Taiwanese writer Chiung Yao passes away

By Nhu Anh   December 4, 2024 | 12:33 am PT
Writer Chiung Yao, known as the “queen of romance novels,” passed away on Wednesday, according to Taiwanese media outlets.
Taiwanese writer Chiung Yao. Photo from Chiung Yao super topic Weibo

Taiwanese writer Chiung Yao. Photo from Chiung Yao super topic Weibo

Sources such as Ettoday, Next Apple, and China Press reported that the writer’s body was discovered on Wednesday in a house in Taipei. Next Apple further reported that when medical staff arrived, she had stopped breathing and showed no signs of life.

Before her passing, Chiung Yao instructed her secretary to go to her private home at noon to handle some tasks. When the secretary arrived, she found Chiung Yao unconscious and immediately called for emergency assistance.

The writer’s son confirmed that she had left behind a will.

On Nov. 28, Chiung Yao posted a message on her social media account, expressing her deep longing for her husband Ping Hsin Tao.

"Perhaps it’s because the weather turned cold, or maybe it’s because there’s a bird constantly calling behind the mountain, sounding as if it’s saying, ‘It’s time to go home.’ These days, I truly miss you," she wrote.

In the same post, she shared that she had been busy with the "final tasks" of her life. She explained that she wanted to "set everything in order" so that she would not end up like Ping, who had suffered from illness, been bedridden for too long, unable to eat on his own, and dependent on a respirator.

Born in 1938 as Chen Che, Chiung Yao was a renowned writer and screenwriter, celebrated as the "queen" of Chinese romance novels, with a series of best-selling books, including "Outside the Window," "One Side of the Water," "Princess Pearl," and "The Wild Goose on the Wing."

Many of her works were adapted into films, including the TV series "My Fair Princess," starring Vicki Zhao and Ruby Lin, which was based on "Princess Pearl." She also wrote lyrics for many songs.

In March 2017, Chiung Yao publicly released a letter outlining her wishes for her family after her death. In the letter, she stated that if she were seriously ill, she wished to exercise her "right to die." She expressed that she did not want any religious funeral rites. The writer instructed her children not to publish an obituary, hold a memorial service, set up an altar, burn paper offerings, hold death anniversaries, or perform Qingming rituals.

 
 
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