'I don't want to slowly wither and die', novelist Chiung Yao writes in farewell note as My Fair Princess stars pay tribute

Legendary Taiwanese novelist and producer Chiung Yao died on Wednesday (Dec 4) at her home in New Taipei City. She was 86.

Her son told media that she had left a suicide note, which her secretary found in her room around noon before calling for help. Paramedics arrived at the scene around 1.22pm and pronounced her dead.

Authorities have ruled out foul play, according to reports.

In her final Facebook post on Wednesday, Chiung Yao wrote: "Dear friends and loved ones, do not cry, do not be sad, do not feel sorry for me. I have already flitted away."

She lamented the difficulties of ageing and added: "This is my wish. Death is a journey everyone has to go through, and it is one's last 'great step.' 

"I don't want to leave it to fate. I don't want to slowly wither and die. I want to take control of this final step."

Chiung Yao became a vocal supporter of assisted euthanasia since 2017 after her husband, publisher Ping Hsin-tao, suffered a debilitating stroke. He died in 2019 aged 92.

Lauded as the most popular romance writer in the Chinese-speaking world, Chiung Yao's works have been adapted into over 100 movies and dramas over her six-decade career, including Outside the Window (1973), which marked Brigitte Lin's acting debut, and My Fair Princess (1998 to 1999) which catapulted the careers of actresses Vicki Zhao, Ruby Lin and Fan Bingbing.

When contacted by Taiwanese media Next Apple, Ruby reportedly broke down while attributing her success to Chiung Yao and proclaiming the author to be her first benefactor.

Asked if Chiung Yao had been ill, she said that she often talked to the writer's daughter-in-law on the phone and added: "As far as I know, she was still relatively healthy."

She later took to Facebook to post: "You left lightly just like this, leaving us with endless longing. I am lucky enough to be your [Xia] Ziwei, Ruping, Xuehua, it's enough for a lifetime."

Tributes also poured in from her fellow castmates, including Vicki who had been absent from social media for over three years after being blacklisted in mainland China.

The 48-year-old, who played the lead role Xiaoyanzi in the hit series made a Weibo post quoting a Ming dynasty poem.

"Burned passionately and flew away gracefully. Thank you for lighting me up," wrote Fan Bingbing, who played Jinsuo, "May you always be happy in heaven."

The actresses' co-star Alec Su, who played Yongqi, posted: "I am very lucky to have been characters in your writing. Everything about My Fair Princess and Romance in the Rain [another one of Chiung Yao's series he'd starred in] will leave an eternal mark on my life."

"I am currently filming, and when I saw the news, I felt like the sky was falling," wrote Huang Yi, who replaced Vicki in the 2003 sequel My Fair Princess III as Xiaoyanzi. 

She shared that she grew up reading Chiung Yao's novels and recounted her experience working with the novelist.

"I cannot accept that my dearest Aunty Chiung Yao has left us forever," she added.  "I am very grateful to have had the chance to play the role written by Aunty, and I will always remember the support and encouragement that she had given me. I will always miss you and move forward bravely with the love and strength you gave me."

Huang Xiaoming, who played Xiao Jian in My Fair Princess III, also took to Weibo to write that he was "really heartbroken", and recalled the guidance and encouragement provided by the author while filming the series.

"Your works have illuminated the youth of several generations, and have also taught us how to love, how to cherish, and how to face the challenges and difficulties in life," he added.

"May you rest in peace in heaven, we will cherish the treasures you left us and continue to carry on the love!"

drimac@asiaone.com

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