Yu Tian

Not to be confused with Tian Yu.

Yu Tian
MLY
余天
Official portrait, 2008
National Policy Adviser to the President
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 August 2024
PresidentLai Ching-te
Member of the Legislative Yuan
In office
21 March 2019 – 31 January 2024
Preceded byGao Jyh-peng
Succeeded byLee Kuen-chen
ConstituencyNew Taipei 3
In office
1 February 2008 – 31 January 2012
Preceded byChu Chun-hsiao
Succeeded byGao Jyh-peng
ConstituencyNew Taipei 3
3rd Head of the New Taipei Branch of
the Democratic Progressive Party
In office
1 June 2016 – 10 July 2020
ChairpersonTsai Ing-wen
Lin Yu-chang (acting)
Cho Jung-tai
Preceded byLo Chih-cheng
Succeeded byHo Po-wen
Personal details
Born (1947-02-18) 18 February 1947 (age 77)
Hsinchu, Taiwan
Political partyDemocratic Progressive Party
SpouseLee Ya-ping
Children3 (1 deceased)
EducationChien-Hwa Junior High School
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionSinger

Yu Tian (Chinese: 余天; pinyin: Yú Tiān; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Û Thian; born 18 February 1947), born Yu Tsing-yuan (Chinese: 余清源; pinyin: Yú Qīngyuán; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Û Chheng-goân), 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

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Born in Hsinchu, Yu Tian graduated from Hsinchu Chien Hua Junior High School [zh].[1][2]

Music career

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Yu is best known for his 1977 release "Under the Banyan Tree", a Mandarin cover version of the Japanese song Kitaguni no haru [ja], 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

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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 Cheng Shih-wei [zh] 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

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Yu is married to fellow entertainer Lee Ya-ping [zh].[34] Yu and Lee have two daughters, Yu Shiao-ping and Yu Yuan-chi [zh],[3][35] and one son, Ken Yu [zh].[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]

References

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