Singer Wen Hsia (文夏), who had nearly 100 of his songs banned during the Martial Law era, died in his sleep at the age of 93 on Wednesday.
The legendary singer’s family announced his passing through the Taiwan U-Life Association.
Born Wang Jui-ho (王瑞河) on May 20, 1928, the singer was known throughout his career by his stage name Wen Hsia and the pen name “He Who Is Sorrowful.”
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan U-Life Association
Having studied music in Japan, the Tainan-born Wen Hsia was most well-known for covering countless Japanese songs in Hoklo (also known as Taiwanese), as well as writing his own music.
The most memorable of his covers included My Hometown in the Sunset (黃昏的故鄉), which was not only banned during martial law, but was hailed as a de facto anthem by political dissidents blacklisted by the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) authoritarian regime.
With nearly 100 of his songs forbidden during martial law and recognition of his musical contributions after martial law was lifted, Wen Hsia became known as the “king of banned songs,” and was cherished as a national treasure for the remainder of his life.
Wen Hsia was also an actor who starred in 11 movies.
His family said that Wen Hsia passed away in his sleep yesterday.
A Christian memorial service is to be held, with the date yet to be determined, the family said.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today said that if South Korea does not reply appropriately to its request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, it would take corresponding measures to alter how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. The ministry said that it changed the nationality for South Koreans on Taiwan’s Alien Resident Certificates from “Korea” to “South Korea” on March 1, in a gesture of goodwill and based on the
Seven of the 17 NT$10 million (US$311,604) winning receipts from the November-December uniform invoice lottery remain unclaimed as of today, the Ministry of Finance said, urging winners to redeem their prizes by May 5. The reminder comes ahead of the release of the winning numbers for the January-February lottery tomorrow. Among the unclaimed receipts was one for a NT$173 phone bill in Keelung, while others were for a NT$5,913 purchase at Costco in Taipei's Neihu District (內湖), a NT$49 purchase at a FamilyMart in New Taipei City's Tamsui District (淡水), and a NT$500 purchase at a tea shop in New Taipei City's
Taiwanese officials were shown the first of 66 F-16V fighter jets purchased by Taiwan from the United States, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday, adding the aircraft has completed an initial flight test and is expected to be delivered later this year. A delegation led by Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) visited Lockheed Martin’s F-16 C/D Block 70 (also known as F-16V) assembly line in South Carolina on March 16 to view the aircraft. The jet will undergo a final acceptance flight in the US before being delivered to Taiwan, the
RSS