Cover Teresa Teng (Photo: Instagram / teresateng.official)
Teresa Teng (Photo: Instagram / teresateng.official)
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The Taiwanese singer, actress, musician and philanthropist died after an asthma attack in Thailand on this day in 1995. Tatler revisits some of her key achievements
The Chinese-speaking world was left in a state of shock when Teresa Teng Li-jun was found dead in a Chiang Mai hotel on May 8, 1995. The Taiwanese singer and actress, who was famous for her sweet, angelic voice and mellow love songs, was on holiday in Thailand when she is said to have suffered a fatal asthma attack; some reports suggest it may have been a heart attack.
Teng was 42 and at the height of her fame.
Tatler revisits some of the milestones and moments that made her one of Asia’s most beloved pop icons.
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1. A singing prodigy
Teng was born on January 29, 1953 in Taiwan to an army officer father and a mother who exposed her daughter to movies and Chinese opera from a young age. When Teng was 11, her mother entered her into a singing contest sponsored by a broadcasting corporation, she won.
This was the catalyst for her singing career; she began singing regularly on radio programmes hosted by the Broadcasting Corporation of China, released the album Fengyang Flower Drum when she was 14. Two years later, she was cast in the lead role in movie musical Thank You General Manager, playing a student with an exceptional talent for dancing; this forged Teng’s reputation as both an actor and singer.
2. Japanese fandom
When she turned 20, she was offered a recording contract by Japanese label Polydor KK. She moved to Tokyo, where, as well as consistently appearing on TV shows, at recording sessions and in concerts, she learnt to sing in Japanese. This would come full circle later in her career, as she would re-record Mandarin renditions of her popular Japanese songs.
3. Chinese ballads made anew
Teng’s style exemplified by love songs and Chinese ballads played on a mix of western and Chinese instruments. Their mellow tone and delivery appealed to the 1970s and 1980s youth market. Her most iconic song is The Moon Represents My Heart (1973), originally sung by Taiwanese singer Chen Fen-lan and re-recorded by Teng in 1977. It is also credited with influencing how songs were written and produced in mainland China, in terms of subject matter and instrumentation.
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4. Worldwide recognition
Teng’s transnational success can be in large part attributed to her ability to in many languages: Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese, Hokkien, Japanese, Bahasa Indonesia, English and Italian. This garnered her a legion of fans across Asia, eager to support her through the more than 70 albums she released. Throughout her lifetime, she won numerous music awards, including taking Singer of the Year, the top award at Japan Cable Awards, three times from 1984 to 1986; and receiving Radio Television Hong Kong’s Hong Kong Gold Disc award in 1977.
5. A philanthropist
Teng is also remembered for her big heart. She frequently held concerts in Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong to raise funds for philanthropic causes, donating the proceeds to hospitals and charities in those places.
Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
