Tsai Yang-Ming

Tsai Yang-Ming (Chinese: 蔡揚名 ), also known as his stage name Yang Ming (Chinese: 陽明) and alias Ouyang Chun (Chinese: 歐陽俊), is an actor, director, and producer. He is one of the most prolific Taiwanese-language film actors in Taiwan who later becomes a renown film director. He is a pioneer in Taiwan’s Social-Realist film 社會寫實片 (also known as Taiwan Black Movie 台灣黑電影or Taiwan Pulp film), a category of crime and sex exploitation film.
==Early life==
Tsai Yang-Ming was born in 1939 in Beigang, a township in Yunlin County of Taiwan. He arrived at Taipei at 15 and worked as an apprentice in a laundry shop. Wanting to be an actor, he also attended vocational school at night to meet the degree requirement as an actor. In 1957, Tsai, age 18, auditioned for a supporting role in Chang He Film Company’s Hong Chen San Nu Lang 紅塵三女郎 (1957) but was too nervous and used 32 takes for one shot. Eventually, he was replaced. After failing his first attempt to be an actor, he worked as a theater manager in Shuangxi District and learned a lot about filmmaking and acting by rewatching the films in the theater. 
==Career==
After Tsai finished his military service, he started to work on the set of director Lin Fu-Di 林福地. Tsai worked as a script supervisor and an extra actor in Lin Fu-Di’s Taiwanese-language film, Si Xiang Zhi 思相枝 (1962). Tsai Yang-Ming became the lead actor using his stage name Yang Ming, in Lin Fu-Di’s Shi Jian Ren 世間人 (1963). Tsai Yang-Ming continued to appear as the male lead in Lin Fu-Di’s films and became one of the most popular actors in Taiwan since Golden Color Demon (1964). From 1963 to 1970, he appeared in over 200 Taiwanese-language films. 
In early 1970s, Tsai Yang-Ming worked as a “ghost director” in Zhen Jia Jinguixu 真假金龜婿, aka 乞丐與豔妓 (1971), a film that Zhang Ying helped producing, which opened the door for Tsai Yang-Ming to transition from an actor to director. In 1972, Tsai Yang-Ming directed The Prodigal Boxer (1972), produced by Zhang Ying and Chang Cheh. Run Run Shaw saw the film and asked Chang Cheh to invite Tsai Yang-Ming to work for the Shaw Brothers. Under the Shaw Brothers, Tsai Yang-Ming directed Police Force (1973), which was a box office success. However, Tsai could not get used to living in Hong Kong and decided to return to Taiwan, which led to a contractual dispute between him and the Shaw Brothers. Because of this, Tsai Yang-Ming had to use his alias, Ouyang Chun, in every film directed by him, until the dispute was over in the early 1990s. 
In 1979, Tsai Yang-Ming directed The First Error Step, aka Never Too Late to Repent (1979), which started the frenzy of Social-Realist film in Taiwan. The film is adapted from a true story about the downfall and repentance of Masa, an ex-convict, who portrays himself in the film. It was first banned by the film censorship board, but Tsai Yang-Ming pleaded to the Taiwan Garrison Command and defended the film’s positive influence on the society. Tsai Yang-Ming is a director of multiple genre films, from martial arts, action, gangster, melodrama, to comedy.蘇致亨，〈台灣商業電影史的典範——蔡揚名的電影之路〉，影視聽中心台灣電影工具箱。 
Tsai Yang-Ming’s son, Tsai Yueh Hsun, and his daughter, Tsai Mi-Chieh, are both directors. 
==Filmography==
Director
Little Flower of Tears 淚的小花 (1969) 
Clever Thief (1970) 
Zhen Jia Jinguixu 真假金龜婿, aka 乞丐與豔妓 (1971) 
Young Lady's Secret (1971) 
Marriage Problems (1971) 
Desire (1971) 
X-Mania (1972) 
The Prodigal Boxer (1972) 
Valley of the Double Dragon (1973) 
The Woman from the Hell (1973) 
Freedom Strikes a Blow (1973) 
Police Force (1973) 
Dragon Gate (1975) 
Thou Shall Not Kill (1975) 
The Prodigal Boxer (II) (1976) 
Secret of Kowloon Town (1976) 
The Adventure of Three Crazy Boys (1976) 
The Ming Patriots (1976) 
A Misty Love (1977) 
The Greatest Plot (1977) 
The Secret of the Shaolin Poles (1977) 
Yesterday Dies Too Soon (1977) 
Wandering Dragon (1978) 
Three Shaolin Musketeers (1978) 
Big Land Flying Eagles (1978) 
The Desperate Killer (1978) 
The Legend of Broken Sword (1979) 
Immortal Warriors (1979) 
Shooting in the Morning (1979) 
The First Error Step, aka Never Too Late to Repent (1979) 
The Clown (1980) 
Knights of Misadventure (1980) 
The Nude Body Case in Tokyo (1981) 
Go On, My Son (1981) 
The Country of Beauties (1981) 
The Drunken Monk (1981) 
