Skip to main content

Folk Singer | Li Jian-fu

  • Date:2015-10-29
Folk Singer | Li Jian-fu

  • Chinese Name: 李建復
  • Date of Birth: Oct. 24, 1959
  • Birthplace: Taipei City (Northern Taiwan)
  • Did You Know That … ?
  • Li Jian-fu was an iconic folk singer in Taiwan during the 1980s, but he also enjoys a noted career outside of music. Li once worked for Yahoo Inc. and Sina Corp., as well as a radio personality for Voice of Taipei Broadcasting and as an anchor for Truth News Network.


When Li was a college student, he joined the Six-Lights Stage Concert singing competition and performed with a guitar. He received a record deal and released 6 albums since 1980. As an artist, his songs always incorporated literary and experimental influences, making folk music a mainstream genre from the 1970s to the 1990s.


Li was also the first singer who sang Hou De-jian's (侯德建) "Descendants of the Dragon (龍的傳人),” a 1978 song whose lyrics echoed the national frustration over international relations between Taiwan and the U.S. in the late 1970s. The song became a sensation as a patriotic anthem and led a folk music revival in Taiwan.


In 1980, Li collaborated with five other folk singers and established "Tien Shui Music Collection (天水樂集),” the first independent music studio in Taiwan fighting for the freedom to create music of their own. Though the studio only lasted for one year and released 2 albums, their actions helped to change the exploitative environment under major record labels at that time.


After releasing a concept album titled "Kua Fu Chases the Sun (夸父追日)” in 1984, Li halted his music career to pursue studies in the U.S., taking up different jobs after receiving a MBA degree. Nevertheless, music remains his passion.


In 1995, Li collaborated with noted poet Zheng Chou-yu (鄭愁予) and 10 other artists to release the album "Dreaming of Travel (旅夢),” bringing poetry to another level with music. Li's latest album, "In A Flash (轉眼一瞬間),” was released in 2013 to express his love for folk music.


Nowadays, as director of the Chinese Music Communication Association (中華音樂人交流協會), Li organizes at least 3 folk music concerts each decade, gathering numerous folk singers to take the public back to the golden age of folk music. To celebrate the 40th year of the folk music movement, Li also holds related forums, exhibitions, and fairs in the hope that the beauty of folk music will always be appreciated and remembered.