Taiwanese singer Chen Sheng held the “2025 New Paradise Summer Banquet Concert ‘Lard Mixed Rice’” in Ximending, Taipei on the night of the 26th, letting fans enjoy great food while listening to his songs. He even toasted each table, creating a lively atmosphere. That day also coincided with the first wave of major recall voting, which ended in a big failure. Chen Sheng mentioned: “Let me tell you honestly, at this moment, even if Xi Dada offered me 100 million RMB (about MYR 58.89 million), I wouldn’t want to go.” The audience applauded and cheered.
The 66-year-old Chen Sheng had previously, during a 2014 interview, expressed opposition to the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement, bluntly saying: “I’ve closed off the China market, my most boastful point is that I’ve built up the Taiwan market very big, I’m not short of money, so there’s nothing you can do to me, Taiwan’s domestic demand is enough.” His agent later responded that what Chen Sheng meant was mainly his personal philosophy of “working hard to make a living.” Due to work factors, he would still go to China for development in the future.
A decade later, at the end of last year, Chen Sheng spoke on Hu Gua’s YouTube show “Next One Please” and revealed that there was actually another story behind his being banned in China. Back when he released his 2nd and 3rd albums, his group “New Formosa Band” was invited to participate in the Free Tibet Concert. Seeing other internationally renowned bands also participating, he happily agreed to perform. “From then on, none of my applications for performing in the motherland were ever approved again.”
He also stated: “I have no political affiliation, and actually, I hope to just find a ditch and quietly die. I think a lot of things are just overthought by people.” Hu Gua agreed: “Everyone should be happier. Listening to music—music knows no borders.”
On the night of the major recall defeat on the 26th, some recall supporters posted videos of Chen Sheng’s performance online, saying Chen Sheng’s words brought some comfort. In the video, Chen Sheng says, “Even if Xi Dada offered me 100 million RMB, I wouldn’t want to go,” and then started singing “Let You Be Lonely No More.”
The 66-year-old Chen Sheng had previously, during a 2014 interview, expressed opposition to the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement, bluntly saying: “I’ve closed off the China market, my most boastful point is that I’ve built up the Taiwan market very big, I’m not short of money, so there’s nothing you can do to me, Taiwan’s domestic demand is enough.” His agent later responded that what Chen Sheng meant was mainly his personal philosophy of “working hard to make a living.” Due to work factors, he would still go to China for development in the future.
A decade later, at the end of last year, Chen Sheng spoke on Hu Gua’s YouTube show “Next One Please” and revealed that there was actually another story behind his being banned in China. Back when he released his 2nd and 3rd albums, his group “New Formosa Band” was invited to participate in the Free Tibet Concert. Seeing other internationally renowned bands also participating, he happily agreed to perform. “From then on, none of my applications for performing in the motherland were ever approved again.”
He also stated: “I have no political affiliation, and actually, I hope to just find a ditch and quietly die. I think a lot of things are just overthought by people.” Hu Gua agreed: “Everyone should be happier. Listening to music—music knows no borders.”
On the night of the major recall defeat on the 26th, some recall supporters posted videos of Chen Sheng’s performance online, saying Chen Sheng’s words brought some comfort. In the video, Chen Sheng says, “Even if Xi Dada offered me 100 million RMB, I wouldn’t want to go,” and then started singing “Let You Be Lonely No More.”