Taiwanese actress Tang Lan-hua has opened up about her past marriage to businessman Ying Jiadong.
In a recent interview with Hong Kong media personality Wong Man-ling, Tang, 72, shared why she decided to step away at the peak of her career in the 1970s to marry Ying, whom she had been dating for seven years.
“Back in my era, a woman’s biggest dream was to marry, have children and be a good wife and mother. That was my only goal. When I finally met the right person, I thought it was finally time for me to tie the knot,” she said.
Tang, whose real name is Yurunana Danivu, married Ying in 1976. The former couple share a son.
Reports suggest that during their marriage, Ying’s business collapsed, and he not only depleted Tang’s savings but also racked up significant debts, amounting to millions.
Determined to shoulder the financial burden, Tang returned to the spotlight, heading to Hong Kong and taking on numerous jobs across South-East Asia.
In doing so, she sacrificed much of her time with her young son, missing out on precious moments of his childhood.
“The debt was over NT$20mil, which would've been almost NT$100mil (RM13.9mil) today. I couldn’t pay it all back, no matter how hard I sang or acted. I repaid as much as I could, but in the end, it wasn’t enough,” she lamented.
The marriage eventually ended in divorce in 1982.
Despite the circumstances, Tang shared that she has long forgiven her ex-husband, adding that she doesn’t hold on to resentment.
“Holding on to grudges only harms yourself. It weighs on your emotions and affects your mood. In the end, your health will pay the price. That’s why you need to let go,” she said.
Tang made her acting debut in the 1969 film Love Is Over. Throughout her career, she has starred in movies like The Last Duel (1971), Love In The Storm (1973), Haze In The Sunset (1973) and more.
