Xia Guiying

Xia Guiying was born in 1958 and initially worked at Jiangling Farm. Later, she was admitted to the coal mine’s performing arts troupe, where she served as a solo singer. On August 8, 1969, she suddenly experienced intense abdominal pain during a performance and was hospitalized at Xiehe Hospital. Shortly afterward, she gave birth to a daughter, the renowned singer Faye Wong.

Among Xia Guiying’s family members, her husband was coal engineer Wang Yulin, whose workplace was at the coal mine. After the Cultural Revolution, he attended the “Five-Seven” Cadre Schools. Her father-in-law was Wang Zhaomin, formerly known as Wang Molin, who served as a legislator in the Nationalist Government’s Legislative Yuan and was an important figure in Chinese politics in the 1940s. Wang Zhaomin graduated from Peking University’s Chinese Department and was a classmate and friend of Taiwan writer Li Ao.

Xia Guiying had one daughter and one son. Her daughter is the famous Asian singer Faye Wong, and her son is named Wang Ge, a businessman known for being low-profile.

In September 1994, Xia Guiying was diagnosed with breast cancer. During this period, Faye Wong’s career was entering an important phase of development. Xia Guiying chose not to inform her daughter of her illness and underwent chemotherapy in secret. Several months later, the cancer recurred, and her condition worsened. She ultimately passed away in 1998. She was buried in Qingpu, Shanghai, where Wang Yulin selected a joint tomb for her, and a farewell ceremony was held.