Yu Tian Explained

Yu Tian should not be confused with Tian Yu.

Yu Tian
Native Name Lang:zh-tw
Honorific-Suffix:MLY
Office:Member of the Legislative Yuan
Term Start:21 March 2019
Term End:31 January 2024
Constituency:New Taipei 3
Predecessor:Gao Jyh-peng
Successor:Lee Kuen-chen
Term Start1:1 February 2008
Term End1:31 January 2012
Constituency1:New Taipei 3
Predecessor1:Chu Chun-hsiao
Successor1:Gai Jyh-peng
Birth Date:1947 2, df=yes
Birth Place:Hsinchu, Taiwan
Party:Democratic Progressive Party
Spouse:Lee Ya-ping
Children:3 (1 deceased)
Alma Mater:Chien-Hwa Junior High School
Occupation:Politician
Profession:Singer

Yu Tian (; born 18 February 1947), born Yu Tsing-yuan, is a Taiwanese politician and pop singer in Mandarin and Hokkien. A member of the Democratic Progressive Party, Yu currently serves as a member of the Legislative Yuan and previously held the same seat from 2008 to 2012.

Early life and education

Born in Hsinchu, Yu Tian graduated from .[1] [2]

Music career

Yu is best known for his 1977 release "Under the Banyan Tree", a Mandarin cover version of the Japanese song, and remained popular throughout the 1980s.[3] [4] In 2003, Yu founded the Taiwan Cultural Entertainment Development Association.[5] Four years later, he launched a Kaohsiung-based entertainment labor union.[6] Yu worked with Chthonic on the 2011 album Takasago Army and formally announced a return to the entertainment industry upon losing the 2012 legislative elections.[7] [8]

Political career

Within the Democratic Progressive Party, Yu Tian is allied with Yu Shyi-kun.[9] He is also known for his support of former president Chen Shui-bian.[10] [11] Yu ran for New Taipei 3 in 2008, and defeated Kuomintang incumbent Chu Chun-hsiao by approximately 2,000 votes.[12] Chu filed an unsuccessful lawsuit in an attempt to annul the election results.[13] A separate case was brought against Yu supporter Wang Ying-lan, who was charged with making threats to the opposition.[14] Wang was later released on bail.[15] In November 2008, Yu and other DPP politicians publicly protested Ma Ying-jeou's meeting with Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait Chairman Chen Yunlin.[16] The next year, Yu's DPP membership was suspended because he had failed to fulfill a fundraising quota.[17] In 2010, Yu was named to Tsai Ing-wen's New Taipei mayoral campaign team.[18]

Though there was speculation that Yu would not receive DPP backing in a reelection bid,[19] [20] Yu was listed fourteenth on the Democratic Progressive Party's proportional representation party list, and expected to win.[21] [22] During the campaign, Kuomintang politicians accused Yu and others of gambling, and in response, Yu charged them with defamation.[23]

The Taiwan Competitiveness Forum regarded Yu Tian as a controversial figure prior to the start of his first legislative term.[24] During his first term, Yu was ranked highly by the Citizen Congress Watch.[25] [26]

In 2018, Yu was the only candidate to run in elections for the DPP chapter leadership in New Taipei.[27] After Gao Jyh-peng was removed from office,[28] [29] Yu Tian was named the DPP candidate for by-elections held in March 2019. Yu won 56,888 votes, and defeated Kuomintang candidate as well as independent Su Ching-yen.[30] [31] Yu took office on 21 March 2019.[32] [33] Yu was reelected to a full term in 2020.[2]

Personal life

Yu is married to fellow entertainer .[34] Yu and Lee have two daughters, Yu Shiao-ping and,[3] [35] and one son, .[36] His family was the target of extortion by the Bamboo Union in 2005.[37]

Yu Tian's adopted younger brother was sentenced to death by Chinese authorities for attempting to smuggle heroin into the country in March 2005.[38] [39] [40]

Yu Tian's second daughter, Yu Yuan-chi, died with a late stage of rectal cancer at Taipei Veterans General Hospital on August 21, 2022, aged 39.[41] [42]

