Yu Chen Yueh-ying

Yu Chen Yueh-ying
余陳月瑛
Magistrate of Kaohsiung County
In office
20 December 1985 – 20 December 1993
Preceded byTsai Ming-yao
Succeeded byYu Cheng-hsien
Member of the Legislative Yuan
In office
1 February 1984 – 20 December 1985
Preceded byHuang Yu Hsiu-luan
ConstituencyKaohsiung
Personal details
Born(1926-09-02)2 September 1926
Takao Prefecture, Taiwan, Empire of Japan (today Yancheng District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan)
Died26 May 2014(2014-05-26) (aged 87)
Niaosong, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
NationalityEmpire of Japan (1926–1945)
Republic of China (1945–2014)
Political partyDemocratic Progressive Party
ChildrenYu Lin-ya, Yu Jane-daw, Yu Cheng-hsien

Yu Chen Yueh-ying (Chinese: 余陳月瑛; pinyin: Yú Chén Yuèyīng; 2 September 1926 – 26 May 2014) was a Taiwanese politician, judge and matriarch of the Yu family, a political family who dominated politics in the former Kaohsiung County for more than thirty years.[1] (Kaohsiung County was merged with Kaohsiung City on December 25, 2010, to form a special municipality, Kaohsiung). Her six children include former Interior Minister Yu Cheng-hsien, who headed the ministry from 2002 to 2004.[2][3]

Early life

Chen Yueh-ying was the youngest of eleven children born to factory owner Chen Tsai-hsing. She married Yu Jui-yen at the suggestion of a matchmaker.[4] Yu Chen's father-in-law, Yu Teng-fa, served as the Commissioner of Kaohsiung County from 1960 until 1963.[1]

Political career

In 1963, Yu Chen entered politics by running as a candidate for the Taiwan Provincial Council at the behest of Yu Teng-fa.[5] She served on the Provincial Council for four terms.[1]

In 1981, Yu Chen ran for Kaohsiung County magistrate, but lost by Tsai Ming-yao of the Kuomintang (KMT) by just over 3,000 votes.[1][2][3] She was elected to the Legislative Yuan in 1982.[1][2] In 1985, Yu Chen ran for Kaohsiung County commissioner a second time and defeated incumbent commissioner Tsai Ming-yao in a rematch.[1][2] She became the first female county commissioner in 1987, following the end of martial law in Taiwan.[2] Yu Chen served as county commissioner for two terms until 1993.[1]

Her son, Yu Cheng-hsien, succeeded her as Kaohsiung County Commissioner for two consecutive, four year terms.[1][2] He then served as Taiwan's Interior Minister from 2002 to 2004 as a member of Democratic Progressive Party.

Yu Chen was later named an adviser to President Chen Shui-bian.[6][7]

Death

She died at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Kaohsiung on May 26, 2014, at the age of 87.[1] Her funeral was held in the Yu family's hometown of Ciaotou District.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Yu Chen Yueh-ying dies". Taipei Times. 2014-05-27. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "End of a dynasty: Late Yu Chen Yueh-ying's legacy in Kaohsiung". China Times. 2014-05-27. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  3. ^ a b "Former Kaohsiung magistrate Yu Chen Yueh-ying dies at 87". China Times. 2014-05-27. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  4. ^ Su, Fu-nan; Chung, Jake (12 September 2015). "Yu Chen museum open to public". Taipei Times. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  5. ^ Han Cheung (27 November 2016). "Taiwan in Time: The accidental politician". Taipei Times. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  6. ^ Lin, Mei-chun (2002-02-22). "Democratic trailblazer's influence lives on". Taipei Times. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  7. ^ Liu, Roger (5 August 2003). "Yu: A contentious leader". Taipei Times. Retrieved 28 November 2016.