CHENGDU, June 17 (WSH) — Peter Chen, the legendary Chinese-language songwriter widely hailed as the “Godfather of Taiwanese Pop Music,” passed away peacefully on the morning of June 14, 2025, in Chengdu, China. He was 82 years old. His family released an official obituary on June 17, confirming the news.
Born in Chengdu in 1943 and raised in a military dependents’ village in Taiwan, Chen—originally named Chen Xiaoyin—was a pioneering figure in Mandarin pop music. A self-taught guitarist and one of Taiwan’s earliest male pop singers, he was also a prolific composer and producer.
Throughout his career, Chen wrote nearly a thousand songs, including some of the most beloved hits in the Mandarin-speaking world. His iconic works include “Yi Jian Mei” (A Spray of Plum Blossoms), “The Outcome Without Words,” “Alibaba,” “Late,” “A Road,” and “Several Times the Sunset Turns Red.” Many singers—such as Fei Yu-ching, Teresa Teng, Liu Wen-cheng, Fong Fei-fei, Kao Ling-feng, and Ling Feng—rose to fame performing his compositions, earning him a reputation for creating “hit songs that make stars.”
The obituary reads:
“This eternal dream-chaser of Chinese music once measured life with ‘A Road’ and questioned time with ‘Green Jade Table: Lantern Festival Night.’ His melodies, engraved in our blood, reflect his devotion to art and are his deepest gratitude to all who truly listened. Though the music ends, we remain. Dearest father, follow the starlit melodies on your journey ahead.”
Chen’s musical influence persisted into his later years. He appeared on shows like The Voice of China and performed theme songs such as “Remember Me” for film and television.
His death marks the end of a defining era in Mandarin pop. Yet his music, full of emotion, life, and poetic resonance, will continue to inspire generations to come.
