Sun Tsui Feng is one of the most prestigious Taiwanese Opera artists in Taiwan. The troupe to which she belongs, Ming Hwa Yuan Arts and Cultural Group, is also one of the most prominent traditional opera troupes. Exploring Sun Tsui Feng’s career path as a Taiwanese Opera artist and the development of this long-standing troupe, Ming Hwa Yuan, would be a great way to understand the beauty and sorrow of the Taiwanese Opera industry.
Sun Tsui Feng's parents were both Taiwanese Opera performers, and she was born on December 19, 1958. However, due to their concern for her, her parents did not want her to be connected with this demanding occupation. She didn't learn how to speak Taiwanese until she was 26 years old. At the beginning, she worked in the office and was considered a woman on the cutting edge of popularity. However, her life took a dramatic turn after falling in love with Chen Sheng-Fu in 1982, getting married, and joining the big family of Ming Hwa Yuan, a Taiwanese Opera troupe. Impressed by the experience of performing on stage, she found her motivation to learn and eventually became a Taiwanese Opera performer. Starting late in her career as a Taiwanese Opera actor, Sun Tsui Feng faced a challenging journey to professionalism. Overcoming numerous obstacles and putting in tremendous effort, she succeeded in making her dream come true. Through our interview with her, we discovered that Sun Tsui Feng is a resilient woman who never gives up. She continuously ventures beyond her comfort zone and attempts things she has never done before. Despite the challenges she encounters, she maintains a positive and hopeful attitude, seizing every opportunity that comes her way.
Three Years Under the Stage
Chen Sheng-Fu and Sun Tsui Feng
After joining the big Ming Hwa Yuan family, Sun Tsui Feng changed a lot. At first, because of her background, she was very resistant to Taiwanese Opera. She preferred to be a stylish office woman rather than a busy, poor actress. Ming Hwa Yuan was an old and big troupe; all the family members were workers of it. At that time, there were only four people who could sit under the stage and watch the shows: Chen Sheng-Fu, his parents, and Sun Tsui Feng. She felt grateful for her husband’s parents to accept her as a daughter-in-law who didn’t know how to act in Taiwanese Opera. She said, “Other women that come to our family would go on the stage the day right after the wedding, but only my husband could marry a wife that doesn’t know a bit about Taiwanese Opera. I’m thankful that my parents-in-law could also see me as a part of the family, regardless of my ability of performing.” She also felt apart from the family, looking at other people on stage working hard to earn money and promoting Taiwanese Opera, but she could only sit and watch the show. Sun Tsui Feng is a strong-minded woman with great ambition, but in the troupe, she couldn’t do anything. She wanted to oblige her parents-in-law and do something for the family; this opened her unique way to becoming a professional performer.
Stepping onto the Stage 1984
Ms. Sun went on stage when she was 26 years old; she started to act in some minor roles in Taiwanese Opera. Mr. Sun said she could feel suffering and pain after participating in basic skills. She kept trying and working hard. She still loved to act in Taiwanese Opera and enjoyed being a Taiwanese Opera actor and participating in Taiwanese Opera. Also, Ms. Sun has congenital heart disease, so she needs to spend more time than other Taiwanese Opera performers to learn these martial arts. She could not learn as fast as other young actors, so she could only spend more time practicing.
At first, Ms. Sun had no idea how to act in Taiwanese Opera; she didn’t even know how to speak Taiwanese. Even so, she still wanted to try by taking the minor roles including those without a line. Three years later, she realized that she loved to act in Taiwanese Opera and decided to devote herself to this cultural heritage. At that time, she was almost 30 years old. In order to be able to play the leading roles, she went through painful practices, but she didn’t give up. She kept trying, taking notes, and took the plunge of taking other supporting roles when she had the opportunities.
E.a. Sun Tsui Feng played a female
role in 1986.
First Appearance As the Female Lead 1986
In this performance, Sun Tsui Feng portrayed the lead character, Li Cuilian. She made her stage debut, but she quickly rose to fame and started to shine as a new star. Since then, Sun Tsui Feng has also grown more and more brilliant as Ming Hwa Yuan has been performing in many locations. Sun Tsui Feng's status as the leader of a niche has increased dramatically. The photo depicts Sun Tsui Feng's early acting appearance as the female leading role. At the time, she was approximately 26 years old.
Official Debut As a Male Lead 1989
The momentous event in her career was when she debuted as a main lead because of an “accident” like she shared with us when we interviewed her. Her effort was evident after she performed in the show 'The Grand Immortal of Peng-Lai' at National Taiwan University. On the day of the performance, the actress who played the male lead had a last-minute emergency and couldn’t show up. However, there was no one in the troupe who could take her place. The show couldn’t go on without the male lead! Seeing the opportunity, Ms. Sun decided to take the plunge. She volunteered to take the place, but people weren't sure if she could assume such an important role and responsibility. However, she knew she was ready and prepared. She always took notes while others were performing because she aspired to perform as the main lead. When the chance came, she knew exactly what to do and took it. No one noticed that she wasn’t the usual performer. The professors and students were impressed. This marked the beginning of her career as the main male leading character. Since then, she has tried to perform all kinds of characters and moved out of her comfort zone to embrace new challenges.
