Chinese Name: 唐川
Date of Birth: April 19, 1952
Date of Death: March 13, 2022
Place of Birth: Miaoli, Taiwan
Did You Know?
Tang Chuan devoted his life to the worlds of film and television, from appearing in feature films and hosting television shows to doing voiceover work, winning the Golden Bell Award for both Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor. He was also an active and enthusiastic advocate for the Hakka language and culture in Taiwan, and in 2022, he was honored by the Ministry of Education with the Distinguished Contribution Award for the Promotion of Local Languages. Through his dedication to lifelong learning and improvement, he helped younger generations through his dedication to Hakka art, performance, and revitalization, making outstanding contributions to Taiwan’s film and television industry and Hakka culture.
Tang Chuan was born Tseng Chun-sung in Nanzhuang, Miaoli, and discovered a passion for performance at an early age. He began undergoing acting training in 1972 in the actor training class of China Television (CTV). He also worked with Hanlin Folk Arts Troupe doing "crosstalk," a traditional form of Chinese comedy. Later, he went on to turn in outstanding performances in many films and television series, including "Love on the Old Mountain Line (戀戀舊山線)," "The Magic Café (魔法咖啡廳)," "Mystery Train (神秘列車)," "The Fisherman (討海人)," "Somewhere Over the Sky (雲頂天很藍)," "Karoshi (勞動之王)" and “Gold Leaf (茶金)." Despite his lengthy resume, it wasn’t until 2002, when he was 50 years old, that he finally had the opportunity to perform in his native Hakka rather than Mandarin or Taiwanese in the PTS TV show "Wintry Night (寒夜)."
In 2008, he won the 43rd Golden Bell Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film for his role in "Mystery Train," and two years later, in 2010, the 45th Golden Bell Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film for “The Fisherman.” Closing up his acceptance speech for the latter, Tang remarked, "I hope Hakka people will speak more Hakka at home." In addition, in 2021, the Hakka TV movie "The Era Where I Live (窩卡)" saw him nominated again for the Golden Bell Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film. Throughout his career, the way he imbued every character with a vibrant, living soul ensured they would leave a lasting impression on the audience.
"Mystery Train" was set against the backdrop of the White Terror, telling a story of Hakka women that had been deliberately forgotten due to factors of the times. In it, Tang Chuan played an old man suffering from Alzheimer's. "The Fisherman," meanwhile, focused on Hakka fishermen, with Tang portraying the protagonist Luo Tien-sung, a stubborn and persistent man; his well-defined performance and consummate acting provided the central spirit of the entire show. "The Era Where I Live" was the college graduation work of director Wen Ching (温晴). As part of his enthusiasm for supporting Hakka filmmakers, Tang not only appeared with the film for free but even brought the young filmmaker along to Hakka Television to make some introductions. Tang Chuan's final work was Taiwan's first-period drama to be made in the Hailu dialect of Hakka, "Gold Leaf." In it, he played the senior patriarch of the Chang family, and while he did not have many scenes, he left a tremendous impression with the ones he did have.
In addition to his achievements in film and television, Tang Chuan spared no effort in promoting Hakka culture. In 1995, Baodao Radio launched its "Return my Mother Tongue" event, with Tang hosting a radio program for ten years. In 2012, he was nominated for the Golden Bell Award for Best Variety Program Host for the TV program "Under the Sun (日頭下･月光光)," which communicates the cultural characteristics of the Hakka language through vibrant, engaging classic verbal arts, was nominated for. In 2020, through the podcast Hakkaplus, he helped audiences learn more about the cultural aspects of the Hakka language anytime, anywhere. And this year, he was awarded the Distinguished Contribution Award for the Promotion of Local Languages by the Ministry of Education.
Tang Chuan was involved in the performing arts for around half a century. In addition to being an actor, producer, linguistic director, and voiceover artist, he was also long involved in Hakka culture-related performances. He was a capable performer in Mandarin, Taiwanese, and both Sixian and Hailu dialects of Hakka, and was dedicated to creation, performance, and education. In March 2022, Tang Chuang passed away due to illness at the age of 69. On behalf of President Tsai Ing-wen, Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te presented Tang with a posthumous presidential citation, and he was also honored with Hakka Affairs Council’s First Class Hakka Affairs Specialist Medal and Certificate in recognition of his lifetime contribution to cultural development in Taiwan.