Notes and References

  1. News: Yu Tian (7) . 16 January 2023 . Legislative Yuan.
  2. News: Yu Tian (10) . 16 January 2023 . Legislative Yuan.
  3. News: Ng. Gwendolyn. Singer Yu Tian recovers in time for concert here. 30 January 2017. Straits Times. 4 November 2015.
  4. News: Ng. Gwendolyn. Singer Yu Tian remembers the late Frankie Kao. 30 January 2017. AsiaOne. 27 February 2014.
  5. News: Yiu. Cody. Group forms to promote entertainment industry. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 6 December 2006.
  6. News: Chang. Rich. Prosecutors have hard time nailing small-time gangs. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 26 September 2007.
  7. News: Lin. Chia-hung. Yu Tian returns to show business after failed bid. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 29 March 2012.
  8. News: CD reviews: Taiwan. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 25 September 2011.
  9. News: Su. Fang-ho. Yang. Chun-hui. Chin. Jonathan. Lai visits north, sets off rumors of mayoral run. 7 October 2016. 30 January 2017.
  10. News: Wang. Flora. DPP legislator draws fire for pro-Chen comment. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 3 October 2008.
  11. News: Hsu. Jenny W.. DPP legislators say Chen welcome to rejoin party. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 25 April 2009.
  12. News: KMT wins two-thirds majority. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 13 January 2008.
  13. News: Loa. Iok-sin. KMT legislator to file suit after losing to newcomer. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 18 January 2008.
  14. News: Lu. Maggie. Prosecutors indict campaign staffer. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 6 January 2008.
  15. News: Alleged gangster released. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 24 January 2008.
  16. News: Chang. Rich. Lu. Maggie. Loa. Iok-sin. Tensions mount in the capital. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 7 November 2008.
  17. News: Chang. Rich. Legislators fail to raise enough money, suspended. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 20 April 2009.
  18. News: Chao. Vincent Y.. Tsai appoints former rival. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 7 July 2010.
  19. News: Chao. Vincent Y.. Yu Tian supporters seek to sway roster. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 29 June 2011.
  20. News: Chao. Vincent Y.. DPP ready to finalize list of legislator-at-large hopefuls. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 27 June 2011.
  21. News: Shen sweeps Yu's steps. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 3 July 2011.
  22. News: Chao. Vincent Y.. DPP releases legislator-at-large roster. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 30 June 2011.
  23. News: Wang. Chris. DPP attorneys file lawsuits against three politicians. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 25 November 2011.
  24. News: Wang. Flora. Think tank survey lists 'unqualified' election candidates. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 3 January 2008.
  25. News: Wang. Flora. Citizen Congress Watch releases legislative report. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 8 March 2010.
  26. News: Wang. Flora. Watchdog releases report on legislature. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 21 July 2008.
  27. News: Ho. Yu-hua. Chin. Jonathan. DPP full of cliques, ex-legislator says after wife said party 'ruined' family. 28 May 2018. Taipei Times. 28 May 2018.
  28. News: Hsiao . Po-wen . Kao . Evelyn . DPP lawmaker sentenced to four years, six months for corruption . 17 March 2019 . 26 December 2018.
  29. News: Pan . Jason . Former DPP legislator Gao Jyh-peng hands himself in to begin prison term . 17 March 2019 . Taipei Times . 11 January 2019.
  30. News: DPP keeps seats, KMT loses one in by-elections . 17 March 2019 . Taipei Times . 17 March 2019.
  31. News: Lee . Hsin-Yin . DPP picks up 2 seats, KMT 1 in legislative by-elections (update) . 17 March 2019 . Central News Agency . 16 March 2019.
  32. News: Yu Tian (9) . 16 January 2023 . Legislative Yuan.
  33. News: Hsieh . Chun-lin . Chung . Jake . Winners of by-elections sworn in as legislators . 22 March 2019 . Taipei Times . 22 March 2019.
  34. News: Chao. Vincent Y.. Gaffe-prone DPP lawmaker sorry for Muslim comments. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 26 April 2011.
  35. News: Hirsch. Max. Yu Tian's daughter takes third place in mahjong tourney. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 19 June 2007.
  36. News: Chang. Rich. DPP legislator-elect says his son was victimized. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 21 January 2008.
  37. News: Chang. Rich. Gangsters arrested for extorting famed singers. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 24 June 2005.
  38. News: Chang. Rich. Singer Yu's brother put to death. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 27 June 2005.
  39. News: Singer's brother not dead. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 30 June 2005.
  40. News: Yu Fu-hsing may be alive. 30 January 2017. Taipei Times. 28 June 2005.
  41. News: Taiwanese entertainment icon Yu Tian's 2nd daughter dies . Taiwan News . August 21, 2022.
  42. News: Wang . Hsin-yu . Wang . Hung-kuo . Kao . Evelyn . Yu Yuan-chi, daughter of singer-turned-legislator Yu Tian, dies age 39 . 16 January 2023 . Central News Agency . 22 August 2022.