Summary:

It details the life and death of Qiong Yao, a highly influential Chinese romance novelist and screenwriter. It highlights her prolific career, spanning novels, films, and television dramas, and her immense impact on popular culture, particularly in shaping the romance genre. The text also explores Qiong Yao's personal life, focusing on her three near-death experiences and her two marriages, emphasizing the parallels between her life and the themes in her works. Finally, it discusses her death and her final message, emphasizing her wish for a peaceful passing and encouraging others to persevere through life's challenges.

Dominating the Romance Genre:

瓊瑤's impact on the Chinese literary and entertainment landscape is undeniable. Her prolific career spanned decades, producing 65 novels, 15 movie scripts, and 25 TV drama scripts, with over 50 films adapted from her works.

• Widespread Popularity: The article emphasizes the pervasive reach of her work, stating, "There is a saying that has been circulating for a long time: 'Where there are Chinese people, there is Qiong Yao.'" This highlights the extent of her influence across geographical and generational boundaries.


• Commercial Success and Enduring Legacy: 瓊瑤 is credited with artistic success and establishing a successful "industry" around romantic storytelling. Her works achieved phenomenal commercial success, exemplified by the 1998 TV series "還珠格格" ("My Fair Princess") which boasted an average viewership rating of 45% - a figure surpassed only by the Chinese New Year Gala that year.


• Launching Stars and Shaping Industry Standards: 瓊瑤's impact extends beyond her work. She is recognized for launching the careers of numerous prominent actors and actresses, including 林青霞 (Brigitte Lin), 劉雪華 (Leung Sau-wah), and 林心如 (Ruby Lin). Furthermore, 瓊瑤 is credited with pioneering a standardized approach to romance drama production, encompassing writing, casting, and filming techniques.

Life Mirroring Art: A Personal Journey Marked by Love and Death:

The article delves into the personal life of 瓊瑤, highlighting the cyclical presence of love and death.

• Three Brushes with Death: 瓊瑤's life was punctuated by three near-death experiences, starting at the tender age of six when her family attempted suicide amidst wartime hardship. Two subsequent suicide attempts stemmed from academic pressures and a forbidden love affair with her married teacher, 蒋仁. These experiences profoundly impacted her worldview and likely influenced the themes explored in her writing.


• Two Defining Marriages: 瓊瑤's personal life mirrors the passionate romances depicted in her novels. Her first marriage to 慶筠, a fellow aspiring writer, crumbled under financial strain and the contrasting trajectories of their writing careers. Her second marriage to 平鑫涛, her publisher and a married man at the time, ignited public controversy and solidified her reputation as a champion of love despite societal norms. This relationship, marked by an extended wait for 平鑫涛's divorce and later, his prolonged illness, deeply shaped 瓊瑤's life and informed her perspective on love, commitment, and mortality.


• A Deliberate Final Chapter: In her later years, 瓊瑤 openly expressed her views on death and dying, advocating for death with dignity. She detailed her end-of-life wishes, refusing medical intervention and expressing a desire to "transform into snowflakes" upon death. This echoes her earlier sentiment: "I hope that when I am alive, I will be like a spark, and when I die, I will be like a snowflake." This consistent outlook reveals a life thoughtfully considered and lived on her terms.

Public Perception and the Legacy of a Controversial Figure:

The article acknowledges the polarized reception of 瓊瑤's work. While immensely popular, her novels and dramas often attracted criticism for their melodramatic plots and romanticized portrayal of love triangles and extramarital affairs.

• "Black Fan" Phenomenon: 瓊瑤 is described as the "originator of the 'black fan' phenomenon," indicating a strong contingent of detractors alongside her devoted fanbase. Her works evoked strong reactions, sparking debates about romantic ideals and societal norms.


• Living and Dying on Her Terms: Despite controversy, 瓊瑤 remained steadfast in her beliefs and lived life according to her philosophy. Her deliberate choice of death, refusing life-prolonging medical intervention, exemplifies her commitment to autonomy and reinforces her agency over her narrative.

If you need the source document for the conversation, please let me know in the comments section.