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Home>Service> Awardees of Fervent Global Love of Lives Award> 25th Fervent Global Love of Lives Award 2022> Charity Queen Singer - Zan, Ya-Wen
Charity Queen Singer—Zan,Ya-Wen
[singing with love · beautiful singing from beautiful heart ]
 
I have been taking charity volunteer as my main business and singers as my sideline. Everyone buying my concert ticket and album is to help me to support every vulnerable family and child.
- Zan, Ya-Wen
 
From a record worker to the "Jiang Hui" of the night market and then to the charity queen singer
Zan Ya Wen was diagnosed with the incurable Parkinson's disease in March 2021. Although she suffered a lot from it, she still didn't stop to devote herself to public welfare for more than 30 years and care for adopted children and vulnerable families all the time. For example, on April 2, 2021, when the derailment of the Taroko express caused 49 deaths and 247 minor injuries, Zan Ya Wen donated NT $1 million in time as she always did. She saved the suffering in person and encourage all those in distress, using her influence to call for more people to use their own strength to help others at the first time.
Zan, Ya-Wen often says, "when you give your love devotionally and see people smile, really! Everything is worth it. "
Zan Ya Wen has gone through a rough growth path as the eldest daughter of a poor worker before breaking into the singing world to earn a living; In 1980, she and her sister Zhan Yayun made their debut in the night market as cherry blossom sisters. In 1991, she released her first unique enka-style solo album "it is you that break my heart" and sold it well; From becoming a singer halfway, having her singing career on the verge of failure, to personally creating "the road of life", she finally won the Golden Melody Award.
Zan Ya Wen walked out of the dark ebb of illness, and then she started to arrange the aftermath - giving up first aid and organ donation, not setting up a mourning hall, not holding a farewell ceremony, donating all property, tree burial, making an appointment with fans of gardenia, she live broadcasts through the online community to spread positive energy, step by step with hope, challenges the limit, lives with hope, and sing to her perfection.
       The most commendable thing is that Zan, Ya-Wen has always taken charity as her main business, and singing career as a side business, and she has fought against every second to help so many disadvantaged families and children. She held the "Let's Escape Together" concert in the Taipei Arena for the fifth time on the Chrismas of 2021 with her illness. During the process, she vomited 6 times and had four trots  in the backstage. Holding back tears, she gathered all her strength and challenged the limit - singing more than 50 songs in more than 3 hours, a way to salute to her lifelong idol Anita Mui who married herself to the stage - living your dream till the last moment.
Zan, Ya-Wen has been charitable volunteers as her main business and even made her singing career as a side business. She has gone through the bumpy road as a poor girl, turned into a popular musician, and even challenged the incurable Parkinson's disease. She has never forgotten her original intention of helping the disadvantaged, and every second counts and challenges every limit, live with hope, sing to perfection, sing with love, and stimulate the positive energy of life with beautiful songs from beauty heart, winning herself the title of the "charity queen singer" and standing out from 2954 candidates for the 25th Fervent Global Love of Lives Award in 2022 of Chou Ta-kuan cultural and educational foundation recommended by all walks of life around the world.
We always welcome all circles around the world to recommend life warriors that are hard-working, loving, courageous and with achievements. (recommendation line of Chou Ta-kuan cultural and educational foundation's  Fervent Global Love of Lives Award​: 886-2-29178770, Fax: 886-2-29178768, Address: 3F., No.52, Mingde Rd., Xindian Dist., New Taipei City 231, Taiwan (R.O.C.), Website: http://www.ta.org.tw, e-mail: ta88ms17@gmail.com ).
 
