Teresa Teng/Deng Lijun/Teng Li-chun (1953-1995)

This all began in around early 2006. I was then a very masochist-misogynist Stalinist-with-a-human-face secondary school student sympathizer. Therefore, I didn’t have even one single female idol, be it singer, movie star or so what. However, by that time, my favorite singers has been Chinese singers, as that times were also the height of my chauvinistic Chinese stance. But out of a sudden, I became so enchanted by Teresa Teng (1953-1995), a woman singer from Taiwan whose reputation as the best Chinese woman singer still unsurpassed even long after her death.

As a young kid, I often heard about Teresa Teng and her song because of my parents who sometimes love to play her songs. However, even in the most masochist-misogynist days, I still have some positive attitude towards her and her (Chinese) songs, just because they’re simply wonderful. Also to the opinion that she’s beautiful. However, in around February 2006, my cousin brought my mom a karaoke VCD about her songs.

After listening her songs throughout the karaoke VCD, I began to admire her so much. This is so unprecedented, since I could enjoy almost more than half of the songs in the karaoke VCD list (~12 songs) at single time. Usually, I could enjoy at most 40% of an admired singer’s song. But this record showed that for me, Teresa Teng is not arbitrarily a mere good singer, but phenomenal; her mild, sweet voice really brings the calming, serene, elegant, joyful aura when listening to her songs. Not to mention her outstanding talents especially considering the socio-political-economical conditions in Asia-Pacific during her heyday times. Besides, Teresa Teng’s beauty, for me especially at the time, seems very unique if compared to beautiful women I’ve ever seen, be it everyman, celebrities, or such. Her unique beauty is also inexplainable by words, watching her live performance or album cover made me deeply enchanted just at first glance!

Hong Kong/Japan recital, c.1977-1978. Look how she was accompanied by orchestra!

As I enjoyed her songs, I also aspired to have her quality of voice and beauty! For me, because of the consistency and elegance, these type of songs must be performed as it is, like performing a symphony orchestra. This experience soon plants the seeds of “the Lady Inside me”.

Before I tell about her biography, please allow me to explain briefly about her significance in Asian pop culture that brought her as a pop culture icon, even hero, for us especially Chinese people.

Teresa Teng, c.1977 in either Hong Kong/Japan.

First of all, it is important to consider the notion that the significance of Teresa Teng’s singing talent and career is because Teresa Teng also served as a cultural ambassador between Chinese and Japanese societies, the two “dragons” in East and Southeast Asia. Until 1960-1970s, Japan was the only developed nation in literally whole of Asia-Pacific. Even Israel was still building her economy. Yet so, albeit the Four Asian Tigers began to emerge during those times, conclusively, their development were not as advanced as today. Even in 1970, South Korea was still poorer than North Korea. Yet when Japan entered her heyday in 1960-1980s, even though pursuing pro-West stance, the bitter wartime memories still remained very fresh among the people in the rest of Asia. Thus, anti-Japanese sentiment was indeed harsher during that time period especially among our grandparents’ generation, whom witnessed first and second-hand about the war, yet they were during those 1960-1970s, they were reaching their peak stage of their lives. Given to this phenomenon, then emerged the notion of “we only be friends with Japan is because of their money”. Especially since Japanese economy was at the peak during the Cold War era.

Teresa Teng, 1979.

Teresa Teng, Japan, 974. Her 2nd Japanese single was a great hit that brought her the trophy.

At the same time, albeit strong anti-Japanese sentiment among the elders and middle-aged, because of the rising economy and exposure to Japanese products, the era of 1960-1970s also saw the growth of the diffuse of Japanese pop culture products as these Asian nations are began searching role models that would suit the societal conditions. Japan became the prima donna that aside from the shining economy, the Asian commonalities became the eye-candy factor for modelling after Japan.

Today, Chinese celebrities like Jay Chou, Faye Wong tend to relatively only face cultural barriers if trying to hit the Japanese market, but Teresa Teng must overcame ALL cultural, socio-economic, and stereotype barriers, where all these barriers were much more difficult especially considering the socio-economic-political conditions in Asia Pacific during her lifetime, aka, Cold War. However, despite of the harsh barriers, Teresa Teng could manage to sing in Japanese alongside Mandarin, Hokkien, and Cantonese, whereas most East Asian singer nowadays tend to be stuck on their home culture languages. Albeit now Kpop singers are so popular in Japan, and some of them did sing in Japanese, but hey, if consider the other aspect, they still face easier challenges if compared to Teresa Teng! Nevertheless, now, both people in Chinese and Japanese societies, both old and young still know Teresa Teng. She’s simply a sweetheart for everyone, regardless of race, religion, creed, or culture, even political affiliation, although the Beijing conservative hawks used to ban and denounce Teresa Teng as “decadent”. However, for us ladies, she seems to have more appeal because of her calming, serene aura and beauty.

This is how Teresa Teng become my first patron saint for “the Lady Inside Me”.