Feng Fei-fei

Fong Fei-Fei (), born Lim Chiu-Luan (; 20 August 1953 – 3 January 2012), was a Taiwanese singer, host and actress. As one of the biggest pop singers in Taiwan, she was known for her melodic love songs, unique personal stage style and broad vocal range.

In a 40 year career, Fong released more than 80 albums, sang over 100 movie theme songs and starred in several films and television variety shows. She is remembered for her songs like “Wish You Happiness,” “I am a Cloud,” and “The Wild Goose on the Wing.” Fong died on 3 January 2012 due to lung cancer.

Background

Fong Fei Fei was born as Lim Chiu-luan on 20 August 1953 and grew up in Daxi, Taoyuan County (now Daxi District, Taoyuan City), Taiwan. She had two elder brothers Lim Yu-Nung and Lim Hung-Ming. Her younger brother Kempis Lim (; 1957–2006) was also a singer under a stage name of Fong Fei-yang ().

Fong begun her career in 1968, after winning a singing contest at age 15. Her first major breakthrough came in 1971, when one of her songs was included on a compilation album. She released her first album "Wishing You Well" the next year. Her next major break came in 1974 in Singapore, where she was crowned one of the "top ten Southeast Asian Singers." She married in 1980 and continued her musical career until 2011 when Fong fell ill after she was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Fong was often referred to as the "Queen of Hats" because of her signature headwear choices. She owned more than 600 hats in her entire lifetime. She once said in an interview that the first time she wore a hat onstage, the response from the audience was tremendous. Since then, she started to wear hats for all her performances, and she mentioned that the hats she wore meant a lot to her. She won Taiwan's Golden Bell Awards in 1983 and 1984 and had many fans throughout Asia.

Personal life

Fong married Hong Kong businessman Zhao Hongqi in 1980, they later had a son Zhao Wen Lin in February 1989. Her husband died of lung cancer at the age of 70 in 2009.

Death

Fong spent the last ten years of her life living in Hong Kong. On 3 January 2012, Fong died at the age of 58 from lung cancer in St. Teresa's Hospital at Kowloon City, but the news was only reported on 13 February 2012 after Chinese New Year by her attorney per her request to keep her illness and death out of the press until all of her funeral arrangements were settled. Her remains were stored next to her husband's at Fo Guang Shan Bao Ta Temple.

Legacy

In recognition of her contribution to Taiwan's music industry, she was bestowed with the Special Contribution Award during the Golden Melody Awards ceremony in 2013. Nation's cultural minister Lung Ying-tai called her "Taiwan's national singer". A Google Doodle featuring Fong Fei-fei was released on 20 August 2019, the singer's 66th birthday.

References

External links

Official website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fei-fei, Feng
1953 births
2012 deaths
Taiwanese film actresses
Taiwanese Buddhists
Taiwanese people of Hoklo descent
Musicians from Taoyuan City
Deaths from lung cancer
20th-century Taiwanese actresses
Deaths from cancer in Hong Kong
Actresses from Taoyuan City
20th-century Taiwanese women singers
Taiwanese expatriates in Hong Kong
21st-century Taiwanese women singers
21st-century Taiwanese actresses