Taipei Honors Golden Wedding Anniversaries in Celebration of International Day of Families
Today, the Taipei City Government held a Golden Wedding Anniversary Celebration at the Regent Taipei, honoring 50 couples who have been married for over 50 years, including three couples who have celebrated more than 70 years of marriage. The event was filled with joy and happiness as family members of all ages gathered to witness the remarkable milestone of their elders. The ceremony was strategically scheduled on the eve of the United Nations’ International Day of Families on May 15, aiming to promote family values through this celebration. The event also coincided with Mother’s Day (May 16), and Deputy Mayor Yi-Hua Lin, in her speech, congratulated the golden anniversary couples and expressed gratitude to all mothers for their hard work. She commended the couples for their dedication to their families and their contributions to society. Family: The Cornerstone of Societal Support The stories of golden wedding couples demonstrate that true happiness is hard-earned. While falling in love is easy when young, sharing a life for over half a century, through both joys and hardships while bearing the responsibilities of family life, is the ultimate test of commitment. These couples have shown steadfastness and selflessness, overcoming life’s challenges and infusing their families with love and strength. This nurturing environment has allowed their children to grow up healthily and contribute to society, passing on values to the next generation. Golden wedding couples exemplify that a stable partnership and strong family bonds are crucial for a functional family unit. Families play an indispensable role in personal growth and societal support. Beyond providing emotional support, family relationships enhance social cohesion, facilitate the transmission of values, and contribute to societal development. In the context of an aging population and declining birth rates, the caregiving function of families is increasingly important. Both the division of household responsibilities and emotional support among family members energizes the society and acts- as a strong foundation for social development. In addition to organizing the recognition ceremony, the Taipei City Government also arranged for family portraits to be taken to promote intergenerational interaction within families. Through this event, the government hopes to inspire young people to look up to golden wedding couples, cultivate the values of a happy family, and be brave in starting their own families, thereby contributing to social stability and development. Compilation of Taipei City 2024 Golden Wedding Anniversary Recognition: Notable Couples Story Highlight Stage Number District/Names of Couple (Age) Years Married Story Description Conjugal Harmony 73 Years of Marriage A Family Celebrating Their Platinum Wedding Anniversary 1 Da’an District/ Chiu-He Tu (95) Shou-Mei Tu-Hsieh (92) 73 Mr. Tu and Ms. Hsieh were introduced and married through a blind date arranged by their elders. After marriage, they worked diligently together to build a life. Mr. Tu deeply appreciates his wife’s hard work in taking care of the family. They have one son and four daughters, all of whom are now successful in their careers. They also have two paternal grandchildren and seven maternal grandchildren. Their happy and prosperous family is the couple’s greatest joy. A Journey of Love: 70 Years of Marriage 2 Da’an District/ Ting-Yuan Liao (93) Li-Tsui Chang (93) 70 Mr. Liao and Ms. Chang were married in 1954 in Shigang, Taichung. Mr. Liao worked at a hydroelectric power plant with Taipower, while Ms. Zhang worked in an elementary school. Ms. Zhang followed her husband through three job relocations across different counties. Despite their busy work lives, she diligently cared for the family, for which Mr. Liao is immensely grateful. After retiring, they traveled to many countries, including Japan, mainland China, Europe, Canada, the United States, Korea, and Southeast Asia. They now enjoy a happy life with a large family of children and grandchildren and hope to remain healthy and joyful. Wedding Blessings from the Armored Corps Club 6 Da’an District/ San-Min Yu (91) Yu-Sung Wang (83) 61 Mr. Yu, while serving in the military, met Ms. Wang during a summer training program for overseas Chinese students in Korea. After five years of correspondence, they developed a deep understanding of each other and eventually got engaged. Their wedding was grandly held in 1963 at the Armored Corps Club in Taichung, garnering significant media attention and coverage and becoming a celebrated story. The couple has one daughter, one son, and four granddaughters. Family gatherings during Lunar New Year and birthdays are lively events. Besides managing their family life, the couple has been devoted to serving the country and society. Mr. Yu expressed having received the national defense “Wu-Wang-Zai-Ju” model award, was recognized as an outstanding alumnus of the R.O.C. Military Academy and I-Ning High School, and was awarded 15 medals and 2 Order of Loyalty and Diligence medals. Ms. Wang has also been honored with several model mother awards, including from Da’an District and the Taipei City Veterans Association. Love Story of a Tutor and the Landlord’s Daughter 9 Songshan District/ Yen-Ching Chang (87) Mei-Chou Chang-Lin (80) 59 Mr. Chang’s daughter shared her parents’ love story, stating that their romance began when her father moved to Taichung to study and became the tutor for the landlord’s eldest daughter, who would later become her mother. Over time, their affection grew. After graduating, her father joined the military. Every time he had leave, he would travel straight from Hsinchu to Taichung to alleviate the longing between them. The four children in the family have witnessed the strong bond between their parents. Despite nearly sixty years of marriage, they have never quarreled and the couple