Going through the bumpy growth path as a poor worker's eldest daughter
Zan, Ya-Wen (formerly named Zan, Shu-zhen) was born on March 2, 1967 in a worker family in Yuanlin, Changhua. Her father, Zan, Jin-yu, and her mother, Yan, Chun-mei, were both rattan weaving workers. After giving birth to their eldest daughter, Zan, Ya-Wen, they also gave birth to her sister, Zan, Ya-Yun (formerly named Zan, Shu-Mei), who is a year younger than her and her younger brother Zan, Zhi-chang, who is four years younger than her. Although rattan weaving requires craftsmanship, the income in the 1970s was still meager. When Zan, Ya-Wen was four years old, her father, went to another rattan weaving factory and the family had to moved. They went to Xitun District, Taichung City, but the income still did not improve, and the family lived in a rented house.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: we rented the house because it was very cheap. It was originally a chicken house, and then made into a dormintory built with bricks. In addition to eating, sleeping, and doing homework on the bed, we had to do crafts on the bed too.
Her father Zan, Jin-yu said: I remember earning about NT$3,000 including overtime fee a month. At that time, if I worked for other people, the payment was about NT$25 to NT$30 a day.
Zan, Ya-Wen's parents have to work day and night shifts in the rattan weaving factory. As the eldest daughter, Zan, Ya-Wen had learned to help with cooking and care for the family when she was only six or seven years old. In the spare time she also had to do crafts works with her younger sister to supplement the family.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: at that time, rattan mats were exported to Japan. After weaving, you had to sew the side boundary. The rattan mats had to be made very thin, so it was as sharp as a knife. My hand was cut all the time and I had to stick paste on them. One day, my mother took my hand and said: you have to work so hard with those ruined hands in elementary school. I don't know if you will blame me for this in the future.
Born in a poor family, Zan Ya Wen has developed a brave and independent personality, but she can't give enough consideration to her schoolwork, let alone tutoring. She can only speak Taiwanese and was often punished because she can't understand her lessons taught in Mandarin, her schoolwork was not done well and sometimes she even couldn't finish her homework.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: My hands were hit so hard by the teacher that I couldn't hold a bowl or chopsticks. When I came home, my parents said: why you not be more serious about your homework and finish it. I retorted that you didn't study either and never be able to teach us. I didn't know anything so that I couldn't write my homework. My dad said: it's not their fault that they cannot read. But a pen is heavier than a hoe, dad also thinks he's useless.
Because they can't afford a TV at home, Zan, Ya-Wen's and her sister and brother often went to the landlord's house next door to watch TV. It was inevitable for the kids to have quarrel with the landlord's children, which led to the dissatisfaction of the landlord. Their parents were worried that they will be asked to move, so the three of the were not allowed to go there. For this reason, they also bought a second-hand guitar. Every evening during cartoon time, they taught their children to sing to kill time, and accidentally cultivate the foundation of the sisters' singing career.
Zan Ya Wen's father Zan, Jin-Yu said: I bought a second-hand guitar for 200 TWD. I learned some music score and when I come back I learned to sing by myself. While I played, they sang. The first song we sang together is "walking thousands of miles for you" (lead singer Guo Jinfa) la so la do re do me re do la so me.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: When my father wanted to teach songs, the time was the most struggling time for us. Because I wanted to watch cartoons, the landlord next door was watching cartoons. The sound was so attractive, and my heart gone with it.
The family lived frugally. A few years later, when Zan, Ya-Wen enter the junior high school, Zan, Jin-Yu planned to use all the savings together with some funds from the private loan to buy a house for the family, but he was betrayed by his friends and owed more than 400,000 TWD debt instead.
Yan, Chun-Mei, Zan, Ya-Wen's mother, said: we worked overtime to earn less than 20000 TWD a month. The debt was more than 40,000 TWD a month. Others were very happy to get paid but we were not. We borrowed money from relatives and friends every month.
The sudden blow plunged the whole family into melancholy. At this time, Zan, Ya-Wen heard from her sister Zan, Ya-Yun that a singing competition was being held at the nearby temple fair, with rich prizes. The two sisters immediately signed up for it secretly without telling their parents.
Zan, Ya-Yun said: I couldn't understand the prelude at that time. Not until the musician played it several times and kept telling me to sing that I realized I should begin.
Zan, Ya-Wen recalled: but I finished singing and went down even before the prelude completed. I said I wanted the soap and I went back after I took it. I was as simple as that. I didn't know it was called singing, I just wanted to get a soap as the reward.
Her sister Zan, Ya-Yun won the championship successfully. Her singing was also highly praised by the judges and they offered to teach her in singing. But Zan, Ya-Wen, who studied with her sister, was later rejected by the teacher, saying that she had no talent for singing, which greatly hit her.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: My father said that we had no money to teach our children to sing. I still couldn't understand what the teacher said. It turned out that the teacher told my parents that I was not suitable for singing, but my sister could. I felt sad and frustrated, and left the singing class and started to practice myself in the stairwell of the school. I didn't know what pronunciation was, so I just hummed  the most difficult songs. At that time, there were Japanese enka songs and puppet shows' songs, after practicing for a few years like this, I found that one day I caught a skill, and I finally could make vibrato and portamento.
