In the 1950s, the late Chinese-language film star Lin Dai won Best Actress at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival four times with films such as “Golden Lotus,” “Diao Chan,” “Thousand Beauties,” and “Love Without End.” As her career flourished, so did her love life. While studying in the United States, Lin Dai met Long Shengxun, the fifth son of the “King of Yunnan” Long Yun. The two fell in love at first sight, and though often apart, frequently expressed their affection through letters.
By February 1961, Long Shengxun finally married the beauty. Their grand wedding was held in Hong Kong. In 1963, their son Long Zonghan was born. Sadly, due to domestic troubles, Lin Dai ultimately died by suicide in 1964. Recently, the YouTube channel “Man’s Talk by Manfred Wong” broadcast a precious audio interview of Lin Dai from 60 years ago, in which she rarely spoke about her marriage, family life, husband, son, and the story of becoming sworn mother to Fung Bo Bo, evoking much emotion.
In the interview, Lin Dai admitted that her married life was happy and said that, only making up to three films a year so as not to affect her family, she spent the rest of her time as a housewife. She spoke of becoming Fung Bo Bo’s sworn mother in 1961: “Because I think this little sister is really wonderful, very talented at acting, smart, and beautiful, I really like her. Later, I got a chance to meet her as well as her parents. I said if I had a daughter like her I would be so happy, and her mother suggested we become sworn relatives, so I became her godmother.”
Earlier, Manfred Wong had mentioned Lin Dai’s suicide in the program, stating, based on past information, that at the height of her fame, Lin Dai possibly took her own life on July 17, 1964, out of spite, at the age of just 29. He also noted references in several books indicating that it was not the first time Lin Dai attempted suicide, as she had previously survived an overdose of sleeping pills. After her death, Long Shengxun could never let go, preserving her room exactly as it was. Forty-three years after his wife’s passing, Long Shengxun died in his sleep, still in the same bed in the same room.
In the interview, Lin Dai admitted that her married life was happy and said that, only making up to three films a year so as not to affect her family, she spent the rest of her time as a housewife. She spoke of becoming Fung Bo Bo’s sworn mother in 1961: “Because I think this little sister is really wonderful, very talented at acting, smart, and beautiful, I really like her. Later, I got a chance to meet her as well as her parents. I said if I had a daughter like her I would be so happy, and her mother suggested we become sworn relatives, so I became her godmother.”
Earlier, Manfred Wong had mentioned Lin Dai’s suicide in the program, stating, based on past information, that at the height of her fame, Lin Dai possibly took her own life on July 17, 1964, out of spite, at the age of just 29. He also noted references in several books indicating that it was not the first time Lin Dai attempted suicide, as she had previously survived an overdose of sleeping pills. After her death, Long Shengxun could never let go, preserving her room exactly as it was. Forty-three years after his wife’s passing, Long Shengxun died in his sleep, still in the same bed in the same room.