It should be sad that one of Taiwan's most prolific writers ENDED HER LIFE -- not died of old age! Qiong Yao was 86 years old. I was shocked to read this news from Channel News Asia:
Well-known Taiwanese romance novelist Chiung Yao has died at the age of 86 in an apparent suicide.
The local fire department said on Wednesday (Dec 4) that Chiung was found dead in her home in New Taipei City.
Her son said she had left a note instructing her secretary to check on her at noon, news outlet TVBS reported. Despite the secretary calling for an ambulance immediately after discovering her body, Chiung was pronounced dead at the scene.
My first exposure to her works was the 2000s drama Romance in the Rain. This was the entry point where I'd also learn of the 1986 version starring Chin Han and Leanne Liu. Leanne's version of Lu Yiping had a stronger impact. Leanne made me wish Barbie Xu were Yiping in 2001. Chin Han made me wish Jerry Yan were He Shuhuan. YouTube also provided a portal for me to hear the oldies.
I may not feel too much because she belonged to an older generation of viewers. However, I end up remembering my late paternal grandmother. My paternal grandmother left this world when she died of old age complications. During the Betamax days, she would often send us to borrow the Betamax tapes containing Qiong Yao's World. Qiong Yao's death plays a sentimental tune in my head. I still wish my paternal grandmother were around -- even if she'd be too old to exist today!
It's a huge gap of sadness. Many oldie writers have left us. But life must end one day, right?
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