In 1982, when Zan, Ya-Wen graduated from middle school, her parents were under the pressure of debt, and even once asked her to give up her studies and work as a female worker in a factory to make money.
The teacher came to my home and said that the child needed to be educated. My father said that I had no money for her to study, and the family was short of money. She needed to help by earning money. She was the eldest daughter and she had to accept her fate. I didn't know what was fate, I just knew that I was innocent.
Make a living for a family. take the turn into the music world
In order to take into account both family finances and studies, Zan, Ya-Wen chose the mechanical drawing department of the Xinmin Industry and Bussiness night school, and started a part-time work-study life. In addition to working in the factory during the day, because her parents were also did cleaning works, she was asked to help post and distribute leaflets in the middle of the night.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: It was dawn and the breakfast shop opened, and the smell of soy milk was so good. I asked my mother, can I have a cup of soy milk? My mother said it was a waste of money, let's we went home to cook porridge with the leftovers, and don’t buy that cup of soy milk. My tears fell down all the way home, thinking that I went to work at 8 o’clock in the daytime and got off work at 5 o’clock, and then went to class, and post advertisement in the middle of the night, but I can't even afford a cup of soy milk.
Lack of sleep for a long time was really unbearable for a growing girl. Later, Zan, Ya-Wen often fainted in the middle of class, and she became famous throughout the school for this.
Xin, Mei-Zhu, a friend of Zan, Ya-Wen in the vocational school, said: "In the middle of the class, Zan, Ya-Wen's face will turn white, and she will not ask for help until she collapsed,everyone was panicking and did not know what should we do.  What should we do? We had to take her to the hospital as soon as possible, but we were on the fifth floor and there was no way to carry her down alone, so we had to pull down the curtains of the school and use it as an ambulance blanket, put her directly on it, and escorted her to the doctor by several persons, Zan, Ya-Wen became famous throughout the school by this.
After a long period of physical and mental suffering, Zan, Ya-Wen began to seek religious sustenance and came into contact with Buddhist thought when she was at the stage of higher vocational education.
Xin, Mei-Zhu said: When the class was over, she would gather a bunch of people, and started teaching the Dharma, and many people listened to her with only a little understanding about Buddhism. She expressed herself more attentively with everyone listened to her in confusion like ducks listening to thunder.
In 1985, Zan Ya Wen graduated from Xinmin Industry and Bussiness school. She did not choose the career of mechanical drawing, but applied to be a nurse in the obstetrics and gynecology clinic, handling registration, injections and delivery.
Two years later, in 1987, her younger sister also graduated from the accounting department of the Xinmin Industry and Bussiness. and just started working in a Chinese medicine clinic. At this time, Lai, Qing-mu, a former singing teacher, just set up Yali Records and needed singers and remembered this pair of sisters who had never been in contact for seven years.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: Lai, Qing-Mu, the founder of Yali Records, said that he is now opening a record company and urgently needs singers. Maybe you and your sister could come back and have a try. What he wanted at that time is my sister, not me. He thought I can’t sing, but he asked me to try anyway as an audition. And when he listened to my singing, he said, oh so you could sing indeed, then maybe you and your sister could work together as a girls group called Cherry Blossom Sisters.
At that time, these two sisters sang some old Taiwanese songs and adapted songs with the flavor of Japanese enka. They named themselves Cherry Blossom Sister for this reason naturally. Because of the songs had the characteristics of Japanese enka, they had an agreement with the record company. First, they didn't sign a contract, second, there should be no advertisement, and third, they didn't want to have their photos on the cover.
In 1988, the Cherry Blossom Sisters made their debut. At the beginning, they specialized in covering old songs in Mandarin and Taiwanese. With the hot sales of records, three years after the debut, Zan, Ya-Wen also began to release her first album, "It is you that break my heart", which sold nearly one million copies. On average, she released four records a year and received a salary that helped the sisters to pay off the family debts in five years.
Because Zan Ya Wen believed in Buddhism, when she was 26 years old in 1993, she once planned to become a nun, but she made a vow to do good deeds as a volunteer, and began to participate in counseling the prisoners. After a long time, she became the first volunteer instructor and artist to be awarded the "Rehabilitation Ambassador" by the Ministry of Justice.
Zan Ya Wen became popular from the central and southern part of Taiwan. The Cherry Blossom Sisters made their debut and sold well in the night markets.
In 1988, although under the name of the cherry blossom sisters, these two sisters  made their debut. They was still worried that the singer's income was unstable. In the early stage, the two continued to make money in their respective clinic work. In particular, they made three rules with Yali Records and refused to make more exposure or sing for publicity.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: we think if there is no too much exposure, we can have a lot of other works. We think it was a very good thing! We never thought about being those singers that made a lot of money. We never thought about it. We just thought it was just a job and a extra salary. We were just "singing workers".
The signature song of the Cherry Blossom Sisters, "sing for the hometown moon", was hummed all over the alley at that time:
 
