Taiwan actress Chen Meifeng, 67, is hailed as the island’s “most beautiful obasan” for her many classic roles as a mother in television dramas.
Obasan means “auntie” in Japanese and the term’s transliteration is widely used in Taiwan.
The star recently posted on Facebook that she was grateful to her foster sister, whom she stayed with for a time when she was in secondary school.
She said her sister continues to care about her and still sends her things, such as her favourite apples.
Chen also revealed that she had been abandoned by her birth parents.
Born in Keelung in northern Taiwan to dockyard workers, Chen’s family had migrated to Taiwan from eastern China’s Zhejiang province.
As the fourth child and third daughter of the family, she was unwanted by her parents, who preferred boys.
They gave her away to their neighbour, the Chen family, when she was seven months old.
Her adoptive parents, who also worked as dockers, divorced when she was in primary school, and her adoptive father sent her to a foster family, where she met the sister she thanked in the post.
She later went back to live with her adoptive mother, helping with her noodle stall and doing her homework there.
The star said what she misses most since becoming famous are the noodles her adoptive mother used to make.
The much-loved actress, who began playing mother roles from the age of 35, said her foster mother’s kind and diligent qualities were an inspiration.
After leaving secondary school, Chen’s first job was as a bank clerk, then in 1977 she won a beauty contest.
She attracted attention with her dark suntan, which was unusual at a time when lighter skin was considered beautiful.
She went on to become an actress and played lead roles in many classic Taiwan television dramas, such as The World Road (2002), Love (2006) and Golden Years (2021).
Her motherly characters were so impressive that she was given the nickname “Taiwan’s most beautiful obasan” by renowned Taiwan chat show host, Chang Hsiao-yen.
Chen’s other nickname is bimajo, a Japanese phrase which means “ageless beauty” because people often think she looks half her age.
The star said she learned wisdom from her foster father who gave her advice, such as: “Always buy a property first after making money.”
The first flat she bought was a gift for her foster father. She now owns several properties in Taiwan worth a total of NT$500 million (US$15 million).
Ironically, despite being known for her many roles playing a mother, Chen does not have children.
