Yang Xiu-qing (楊秀卿), the preserver of the important traditional performing arts "chant-song," passed away on June 17 at the age of 89. Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te attended the memorial service to express his condolences and presented the presidential citation to Yang’s second son Yang Chin (楊欽).
Born in 1934, Yang lost her eyesight at a very young age and she learned "chant-song," also known as the Taiwanese-language gezai narrative song form, for a living. To promote the traditional arts, Yang started to pass on the "chant-song" technique to her students in 1983, and participated in "The Plan for the Preservation and Transmission of Folk Arts (民間藝術保存傳習計畫)" since 2009. In addition, she founded Xiu-qing Yang Folk Arts Troupe (楊秀卿說唱藝術團) in 2010 and often performed in public, sparing no effort in the continuation of traditional arts.
Yang performed the “chant-song” for more than 70 years and received several awards. In 1989, she was awarded the "Folk Arts Heritage Award" by the Ministry of Education. In 2007, she was named the recipient of the National Award for Arts, and two years later, MOC named her an "Important Preserver of Traditional Chant-song Art," honored with the title "National Living Treasure." In 2021, the 40th National Cultural Award was presented to Yang.
Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te stated that Yang dedicated her life to the promotion and continuation of "chant-song" so that the traditional arts could be preserved and carried forward. Yang’s dedication will be cherished by future generations, and MOC will collect and conserve her works as well as continue to pass on the traditional art of “chant-song.”
In the presidential citation, President Tsai Ing-wen praised Yang for being diligent in pursuing advanced musicianship, thus elevating her skills in storytelling. The president also showed gratitude towards Yang's lifelong commitment to the continuation of the intangible cultural asset "chant-song."