Sing for the hometown moon
 
The golden and misty moon
Rises again tonight
Even the colorful neon light
is not lovely than the moon
I wish my mother could be the moon
with stars around to keep her company
Charming moonlight, so lovely
The moonlight warms the travelers
Those homesick persons get together
Sing for the hometown moon
 
On the 15th night of the month on a foreign land
The mid-autumn moon comes out　
I believe the moon in my hometown tonight
must be more lovely than the moon of the foreign land　
I wish my mother could be the moon
And I could see her in the hometown　
Charming moonlight, so lovely
The moonlight warms the travelers
Those homesick persons get together
Sing for the hometown moon
 
"Covering album of the Cherry Blossom Sisters" mostly covered old songs in Taiwanese and Mandarin at first. Later, Zan, Ya-Wen also adapted and released Japanese songs with her lyrics.
 
Such as the Flower Unnamed:
 
Fly, fly, fly
Butterflies and dragonflies fly into the sky
Bloom, bloom, bloom
Fragrant flowers unnamed
 
The south wind sends us a fragrance
From unnamed flowers in bloom
Does the wind know its name
and where it blooms
The fragrance is blowing all over the mountain
And for who you bloom in such way
I don't know whether it's red, white or green
It is just a fragrant flower unnamed
 
The beautiful youth is lost
It's impossible to go back to the past
One year after another
The time could never turn back and start from the beginning again
 
Zan, Ya-Wen did not sell her albums in large record stores, but only sold in the night markets. But the impressive chorus of these two sisters quickly conquered the fans of the middle and lower classes in the central and southern part of Taiwan.
Wang Caihua, a good friend of Zan, Ya-Wen, said: when I was at home, I often heard my father humming Ya-Wen's songs. And he saved money to buy her album.
Hong, Rong-Liang, the producer and a good friend of Zan, Ya-Wen, said: the most incredible thing is that these songs don't need publicity, you can hear them when you go to every taxi, every factory and every store. The voice of these two sisters can be close to an extent that is extremely harmonious but you can still recognize that they are the voices of two people, they just fit so well that I think it could be achieved by the same blood and DNA.
During the Cherry Blossom Sisters period, on average, more than four records were released a year, with sales of at least 100000 copies each. Piracy was rampant, but it also indirectly contributed to their momentum. In 1991, Zan, Ya-Wen also began to release her own album, with a unique singing style. The first album "it is you that break my heart" sold nearly one million copies.
 
The song It Is You That Break My Heart with Zan, Ya-Wen's lyrics became famous once released.
 
Open this old letter
saying that you've changed your mind
Sad, so sad
the relationship maintained for such a long time
has to be let go
there may be someone that is more affectionate than me
so that you no longer cherish my heart
and have no nostalgia for the past with deep affection
Ruthless, heartless
it is you that break my heart
 
Chen Weixiang (founder of Daxin records) said: Zan, Ya-Wen's singing charm could  be found nowhere in other Taiwanese singers, because she has a little taste of Japanese enka, and she can use it properly.
Zan, Ya-Wen wrote all the lyrics since her first solo album. At that time, the record company was small and had no enough money to buy songs and lyrics. Therefore, the boss encouraged Zan, Ya-Wen to try to write lyrics and music, which let her begin to show her creative talent.
 
So close to become a nun, Almost ruin the singing career, Work as a volunteer, Innovate to live
 
Although the salary is all given by the boss randomly, five years after the sisters debut, the debts of the Zan family have been paid off. In 1993, the 26-year-old Zan, Ya-Wen, because of her long-term exposure to Buddhism, had the idea of becoming a nun but was discovered by the parents at the last minute.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: I like to pray in the temples since I was a child. I think it is innate. At that time, when the fourth album was released, I already had a plan in my mind. After this album was released, I wanted to become a nun. I started taking Buddhist lessons.
Yan, Chun-Mei, Zan, Ya-Wen's mother, said: The boss of the record company called me and said that my daughter was going to become a nun. I was thunderstruck.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: My mother slapped me, In my memory, that was the hardest hit I ever got from my mother, I was completely dumbfounded. Her craziness at the time would make us so surprised and thought that we are getting into big trouble.
Under the objection of her family, Zan, Ya-Wen gave up her plan to become a nun, but this slap also almost interrupted her acting career.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: I went to the ENT department and found out that the eardrum on one side of mine was torn, but I didn't let my family know. The doctor said that the hole was too big and had to be repaired. I didn't try to repair it either. At a certain angle, a certain point, all I can here is only a boom. For musicians, it is a very serious matter, almost means I have no way to sing.
The ruptured eardrum impacted her singing career, and her repentance hurt her parents' hearts, having realizing this, Zan, Ya-Wen decided to practice buddhism at home, made a wish to the Bodhisattva to make up for her faults by doing good deeds. She went to the hospital to visit patients with terminal cancer, and then began to help prisoners, spending more and more time to volunteer work.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: The debts were paid off, and the family life became stable. I thought it was good enough. I also thought singing was not the path I really want, and the entertainment industry was not what I want to pursue. I should put the work aside and to give more to others, I should quit the music career. So I started volunteering without releasing a film in a few years.
After working as a volunteer for one or two years, Zan, Ya-Wen received a call from Zhuang, Wen-Ping, the founder of Taichung radio station, saying "I want to invite you to talk about the charity on my program". I was so happy and thought the Bodhisattva was so compassionate that it finally guided me to a right path by giving me a job that I really liked.
Through the airwave, one after another letter coming from various prisons sharing the stories of prisoners became the signature program of the radio station at that time, with the name of laugh through every day of life.
She can enlighten everyone who have any concerns when listening to the program. She spends about three days a week to host the program and three days to go to prison to give classes to the prisoners, chat with them and encourage them.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: there are a lot of prisoners, and you can't reply all those letters. You will find that there are so many different stories of life. Behind the prisoners, there are so many things to explore, orphans, elderly people living alone,etc., are all extended issue from the prisoners.
Fortunately, the damaged eardrum, which was judged impossible to heal itself, miraculously recovered two years later.
Before long, Chen Weixiang, the then chairman of Daxin Records, came to Zan, Ya-Wen and invited her to return to the singing industry. At that time, several record companies were inviting her to join them, but Mr. Chen was different from other bosses. Zan, Ya-Wen was really overwhelmed by his invitation. Once Zan, Ya-Wen was going to be on the radio once he called, Zan, Ya-Wen said: sorry, I am now going for the radio program, and he said, "say yes immediately and I'll hang up right away." This had been going on for a long time, for almost more than a month. Until one day, Zan, Ya-Wen said OK, OK, let's go for it.
In 2003, Zan Ya Wen agreed to join Daxin and used her work "homesick people", which was created by her previous contact with the prisoners, as the main song of her debut album.
 