The Grand Immortal of Peng-Lai
The Grand Immortal of Peng-Lai
The Invincible "Male Lead"
Ms. Sun is now a famous Taiwanese Opera artist who can portray every role in the genre. Initially, Ms. Sun worked diligently to perform as the male lead. Subsequently, she transitioned to portraying the female lead. Eventually, she relinquished the male lead roles to younger actors and courageously assumed the role of the jester. Ms. Sun inadvertently assisted the entire Ming Hwa Yuan group when she stepped in as the main character, Li Xuan. Following that, she continued to explore various roles in Taiwanese Opera. She stated, “Especially for a theater troupe like ours, which relies on opera for a living, we have to be proficient in all roles because we never know which one we'll be assigned to at any given time, sometimes having to step in as a last-minute understudy." In "The Lion King," she actively sought the opportunity to transition from playing the handsome "male lead" to embracing the challenge of portraying a "painted face" character for the first time. Additionally, in Ming Hwa Yuan’s grand show, "Legend of White Snake," she portrays the female lead, the white snake. She has attempted every role, and in the production "Final Bow," she portrayed Bao Gon, an official well-known for justice, a role typically associated with male actors. Ms. Sun can adeptly play various roles in Taiwanese Opera. She believes that satisfaction does not solely lie in playing the male lead; she endeavors in every aspect, which is one of the reasons for her fame.
Ms. Sun is willing to step outside her comfort zone.
Legend of White Snake
Passing the torch, Ms. Sun acted as the jester and her daughter the male lead
Painted face in the Lion King
Chief Pillar of Ming Hua Yuan
Public Service and Charity
You might think that Sun Tsui Feng is just a Taiwanese Opera actress, but she is much more than that. In 2010, Miss Sun helped the government by organizing a public welfare promotion event to inform citizens about protection against Swine Flu; she also shot an advertising video that served the same purpose.
In 2013, Sun Tsui Feng went to Africa to help raise awareness of poverty. Through the promotion of education and poverty alleviation, the "Wish Africa･Grateful Journey" train comes to Taiwan every year to raise charity funds for three thousand orphans and the huge project costs. Not only that, she has also done many more things for the world.
With African kids
Charity performance in Africa
In 2017, to promote the prohibition of straw burning and garbage classification to farmers, the country's government invited Ms. Sun and the famous Taiwanese Opera actress Miss Chen Ling to perform as two Taiwanese Opera characters, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, to encourage their fellow villagers and farmers to stop burning straws, thus preventing the next generation from suffering the effects of straw burning and promoting garbage classification. In addition to proper garbage classification, burning straw affects the air environment and traffic safety, which is detrimental to the country.
Ms. Sun often gives lectures at various campuses and clubs, and even visits hospitals and prisons to spread the beauty of Taiwanese Opera through charity performances. One time, Ms. Sun went to a prison to perform a show for the prisoners. Three years after the performance, the warden suddenly visited the theater troupe and said that one of the prisoners who had seen the play had excitedly written a letter home and asked the warden to pass it on. After inquiring, he found out that the prisoner was originally from a wealthy family. However, he committed a crime and was sent to jail. After being imprisoned, he refused to allow his parents to visit and blamed his parents' overly indulgent upbringing for his situation. His parents were so distraught that they emigrated abroad and were never heard from again. Later, with the help of the warden, the letter was forwarded, and as a result, his parents returned to Taiwan with their family and bought a house near the prison, stating that they would wait until the day their son was freed. All of these stories demonstrate how Ms. Sun is not just a Taiwanese Opera performer; she is a kind-hearted person who goes out of her way to help and brings smiles to people's faces.
Acknowledgment and Awards
★ Ten Outstanding Young Persons
Sun Tsui Feng was awarded this accolade in 1996, marking the 34th year since its inception. She was recognized as the 'pillar' of Ming Hwa Yuan, significantly contributing to the enduring popularity of the troupe. Despite the waning popularity of Taiwanese Opera, Sun Tsui Feng's continued efforts in its promotion and innovation have sustained interest in the art form.
★ The 16th Most Outstanding Asian Artists
In 1997, Sun Tsui Feng received this honor, marking the 16th year of the award's presentation. Her acclaimed performances in television series such as 'The Pearl Phoenix' and shows like 'Legend of White Snake' and 'Grand Immortal of Penglai' garnered recognition. Additionally, her portrayal of male leads in Taiwanese Opera productions for Ming Hwa Yuan contributed to her selection.
★ Art and Education Contribution Award
Winning the Award
In 2020, Sun Tsui Feng was bestowed with this award, which was in its 7th year. She was chosen for her dedication to advocating and preserving the heritage of Taiwanese Opera. Sun Tsui Feng has actively engaged in teaching young people the intricacies of Taiwanese Opera, including hand gestures and vocal techniques. Furthermore, she has extended her philanthropic efforts to support orphans and disadvantaged children, both locally and internationally. Her initiatives include fundraising for AIDS orphanages and war-affected children's care centers in Africa. Through her endeavors, she has brought awareness of Taiwanese Opera to millions worldwide, leaving an indelible mark on 371 locations in Taiwan and 65 cities abroad."
