# Hsiao Yen-Chiu

Hsiao Yen-Chiu (born August 19, 1933) is a former Taiwanese actress active in theater and film during the 1950s. She started her career at age 17 with the Sun and Moon Garden New Theater Troupe (日月園新劇團) before entering the film industry. Her debut film, Lady Peach Blossom Crosses the River (桃花過渡), was released in 1956, leading to roles in Hong Kong's Amoy-language films. She is known for her performance in the Taiwanese-language film Mad Woman (瘋女十八年; 1957).
Under director Guo Bailin (郭柏霖), Hsiao transitioned to cinema. Her role in Mad Woman won her the "Top Ten Silver Star Award" (觀眾票選十大影星銀星獎), a fan-voted honor at the first Taiwanese-language Film Festival. She was one of the early Taiwanese actresses to gain notice in both theater and film.
Her acting career ended in 1959, spanning five years, after she married Dr. Zhu Bao-Lou.

## Early life

Hsiao Yen-Chiu was born on August 19, 1933, into a modest family in Taoyuan City as the second daughter. Three days after her birth, she was given to a neighbor for adoption because her grandmother wanted a boy. Her original name, Jian Xiu-Chou, was given to her by her adoptive parents. At age 17, Hsiao Yen-Chiu was sent to the Sun and Moon Garden New Theater Troupe by her foster parents to earn money for the family. She was taught acting by Cheng Cheng-Xiong (鄭政雄), the director and father of actress Cheng Xiao-Fen (鄭小芬), for one week and soon became the leading actress of the troupe.
The stage name Hsiao Yen-Chiu was given to her by a fan who admired her performance and wanted to pay homage to the famous Peking opera performer Cheng Yanqiu (程艷秋). In her autobiography, Hsiao Yen-Chiu stated, "I use stage makeup as a shield to face life and hide that pitiful adopted daughter within various roles. Jian Xiu-Chou's fate was beyond her control, but now I am the leading actress at the Sun and Moon Garden New Theater Troupe, Hsiao Yen-Chiu!"

## Career

In 1956, director Guo Bailin (郭柏霖) cast Hsiao Yen-Chiu in Lady Peach Blossom Crosses the River (桃花過渡), marking her transition from theater to film. Following this, she received roles in Taiwanese and Hong Kong productions, including Amoy films.
Before moving to Hong Kong, Hsiao Yen-Chiu was cast in Bai Ke (白克)’s Mad Woman (瘋女十八年), produced by Du Yun-Zhi (杜雲之). The film was inspired by a China Times report about a woman with a mental illness who was confined in a temple for 18 years.
In 1957, Hsiao Yen-Chiu went to Hong Kong and signed a contract with Minsheng Film Company. She co-starred with actress Jiang Fan (江帆) in Two Sisters in a Turbulent World (亂世姐妹花) and director Chen Huanwen's Xue Mei Si Jun (雪梅思君). Before Ling Bo (凌波) became famous, she played Hsiao Yen-Chiu's son in the latter film. After returning from Hong Kong, Hsiao Yen-Chiu starred in two Taiwanese films that year: Strange Story of Crematory (火葬場奇案), directed by Liang Zhe-Fu (梁哲夫), and Seaside Breeze (海邊風), directed by Tian Chen (田琛).

## Awards and Recognition

In 1957, Hsiao Yen-Chiu won the top award at the first Taiyu Pian Film Festival’s "Top Ten Silver Star Awards" (觀眾票選十大影星銀星獎) for her role in Mad Woman (瘋女十八年). She was also voted the most popular actress in a Cinema Weekly (影劇周報) reader’s poll.
In 1958, Alan (阿蘭), directed by Iwasawa Yotoku (岩澤庸德), was released, starring Hsiao Yen-Chiu and Shih Chun (石軍). That same year, Hsiao Yen-Chiu made her first attempt at Mandarin-language films to star in the film He Huan Shan Shan (合歡山上), directed by Pan Lei (潘壘). She then returned to Hong Kong to collaborate with the Hong Kong Overseas Chinese Film Industry Company (僑聯影業公司) and made three Amoy films, including Love and Money, Love's Temptation, and The Love Between a Human and a Ghost. After returning to Taiwan, she starred in the first Taiwanese martial arts film, Luo Xiao-Hu and Yu Jia-Long (羅小虎與玉嬌龍), directed by Liang Zhe-Fu (梁哲夫).

## Personal life

Hsiao Yen-Chiu met Dr. Zhu Bao-Luo (朱保羅) in 1959 while filming in Taichung. After their marriage, she retired from acting. Her autobiography, Hsiao Yen-Chiu’s Memoirs: The Top Female Lead of Taiwanese Cinema (台語片第一女主角：小艷秋回憶錄), was published in 2021, in which she reflected on her career, personal life, and Christian faith.

## Filmography

| Year | Chinese title | English title | Notes |
| 1956 | 《桃花過渡》 | Lady Peach Blossom Crosses the River | |
| 1957 | 《瘋女十八年》 | Mad Woman | |
| 1957 | 《亂世姐妹花》 | Two Sisters in a Turbulent World | |
| 1957 | 《雪梅思君》（also known as 《商輅斬文禧》) | Xue Mei Si Jun | Also known as Shang Lu Zhan Wenxi (no official English title) |
| 1957 | 《海邊風》 | Seaside Breeze | |
| 1957 | 《火葬場奇案》 | Strange Story of Crematory | |
| 1958 | 《阿蘭》 | Alan | |
| 1958 | 《愛情與金錢》 | Love and Money | |
| 1958 | 《愛的誘惑》 | Love's Temptation | |
| 1958 | 《明知失戀真艱苦》 | Really Hard to Realize Being Jilted | |
| 1958 | 《鬼戀》 | The Love Between a Human and a Ghost | |
| 1959 | 《合歡山上》 | He Huan Shan Shan | Also known as Above Dgiyaq Bburaw |
| 1959 | 《羅小虎與玉嬌龍》 | Luo Xiao-Hu and Yu Jia-Long | |
| 1960 | 《秋怨》 | Autumn Hate | |
| 1960 | 《羅小虎與玉嬌龍（完結篇）》 | Finale of Luo Xiao-Hu and Yu Jia-Long | |
| 1960 | 《孤女報母仇》 | | |

## Awards and honours

| Year | Title | Awards | Ref. |
| 1957 | Mad Woman | The First Place of Top Ten Silver Star Awards, The First Taiyu Pian Film Festival | |
| 1957 | Mad Woman | The First Place of The Ten Most Beloved Taiwanese Film Stars, Cinema Weekly | |