This song is a song to persuade prodigal children, "homesick people":
 
Ah ~ like calling from my mother ~
Giving up the name given by parents
and being called prodigals for all the reckless deeds
for meaningless win and lose of brotherhood, and gamble for love
which never come to you when you come down in the world
 
Homesick people with sorrow and grief
Shed their tears all the time
Please, the moon of hometown
Light up the way home
Remind the lost prodigal
on a foreign land
 
Go down along the dark road as usual
People in the wild are prodigals
Concerned by parents and cared by the loved one
This kind of life is always so happy
 
Homesick people with sorrow and grief
shed their tears all the time
Please, the moon of hometown
Light up the way home
Remind the lost child
on a foreign land
 
Zan, Ya-Wen's other song "old father" (lyrics by Zheng Jinyi and Chen Weixiang) on the same album also caused great influence.
 
The narrative of this song:
If you are moved by this song, please call your old father.
 
Sitting alone outside, that's my father
Lonely is the guest of him, the past memory is his cup of tea
I don't know if you receive the message I asked the moon to send to you
Talking about you, I can't help to miss all big and small details of my home
 
What is left on Dad's face is the price that he pay for our family
A pair of hands, a pair of shoes, step by step, lead us through all those years
 
Dad has never really enjoyed any luxury all his lifetime.
There is no other chance if we don't treat him well, because one has only one dad
 
Lying alone in a room, that's my father
Solicitude is his quilt, I wish to reduce the weight for him
I don't know if my mother receives the message I asked the star to send to her
Saying that I will be good and please take good care of my dad
 
Inside dad's body, flows the same bloodline of our family
A sprig of grass, a little dew, produce a generation after another
 
Dad's life is walking towards its end
There is no other chance if we don't treat him well, because one has only one dad
 
Because Dad is the precious you could not buy even with all the money
Zan, Ya-Wen said: As soon as I read the lyrics of "Old Father", I cried, thinking that my father's life, thinking about it, he never really enjoyed much. I believe this is what many parents are really like.
"Homesick People" sold more than 300,000 copies in just half a year. Chen Weixiang claimed to have spent 43 million to promote the album, and got all the returns within half a year. At this stage, Zan, Ya-Wen changed her insistence on never doing publicity in the past and even willing to cooperate with TV announcements.
Zan, Ya-Wen said: Someone said that you are not good-looking and a little vulgar, so you are not confident. In fact, I have to be honest, I am very confident. I never thought I was ugly. I used to think that the safer I was, the more comfortable I would be, the more ordinary I was, the better. But I thought about it later, Mr. Chen was right, he forced me to face the mass media, slowly I realized that it is a power. When I got more exposure, what I did in the prison would become smoother. Later, when I went to the prison, I was not alone, many fans followed, too.
Zan, Ya-Wen's care for the prisoners made her the first volunteer educator and artist to be awarded the "Rehabilitation Ambassador" by the Ministry of Justice. She even went to visit a sick mother of one prisoner she had never met before. After the prisoner found out, he was so moved and decided to correct himself. After his release from prison, he also met Zan, Ya-Wen on a show happily.
It was on December 3, 2004, Zan, Ya-Wen appeared on the "Shou Xing Da Fa" program of the FTV. The host asked her to see who was behind her. It was You Zhenqi, who had once been tutored by her, and asked her to visit his mother.
During the period of Daxin Records, Zan, Ya-Wen's momentum was even more bullish. A total of five albums were released, and almost each of them achieved good sales results. They even claimed to have broken one million copies including pirated copies, and each album income also exceeded one million even without the sales volume dividends. The popularity of her was chasing after Jiang Hui, Huang Yiling and other Taiwanese queen singers, winning her the honor of "Jiang Hui of the Night Market  - Queen in the South".
Zan, Ya-Wen's singing career has become more and more prosperous after joining Daxin Records. Each time she was paid, plus sales dividends, the amount was quite considerable. Although her love life had called an end in 2006 In 2008 when she drew a break for her 8-years marriage. But then, she became independent in her singing career, and she was more courageous in management and creation. In 2008, she won the first Golden Song Award of Taiwanese song after 20 years since her debut. Since then, Zan, Ya-Wen has combined public welfare, volunteering, and singing careers together, and has been known as the "Charity Queen Singer".
 
