Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia

Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia

Actress and writer

Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia was born in Taipei and scouted by a film producer in 1972 after she finished high school and was preparing for university. She made her movie debut in 1973, starring in Outside the Window (窗外). Subsequently, she joined Chiung Yao's company and gained recognition for her roles in romantic films based on the novels by Chiung. Lin won the Best Actress award at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival for her role as a girl scout in Eight Hundred Heroes (八百壮士) (1976). In 1990, she won a Best Actress trophy at the 27th Golden Horse Awards for her depiction of a Chinese female writer who fell in love with a Japanese collaborator in Red Dust (滚滚红尘) (1990). At the height of her popularity, Lin was one of the most sought-after actresses in the Chinese film industry. She starred in more than 100 movies and was credited for boosting Taiwan's film production in the 1970s before earning even greater popularity in Hong Kong in the 1990s, becoming a legend of her time.

Pictured in my house when I was 19 or 20. The big fat cappuccino sofa is behind me.

Brigitte Lin: My heart and soul belongs to Taipei

Recalling her days in Taiwan, Brigitte goes on a vivid journey down memory lane that’s as winding as the streets and alleys she dreams about.
Chiang Ching (left) and Brigitte Lin atop Wuyi Mountain. (Photo: Brigitte Lin)

Women of stories: Chiang Ching and Brigitte Lin

As the saying goes, “It’s not where you go, but who you go with.” Chiang Ching and I toured many places of interest, witnessing the full glory of the mountains and waters on our adventure to mainland China. We did many things we’ve never dreamt of doing and it was a really enriching trip. But, the most important thing was the company I had with me.