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Chen Yingjie rose to fame with her unique voice and emotional singing style, leaving behind classic tracks such as 'Wind and Flying Sand' and 'Hai Hai Ren Sheng'.
'Hai Hai Ren Sheng' was originally a Cantonese song titled 'Silence is Golden', composed by Leslie Cheung with lyrics by Sam Hui. Released as a duet by the two in 1988, both later recorded solo versions. In 1992, renowned lyricist Wa Wa (Chen Yuzhen) rewrote the lyrics, turning the song into the Taiwanese-language version 'Hai Hai Ren Sheng'—her only work written in Taiwanese in her career.
After Chen Yingjie took up 'Hai Hai Ren Sheng', she reinterpreted it with her deep, slightly world-weary voice, blending the original’s Western, urban vibe with the flavor of Taiwanese ballads, and expressed a completely different life sentiment. The song quickly became a hit and achieved impressive sales, further solidifying her status as a leading figure in the Taiwanese music scene.
'Hai Hai Ren Sheng' sings, "Someone loves me, yet the one I love is someone else. How can one win or lose in this debt of love?"—it is almost a reflection of Chen Yingjie’s own life. She was generous, loyal, and lived her life with passion. In her youth, she shouldered huge debts for love and friends, even to the point of losing all her fortune. The brilliance onstage was intertwined with ups and downs in her real life—just as the song title encapsulates: life's unpredictability.
In her later years, Chen Yingjie suffered from stroke, dementia, and kidney failure. In 2023, she was imprisoned due to legal issues, but was subsequently released on medical parole due to illness. Having endured ordeals of confinement and illness, she eventually passed away just days ago. As the lyrics of 'Hai Hai Ren Sheng' suggest, her life was one of glory, lows, and impermanence, but her classic voice will forever remain in her fans’ hearts.
Source: Apple Online