Create the road and peaks of life
Zan, Ya-Wen, who believes that she never win by appearance, has rare romantic rumors since her debut. Until 1998, when Zan, Ya-Wen was 31 years old, she married the MV director who had worked with her for four years.
After marriage, the two lived apart for a long time in Taipei and Taichung respectively due to works. In addition, their common interests also went apart further and further. The marriage lasted for 8 years and ended in 2007. Since then, Zan Ya Wen has talked little about it.
Zan Ya Wen said: "Single Enka" is a song that I have never dared to sing, not even practice it, I hope that I can be a wise woman some day.
Divorce, coupled with the loss in her singing career, Zan, Ya-Wen decided to temporarily let go of everything to wander and relax, and accidentally fell in love with the humanities and beauty of Penghu.
 
"Love Song of Penghu"
Narrative: At the age of eighteen, I saw you off from here to Taiwan, both of us with wet and red eyes
　　　
　　　A drop of tear weighs a pound, leaving marks on the ground
 
The coast where the south wind blows, the seabirds accompany the fishing boats
The sea water flowing from Taiwan, do you bring me any message from him
Cool ocean flavor, full of enthusiasm and humaneness, the dream with expectation are not lonely
 
The sunset of Xiyu, the bustling Magong fair, when will the one left his hometown came back here again
Penghu, the name of the hometown, the name of the beautiful hometown
 
The coast where the northeast wind blows, the wind gets colder after the Mid-Autumn Festival
The white cloud floating over from Taiwan, do you bring me any message from him
The warm tiles, the wall of the old cobalt stone, if having someone to wait for then I will not feel lonely
 
The white sand in the dusk, the sound of the sea surging in Fenggui, when will the one left his hometown came back here again
Penghu, the name of the hometown, the name of the beautiful hometown
 
Since 2007, Zan, Ya-Wen has successively bought lands to grow vegetables naturalized and built houses in Penghu.
 
Just in the sound of the waves in Pengbai, Zan Ya Wen decided to set up her own studio. In 2007, she created and released: the first album in her life, "The Road of Life", which was truly made according to her own mind:
 
Walking alone and quietly, towards an unknown future
The moon along the road secretly shines on this innocent figure
Remind me secretly to be careful of the trip ahead
Loneliness is the name of a foreign land and my companion
 
The road of life goes straight, and the success is only a section in it
The capital of a foreigner is hard work, and ambition is the only backing
The road of life goes straight, and the right part is only a section in it
A man knows his share but doesn't admit his fate. Be calm to lose and win even being laughed by others
 
People on the way walk with concerns, toward a future they are going to catch.
The street lamps along the road secretly shine on the faint figure
Remind me secretly to be careful of the trip ahead
Loneliness is the name of a foreign land and my companion
 
The road of life goes straight, and the success is only a section in it
The capital of a foreigner is hard work, and ambition is the only backing
The road of life goes straight, and the right part is only a section in it
Regardless of success or failure, whether win or lose, you deserve an round of applause
 