The Deadly Angels (1982) 
The Girl Robber and I (1982) 
Breaking Through the Black Whirl (1982) 
The Switch (1982) 
Xiao Mei Xiao Zi Niu Zai Ku (1983) 
Be Careful, Sweetheart (1984) 
The First Stitch (1984) 
Happy Union 2 (1985) 
Ghost Chasers (1985) 
Wu Nu (1985) 
Taste of Mercy (1985) 
The First Switch (1986) 
Echo of Sea (1986) 
Pretty Girl (1987) 
The Green Trees (1988) 
Gangland Odyssey (1988) 
Ali Ba-Ba (1988) 
King of the Children (1989) 
Fraternity (1990) 
Joe-Goody (1992) 
Chivalrous Legend (1997) 
Actor
Hong Chen San Nu Lang (1957)
My Destiny (1963)
Hsiang Chien Chai 相欠債 (1963)
Shi Jian Ren 世間人 (1963)
New Wife Mirror (1963)
Edge of Sky and Sea (1963)
Qing Tian Yu Nu Hen 情天玉女恨 (1964)
Shao Nu De Qi Dao (1964)
Tomorrow's Hope (1964)
Take Care, Sir (1964)
Wanted Criminal Woman (1964)
Formosa Night Boat (1964) 
Golden Color Demon (1964)
City of Sadness (1964)
Peach Blossoms Weeps Blood (1964)
Elder Brother Tian Zhuang (1964)
Song Jun Chu Fan (1964)
Boundless Mind (1964)
Yan Tian District Chief (1964) 
Longing for Broadcaster (1965)
Filial Daughter's Desire (1965)
Rebirth of a Deaf Mute (1965)
Jian Jun Yi Mian (1965)
The Dusk Hometown (1965)
Back Street Life (1965)
Rotten Quilt (1965)
Coffin Boat (1965)
The Sadness of the Train Station (1965)
Three Beautiful Blind Female Spies (1965)
Two-faced Lover (1965)
Hsiang Su He Pan 相思河畔 (1965)
Prodigal Son's Return (1965)
Demand Your Pardon (1965)
Yida Married To Beggar (1965)
Bei Qing Yuan Yang Meng (1965)
Life Imprisonment (1965)
Little Loafer (1965)
Sheng Si Lian (1965)
Homeland Connecting Boat (1965)
Xin Ai Bi Ge Ren (1965)
Evening City (1965)
Ma Ma San Ke Pan 媽媽三個半 (1966)
Geisha 大色藝妲 (1966)
The Sad Train (1966)
Wang Ye Ma Qian 王爺馬錢 (1966)
Ocean Girl 海女紅短褲 (1966)
Ye Guang Shuang Fei Xia (1966)
Qing Hai Duan Chang Ren (1966)
Tragic Love Guan Zi-Ling (1966)
Seven Years Old Husband (1966)
Frightening Street No. Seven (1966)
Black Diamond (1966)
Yao Lan Qiao Qing Lei (1966)
Black Beauty (1966)
Lang Tse Tan (1966)
Evening Sun (1966)
Love You Forever (1966)
Wu Yuan De Ren (1966)
The Flying Killer (1966) 
The Lady Spy (1966) 
Love You Till I Die (1967)
Cat Bites Mouse and Wants to Leave (1967)
Who Is My Husband? (1967)
Love You Till Death (1967)
The Bamboo Grows Smooth (1967)
Sheng Si Nan Wang (1967)
Si Mu De Ren (1967)
Qian Mian Ye Cha (1967)
Pu Shi Bian (1967)
Life Begins (1967)
San Sheng Wu Nai (1967)
An Dan Di Yue (1967)
Tai Feng Yu Bi Ri (1967)
Dangerous Seventeen Aged (1968)
Girl's Secret (1968)
Mouth Smiling Eyes Smiling (1968)
Wonderful Husband Wonderful Wife (1968)
Spring Heaven - A Moment Worth Pounds of Gold (1968)
First Tone Calls Master Second Tone Calls Suffer (1968)
Unforgettable Heartless Person (1968)
One Night Couple's Great Kindness (1968)
The Young Lovers and The Escaped Prisoner (1968)
Never Give Up Hope (1968)
Yi Da Nv (1968)
Rainy Night Tragedy (1968)
Da Mou Xiao Yi (1969)
Virgin Heart Period (1969)
Joys of Love on a Spring Night (1969)
One Night Husband (1969)
Innocent Tears of Little Flower (1969)
Bamboo Wrapped Meat Dumplings (1969) ... Tsi-Bing (Zhi-Ming)
East South West North (1969)
Drunk Mistake Jiangshan (1969)
Wild Heart (1969)
Grieving People (1969)
Flower in Rain (1969)
Mama Where Are You? (1969)
Zhang Fu Yu Sheng Yu (1969)
Secret Messengers (1969)
Bandit (1969)
New Oven New Tea Pot (1969)
Ghost Beauty (1969)
Black Widow's Life (1969)
I Will Always Love You (1969)
The Beautiful Swordswoman (1969) 
Clever Thief (1970)
Spy Little Mudan (1970)
The Begging Swordsman (1970) 
Desire (1971)
Happiness and Joy (1971)
Young Lady's Secret (1971)
The Poisonous Palm (1971)
Mother and I (1971)
Continue the Ancestral Line (1972)
Xiang Si Deng (1972)
Jianying Bridge (1985)
Love, Lone Flower (1985) 
Secret Signs (1993)94
Producer
The Switch (1982)
Xiao Mei Xiao Zi Niu Zai Ku (1983)
The 3-D Army
Presenter 
The Three & Half Dumb Kung-Fu Girls (1978) 
Wandering Dragon (1978) 
Three Shaolin Musketeers (1978) 
The Clown (1980)
Devil Killer (1981) 
Go On, My Son (1981) 
The Deadly Angels (1982) 
Echo of Sea (1986) 
Hello Dracula 3, aka King of Children II (1988)
==Awards and Honors==
2013 Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award
2021 Golden Horse Award for Lifetime Achievement
Category:1939 births
Category:Taiwanese people
Category:Actors
Category:Film directors
Category:Producers