China News Agency, Handan, May 8th, title: Dengtai Village recalls Teresa Teng: The past years seem to have never gone far
Author Chen Lin Chen Shiyu
“The blue sky and the fragrance of flowers make people yearn for you.” In Dengtai Village in May, under the blue sky and white clouds, the ears of wheat are flourishing. This hometown that Teresa Teng has never returned to is like the lyrics of “Love in a Small Village”.
Years have passed since the legendary singer, and it seems that he has never gone far. May 8th is the 28th anniversary of Teresa Teng’s death. In her ancestral home, Dengtai Village, Daming County, Handan City, Hebei Province, fans come here from time to time to commemorate the “eternal singer” in her heart.
In front of the square in the village, under the breeze, the red scarf tied to the statue of Teresa Teng danced lightly, and the shape of metal musical notes behind her was reflected in the pool. From the “jumping” of the painted walls to the “permanence” embedded in the stone road, musical notes are almost the most common elements in the village. It is also this string of notes that made Teresa Teng, who was born in Taiwan, loved by fans all over the world.
Some people say that as long as there are Chinese, there will be Teresa Teng’s singing. There is a bouquet of flowers on the table in the old house of the Deng family’s ancestral home, with the message “Jinge is always there”. The photos on the wall record the commemorative activities held by fans from all over the place to Dengtai Village.
Li Guimin, a “post-70s” from Xingtai, said that Teresa Teng’s singing voice is gentle and soothing, which makes people feel calm and warms many people. This is the first time she has entered Dengtai Village, “I just want to come and have a look.”
On the inner wall of the old house, there are calligraphy such as “When will you come again” and the family tree of the Deng family. The names of Teresa Teng and Deng Yufa all appear here.
Deng Yufa, 66, said that his grandfather and Teresa Teng’s grandfather are brothers. From blood, he is Teresa Teng’s younger brother, but it does not affect that he is also a fan of Teresa Teng. He said that everyone in the village is also willing to listen to his sister’s songs, and sometimes the trumpet will be played.
In 1995, Teresa Teng died of illness in Thailand, and her life was fixed at the age of 42. Behind the house of Deng Yufa’s family is the “Teresa Teng Memorial Room” which was donated by the Deng family in 1996. In the small courtyard, there are two trees of walnut and persimmon. At this time, the persimmons are just blooming, and the walnut trees are bearing fruit.
“Butterfly” has been in existence for 28 years, and fans all over the world will commemorate her regularly. And Dengtai Village has welcomed batches of fans over the years. “When the number was the largest, there were tens of thousands of people.” Deng Yufa said, there were Chinese, there were Japanese… When someone introduced him as Teresa Teng’s younger brother, at that moment “I felt very proud.”
Teresa Teng, who publicly stated “I am a celebrity in Hebei” many times in concerts, failed to return to the mainland during her lifetime. In 2010, Teresa Teng’s third brother, Deng Changfu, revealed in an exclusive interview with China News Agency in Taipei that failing to go to the mainland was one of Teresa Teng’s three major regrets.
Deng Yufa said that more than ten years ago, Deng Changfu also returned to Dengtai Village, full of emotion. “Before he left, he took some soil from his ancestral home and brought it back to Taiwan.” (End)