Zan, Ya-Wen said: I met some prisoners whom I had inspired and tutored in the past, kids who were ignorant before, but now they do the recycle since he was released from prison. He said, although I have made mistakes in the past, I have listened too much to my friends and have my life's script written by them, but now I have to write the script of my life by myself and walk on my own way.
Zan, Ya-Wen won the golden award at the end of 2008 after making her debut for 20 years. She shed her tears when speaking to her parents: as the worker's daughter, I am not losing heart. Like the thunder on earth, Zan, Ya-Wen is announced the winner of the Golden Song Award!
Zan, Ya-Wen were noticed by the Golden Songs Awards. She was shortlisted for the 19th Golden Songs Awards in 2008 and won the award at one stroke. This is the first time she has won the award of best Taiwanese female singer in her 20 years of career.
Zan Ya Wen said: It was really my name being called at that time, I opened my mouth, and it was really. When I came to the stage, I only had one thing in mind, that is, my parents. Here I would like to tell my parents: You once told me, as some one from working class, you have to work hard all the time. As the daughter of a worker family! I didn't let you down today! ! !
Since 2007, Zan, Ya-Wen has held concerts one after another to interact more directly and closely with fans.
Zan, Ya-Wen's friend and producer Hong, Rong-liang said: The most classic is that every encore time will evolve into an uncontrollable situation, that is, everyone wants to propose a song. Once she walks into the auditorium and mingles with the audience, you will feel that she is just like a friend of these people. Every one of these fans know well about her songs, and they sing along with each song. When Zan, Ya-Wen cries or smiles during singing, the audience will also cry and smile together.
Zan Ya Wen said: If there is no story to used for the album, I will regulate myself and will not release the album in hurry, now many fans are asking: When will the next album come out? I said I don't know, I don't know when am I going to write songs? I don't know, I need to have a moving point, I need to have a real case.
 
"An Unloved Woman":
The middle of the day, the sun is scorching
No shoes on her feet except some plastic bags
Never change her dirty and ragged clothe
 
On the chair in the park at midnight
She rest in the dark quietly
Who is she? is she someone's mother
The dark rain is getting heavier
The faint street light
shines on her body, wrapped in plastic bags
 
Every warm alms
is a care and love
She is unwilling to throw any of them away because they are commemorations
 
I heard that she is really unlucky in her life
Her parent named her the unwanted child
 
After getting married, she raised her son with all good intentions
but her son does not support her back when she gets old
 
Who's mother is she, an unloved mother
There are so many people with the same name but not the same fate
 
The silent cry is so wailsome
Without friends or children, who are you waiting for?
 
Who's mother is she, an unloved mother
without friends or children, who are you waiting for?
 
Zan Ya Wen wrote this song of life called "unloved woman", about a homeless grandma who lives alone, she is wandering on the street, in a rural place in Changhua. She carries a bunch of plastic bags every day, and people ask her, what are you doing with these bags, they are used, it's rubbish.
 
But the grandma's answer to the reporter was: "Every bag contains my gratitude towards people who gave it to me. This bag may be cold, and this bag may be hot, so she is grateful. When asked her if she had any children or juniors, she said yes, they are filial! That's it, nothing more.
 
Zan Ya Wen also has many songs about normal people's life, such as "Auntie":
 
With the dismal environment and sorrow in mind, there is no one to complain with
The world depends so much on money, and human relations in reality makes one's heart chilling
 
Thinking of the child, fighting desperately for the money even being looked down upon by others
When the child grew up, she is abandoned, auntie, what a poor person
 
Life wakes up as an empty dream, the beautiful youth is yesterday
The years give you wrinkles and grey hairs, the dyed petals no longer have the fragrance
 
Thinking about the child, she just can't let go of everything, and now she has to taken care of the grandson
Raised a child and end up hopelessly, auntie, what a poor person
 
With the dismal environment and sorrow in mind, there is no one to complain with
The world depends so much on money, and human relations in reality makes one's heart chilling
 
Thinking of the children, fighting desperately for the money even being looked down upon by others
When the children grew up, they abandoned here, auntie, what a poor person you are
"Auntie", although also a song about family affection, is a different type. She has been a streetwalker since she was young, and she is still a streetwalker even when she is a grandma right now, because she has to raise the child of her daughter. No one took care of her but it doesn't matter, she has to take care of a grandson. Zan, Ya-Wen has never really write a song for her father since she could write songs.
 
Zan, Ya-Wen later wrote a song "Dearest One". The tune of this song is very calm and plain, but when she actually sang it, Zan, Ya-Wen's heart was turbulent:
 
Ever since I was a child, you have been beaten me most, I suspect that I am not your own child
Ever since I was a child, you scolded me the most, I think you've never loved me for once
 
Slowly, I grow up and realize that your scold words are caring
You love me from the bottom of your heart, secretly encourage me, but is always so strict to me
 
You have been working until getting old, I think that it was because you can't be idle
Only after seeing your grey hair did I realized how unfilial I am.
 
Each of Zan, Ya-Wen's self- composed lyrics is about real life, straightforward and simple but also moving.
Zan Ya Wen said: I only realized when I got older that I have never sang this song well including the recording, which I was not satisfied with either. Not to mention singing it live. So many past comes to me.
 
