Millennial Fair – Teresa Teng

 

Introduction:

Teresa Teng is a Chinese Pop Music legend and one of the most impressive Asian performers during the difficult times of Asian disunity and Chinese communism. Though Teresa is mostly popular with Chinese of her own generation, she still lives on in the hearts of today’s musicians and her countless fans.

Teresa was born in 1953, her father was a great fan of the Peking Opera, and Teresa always followed him along, no doubt her love for music was developed there. Teresa started singing herself when she was only a few years old, and she quit middle school in her third year to start performing in floor shows. Teresa made her appearance in front of the national audience by performing on talent shows such as “Each Day One Star”.

She then started performing in TV shows and was chosen for numerous roles in popular movies. In 1973, the now 20 year old Teresa left China and went to Japan to establish her international stardom even further. She was already famous in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and now Japan would be captivated by her singing. It was a great success, as Teresa immediately took the title of “Best New Singing Star” in Japan’s famous Red and White Song competition.

Teresa struggled with Japanese, but in an openhearted interview she told the people that her trip to Japan taught her to sing with true feeling and emotion. “Only this can truly be called singing”, Teng explained. Her singing matured in Japan and her ballads became even better. In Taiwan, Teresa mainly sung folk music and romantic songs. She was honoured with the Golden Bell award, and selected as one of the Nation’s Ten Most Outstanding Young Women. As the daughter of a military officer, Teresa often performed in front of soldiers and was known as the Soldiers’ Sweetheart.

Teresa’s brilliance was in her sweet voice and simple lyrics. Her voice was perfect for folk songs and ballads, and Teresa made great use of this fact. Music critics praised Teresa for her knowledge of her own abilities, and her ability to adapt to any performing situation.

When Chinese Television Network first started broadcast, they featured the TV serial opera “Crystal”, and Teresa sang the title song, “More Than Words Can Say”. Teresa was so moved by the sad story of the show that she came into the recording studio with tears in her eyes. Her firm grasp of the emotions in this song deeply moved her listeners, and some believe that this song truly made her a star.

But things in Asia were not well, as political disturbance hit Taiwan, Japan and China. Teresa saw it as her duty to help lift the spirits of the Taiwanese, and was present at all National Festivities and continued her performances for the armed forces. During the Cultural Revolution in China, Teresa’s songs were forbidden because of their “anti–revolutionary” content. But this did not stop her Chinese fans from listening. Teresa’s albums were massively copied onto tapes and distributed at night. It was even said that: “By day, Deng Xiaoping rules mainland China. But by night, Teresa Teng rules!”

Teresa’s fame reached new heights, but after a public scandal over a fake passport, Teresa disappeared from the public. But she reinstated her popularity by returning in 1981 with a new concert for the troops. In 1984, Teresa celebrated her 15th anniversary as singer by starting an Asian concert tour, all of which were sold out. In 1986, the ban on Teresa’s music in China was lifted, though it never hindered her success in any way.

The Chinese pop music industry changed in the later part of the decade, and Teng faded into the background. In 1989, when the horrible event at Tian An Men Square shocked the world, Teresa came back to pay her respect to the freedom fighters of China. When the casualties of the incident were commemorated, Teresa broke down in tears before she could even finish one song. She left by saying, “No compromise with dictators, no giving in to tyranny.”

On May 8th 1995, Teresa died of a massive asthma attack while on a trip to Thailand. The whole Asian continent mourned, and many Chinese artists could not believe that they had lost their idol, their “Little Teresa”. Teresa became a legend, and her songs and ideals still live on through the hearts of her fans. Teresa believed in freedom, democracy and had a great understanding of right and wrong. Teresa became the inspiration for many Chinese artists such as Faye Wong, and her music is still played all over Asia.

 

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