continued to show mutual understanding and support towards each other. Currently, the family is blessed with a 107-year-old grandmother, who plays a crucial role in upholding family harmony and virtues. With four generations living under one roof, they enjoy a happy and harmonious life. They wish for their parents’ enduring love to continue, aiming to celebrate a century of romance together. Fearless Amidst Floods: Providing Relief for Loved Ones 18 Datong District Chen-Hsiung Wen (83) Chin-Shao Wen-Huang (78) 54 Mr. Wen fondly recalls the love story with his wife, which began with a mutual acquaintance and blossomed into a relationship. During the 1959 Flood, he bravely crossed dangerous waters to deliver supplies to Ms. Huang, a gesture that likely touched her heart and marked the beginning of their journey together in marriage. After tying the knot, the couple embarked on a joint venture, working tirelessly to build their wholesale business before eventually realizing their dream of owning their own storefront. The couple also devoted themselves to community service, holding various positions in the neighborhood. Their happy family includes five children and nine grandchildren. Over the past 50 years, Mr. Wen firmly believes that mutual respect, admiration, and tolerance between spouses are the secrets to long-lasting love. He expresses profound gratitude to his wife for her unwavering companionship in nurturing a fulfilling family life and pursuing their endeavors together. The Code of Fate Between Two People 21 Da’an District/ Sung-Chi Lin (80) Li-Hua Cheng (80) 53 In pursuit of a better marriage, Mr. Lin worked hard to get into university and was accepted through the Senior Civil Service Examination. After stabilizing his work and personal life, he gained the approval of Ms. Chang’s parents, and the two of them began their lives in Taipei. After an eight-year courtship, the couple tied the knot and were blessed with three children, all of whom pursued Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in the United States, which reflects their exemplary parenting. Mr. Lin also served as a university lecturer for over 20 years, nurturing talents and making outstanding contributions. He expresses deep gratitude to his wife for her tireless dedication to household affairs, which has led to a happy family and the health and happiness of all family members. Furthermore, Mr. Lin sweetly reveals that the number 3 appears eight times in both of their birthdays, symbolizing the code of fate between them. It signifies that as a married couple, they are blessed with a lifetime of happiness, destined to be together forever. A Love Stronger than Gold: 50 Songshan District/ Chun-I Lin (73) Hsiu-Feng Kuo (70) 51 Ms. Kuo reminisces about the hundreds of days she spent in a long courtship with Mr. Lin, overcoming parental objections, until finally, their love triumphed and they became a family. Reflecting on her journey from being the youngest daughter in her family to becoming the eldest daughter-in-law of a large extended family, from managing rural agricultural affairs to urban business ventures, Ms. Kuo credits her ability to navigate life’s ups and downs to the mutual support she shares with her husband. With their lives now stable and their children settled into their own families and careers, Ms. Kuo currently serves as a village chief for four terms, while Mr. Lin serves as the chairman of the Decorative Arts and Framing Professional Union. Balancing family and work responsibilities, the couple takes pride in their ability to engage in community service and interact with their neighbors, which is one of their greatest sources of pride. Brothers Celebrate Golden Wedding Anniversaries Together 57 56 Nangang District/ Chi-Yuan Liang (78) Man-Hung Lin (73) Chi-Ming Liang (76) Shu-Mei Yang (75) 50 Mr. Chi-Yuan Liang recalls meeting Ms. Man-Hung Lin through a blind date and immediately falling in love with her. With similar educational backgrounds, they admired each other’s dedication to academia and romantic outlook on life. Within a month of knowing each other, they got engaged and tied the knot six months later. Their wedding coincided with the celebration of their younger brother and sister-in-law’s (Mr. Chi-Ming Liang and Ms. Shu-Mei Yang) wedding banquet. This year, both couples celebrate their golden wedding anniversaries together! Mr. Chi-Yuan emotionally expresses gratitude for the mutual support they’ve provided each other throughout their married life. He believes their relationship has strengthened because they respect and appreciate each other’s strengths. He still sees his wife as the same sincere, kind, beautiful, and lovely woman he fell in love with in his youth. Additionally, Mr. Chi-Ming Liang and Ms. Shu-Mei Yang’s marriage is also harmonious and fulfilling. Despite having contrasting personalities, they complement each other perfectly. In their day-to-day life, Mr. Chi-Ming arranges meals for his wife, who is not particular about food, and guides her when they are out as she has a poor sense of direction. They live harmoniously in their daily life, with each accommodating the other. However, in the field of biochemical research and development, their roles are reversed, with Ms. Shu-Mei Yang leading the way. Ms. Shu-Mei Yang was previously a researcher at the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center and a professor at National Taiwan University, while Mr. Chi-Ming was a specially appointed researcher at the Genomics Research Center of the Academia Sinica. Their shared hobby is biochemical research and development, which often sparks engaging conversations on related topics. A few years ago, Ms. Shu-Mei Yang suffered a minor stroke which caused some memory loss. Mr. Chi-Ming hopes that through the celebration of their golden wedding anniversary, his wife will be able to recall the beautiful memories of their 50 years together in the future.
Building Marital Happiness Together