Suffering from Parkinson's Disease‧Insist on singing with love
While praying for everyone's health, Zan, Ya-Wen is in constant poor condition herself.
In 2014, she first found to have a tumor in her throat. In 2018, she could not secrete saliva. She often had asthma and fainted unexpectedly. She took more than 40 medicines a day, lost 8kg in early 2021 due to loss of appetite, and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in March. She was so shocked that she "thought God was joking with me".
Zan, Ya-Wen's friend and producer Xu, Chang-de, said: "In fact, when Zan, Ya-Wen told me about this, it's been half a year later. She has been checked her shaking hands all the time. But it was only a suspicion. After she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease recently, she started taking new medicines, and she lost a lot of weight. She was not sleeping well ever since, but now it is more serious, coupled with malnutrition, she almost vomited right after eating.
Zan, Ya-Wen called for a full stop to the album, focused on treatment and recuperation, and even posted a message to remind herself that she should slow down, learn not to be afraid a new way of life, and cherish what she has now.
Zan, Ya-Wen, at the bottom of her life, wrote and sang "Blessings to Each Other" by herself:
 
Destiny ~ is really confusing, sometimes it's sweet, sometimes it's bitter
Don't complain! Don't be jealous, life is good for the time being!
 
Don't ask me if I'm okay. Let's sincerely bless each other
Live your life seriously and live with an good attitude
 
Don't ask how are you? I know you will be happy
I wish you peace and happiness
 
Zan, Ya-Wen is always grateful to all walks of life, and also emotionally described that: the treatment of Parkinson's disease is like climbing a mountain, with hard work and hope, she insists on being a female working-class singer who does not accept fate.
 
From head to toe, from childhood to adulthood, Zan, Ya-Wen's life is full of storie that challenge the limits of life. She has never forgotten her original intention to practice public welfare and charity, and she has written one song after another with her true feeling. She insist on never giving up and continuing to sing with love: "The Negative Film" for everyone's life:
 
The negative film of life captures the fate of a lifetime
A thin photo album records the journey of our life
Colored, or black and white, without parting the beauty and ugliness
Cry and laugh, all saved together
 
A journey could be short or long, far or near
The scenery along the way is sometimes sunny and sometimes cloudy
Beautiful sunrise climb up the mountain
Step by step into the colorful twilight
A limited number of negatives, a wonderful roll
 
Happiness has no map, bridges and roads to unfold destiny
A thin photo album records the journey of our life
Colored, or black and white, without parting the beauty and ugliness
Cry and laugh, all saved together
 
A journey could be short or long, far or near
The scenery along the way is sometimes sunny and sometimes cloudy
The bumpy road is not left by others
The good and the bad are all part of life
The negative films of life, a wonderful roll
 
Everyone also has a "North Star" to guide one's life:
 
The North Pole star guides the route, the light and shadow of hope in the dark
Life has gone all the way to this point, what's the surprise if there is some bitterness
 
I don't dare to dream a great fortune, I work hard just to earn a living
Hope for this is not greedy
Dreams grow out of the soil, only when cross this obstacle with perseverance will you win
 
The north star is covered by clouds in the cold winter, and light will gradually emerge from the shadow
Life has gone all the way to this point, what's the surprise if there is some bitterness
 
I don't dare to dream a great fortune, I work hard just to earn a living
Hope for this is not greedy.
Dreams grow out of the soil, only when cross this obstacle with perseverance will you win
 
 
Everyone should also have a self-healing "Happiness Allergy":
 
A love should be able to last for a long time
It takes a long time to see through a person who you are familiar with
Happiness! if you are allergic to me, then just leave
Don't talk about romance, don't talk about love, don't hesitate to stay
 
Being forthright outside but crying inside
Cut the hair short, no long hair special for anyone
A tough smile to hypnotize myself
The scars will heal, and will not be disturbed by those ruthless
 
An over-sensitive heart is useless
A person could be smart for the time being but not for ever
Happiness! if you are allergic to me, then just leave
Don't talk about romance, don't talk about love, don't hesitate to stay
 
On December 25, 2021, on Christmas Eve, Zan, Ya-Wen held the "Let's Escape Together" concert at the Taipei Arena, which kept the whole Taiwan up at night. As soon as the concert kicked off, Zan, Ya-Wen, together with her sister Zan, Ya-Yun, performed in a limited-edition kimono for the Christmas edition as the Cherry Blossom Sisters. In the loud applause, they sang "The Sound of Clogs", "Hardworking man", "Song of the Heart", etc. With more than 50 songs about real life, they sang goodbye to the haze, sang for the hope and fullness. When they said they wanted to find a new name for "Cherry Blossom Sisters", the fans proposed the name "Taiwanese Sisters", Zan, Ya-Wen was so happy and said: "Wow! That is so great."
In short, Zan Ya Wen's singing this time is by no means to say goodbye, but to give herself a new start, using it as her debut, inviting everyone to jump across all the entanglements in life, and encouraging all those who encounter setbacks to insist on never giving up, never taking other people's homework as your own, love life and live up to infinite possibilities.