Lai Pi-hsia explained

Lai Pi-hsia
Image Upright:1
Native Name Lang:zh
Birth Date:31 October 1932
Birth Place:Shinchiku, Taiwan, Empire of Japan
Death Place:Zhongli, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
Nationality:Republic of China
Occupation:Musician
Awards:22nd Golden Melody Awards

Lai Pi-hsia (; 31 October 1932 – 18 January 2015) was a Taiwanese musician known for performing Hakka hill songs.

Born in what became Zhudong, Hsinchu County, Lai was raised in Chingchuan, where she learned the Atayal language. After her father retired, the family returned to Zhudong. Lai, who had begun listening to her uncle's collection of Japanese music, heard her first Hakka hill song, and began lessons with folk musician Kuan Lo-cheng. However, Kuan was not a lyricist, so Lai Pi-hsia transcribed Hakka language lyrics from Lai Ting-han. By the age of 20, Lai Pi-hsia became a respected performer in her own right. She became a radio announcer in 1954, and soon starting writing her own music. Later, Lai wrote the screenplay for Tea Mountain Love Song, Taiwan's first Hakka-language feature film. She retired from performing in 1973 and focused on teaching and researching the art of Hakka hill songs.[1] Lai founded an eponymous Hakka folk music troupe in 1993.[2] She received the Jury Award at the 2011 Golden Melody Awards.[3] Later that year, Lai was designated a national treasure.[4]

Personal life

Lai died aged 82 on 18 January 2015, at home in Zhongli.[5]

Notes and References

  1. News: Han Cheung. Taiwan in Time: The queen of the tea mountain. 14 January 2018. Taipei Times. 14 January 2018.
  2. News: Hakka Singer Lai Pi-hsia . 16 June 2020 . Ministry of Culture . 3 November 2015.
  3. News: Ho Yi. Golden Melody Awards honor artistic and traditional music. 14 January 2018. Taipei Times. 30 May 2011.
  4. News: Eight to receive awards. 14 January 2018. Taipei Times. 18 November 2011.
  5. News: 人間國寶賴碧霞病逝 享壽83歲. 14 January 2018. Central News Agency. 19 January 2015. zh.