Teresa Teng
(Portions excerpted from Stefan Graman's Website www.graman.net)
On May 8th 1995, 43-year-old Teresa Teng died from a severe
asthma attack while on a trip to
Thailand. When the tragic news was released, it was as if an enormous boulder had been dumped into the lake of the global Chinese community, sending ripples in all directions. It was not only ordinary Chinese in Taiwan,
Hong Kong, mainland China, and
Southeast Asia who were saddened by the incident and thought fondly of their many memories. The media devoted a tremendous amount of space to the story, and many groups bestowed posthumous honors and accolades on Ms. Teng.
The staff at her record company in Japan wore black armbands for a week. Teresa's death was reported in the New York Times and Time magazine, and these journals described her enormous impact on fans of Chinese music.
Teresa Teng was popular in Chinese societies worldwide for three decades. Even though she has left us, for countless fans she will always be their "Eternal Sweetheart".