)” and “Romance in the Rain (情深深雨濛濛).”
Portraying the beauty and struggles of love through elegant words and poetic verses, Chiung Yao’s works have not only created a collective memory for several generations in the sinophone world, but also reflected the social changes in Taiwan.