Taiwanese pop diva Elva Hsiao broke down as she paid her last respects to her late mother at the farewell ceremony two days ago.
Mdm Ye Shou Lin lost her fight with cervical cancer and passed away on New Year's Day.
The singer told reporters that she and her brother will work hard to make Mum proud.
At 11am on Monday, the wake held its final rites, before setting off for the venue of the farewell ceremony. En route, the procession stopped by their home to allow Mdm Ye one last look. Even with her brother holding on tightly to her hand, Elva broke down.
At 2pm, a video made by Elva and her brother was screened at the venue. It comprised family photos and footage of mum attending Elva's 30th birthday, after two years of battling cancer. Her song 'I Love You So Much' accompanied the clip. Many in the audience were moved to tears.
After the event, Elva made her way to the crematorium, and when her mum's casket was pushed into the furnace, she cried, "Mum, run!"
Taoist traditions believe that a recent deceased will visit family members in their dreams. Elva was previously affected that it did not happen to her, but on the eighth day of Mdm Ye's death, while taking a short nap, Elva dreamt seeing her mum and brother laughing in the hospital ward. Dramatically, her brother also dreamt of a scene similar to hers, with him talking to their mother.
Mdm Ye did not leave a will to her wealth, estimated to be in the billions. Elva's uncle and brother will run her mother's tech firm for now.
After the cremation, the singer thanked the public together with her brother, "We will work hard to repay her for everything, and make her smile from above."
Friends who attended the farewell ceremony include Jaycee Chan, Nicky Lee, Charles Chen (Blackie), Terri Kwan, JJ Lin and ex-boyfriend Jacky Chu.
Jacky, who dated Elva 10 years ago, said it broke his heart to see Elva so distraught.
He also revealed that when he was paying his respects to Mdm Ye, he finally answered a question she posed him a decade ago. But he did not give further details.
It is believed he promised the late Mdm Ye to take care of her daughter. Reports say that 10 years ago when the couple was still together, Mdm Ye had asked if he was willing to take care of Elva. The former member of Taiwanese group 183 Club hesitated, and sources said Mdm Ye was unhappy then.
Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:45 am
