From the description Mr. Chen Sheng-Fu that gave us and the history of the Ming Hwa Yuan, we get to know more about the founder of the Ming Hua Yuan－Chen Ming-ji. After considerable discussion and revision, we include the life of Mr. Chen Ming-ji and the process of how he founded the Ming Hwa Yuan in this section.
Chen Ming Ji was born into a poor family in 1912. To help relieve the financial situation of his family, he began to work. He only received three years’ school education. At that time, he used to sell cold drinks near the stage. Since then, he was gradually fascinated by the Taiwanese Opera. At the age of thirteen, he sneaked out of his home and joined a Taiwanese Opera troupe. From then on, he had established an eternal bond with Taiwanese opera.
From a utility man in the beginning, then a leading actor, and eventually, a chief of one of the biggest Taiwanese Opera troupes in Taiwan, Chen Ming-ji was confronted with countless difficulties and frustration. No matter how harsh the situation become, he was always determined to pass down Taiwanese opera to the next generation. Thanks to his persistent determination, the Ming Hwa Yuan was able to tide over the suppression of Japanese colonization, the indifferent attitude of the KMT government, and the advent of televisions to become the top-notch Taiwanese opera group in Taiwan.

Chen Ming-ii joined New Colored Clouds troupe when he was thirteen and switched to He-Sheng troupe in the same year. Being nicknamed as ‘’ Big Silly Goose,’’ he played different roles such as a utility man and all kinds of supporting characters. However, it was until one time that the opportunity came across him. It all happened so suddenly when the popular young male lead of the drama Dan Guei Painting left without telling anybody. Seeing the opera might not be performed as scheduled, Chen Ming-ji was recommended to substitute for the male lead. This officially launched his unusual lifetime career. The chief of He-Sheng troupe passed away when Chen was eighteen. Later on, his fellow troupers and he together formed the Jin He Shing troupe. Young Mr. Chen was appointed as the chief of the troupe. AS time went by, Jin He Shing troupe was dismissed by Japanese government. The next year, Chen founded Ming Shen Opera Troupe. A theater owner, Mr. Tsai Bing-hua own partnership of the troupe with Chen. Mr. Tsai wished Chen could include his name in the name of their troupe. Therefore, Chen renamed the opera troupe as Ming Hwa Opera Troupe, which was later known as the Ming Hwa Yuan Theater Troupe.
After Taiwan’s restoration, the Ming Hwa Theater Troupe could finally take a great stride toward the new era. Chen added another Chinese character, “Yuan（meaning garden in Chinese）” in the end of the troupe’s original name, to symbolize future prosperity of his troupe. Thus, the Ming Hwa Yuan Theater Troupe was born.

The Ming Hwa Yuan was no different from other Taiwanese Opera troupes. They all experienced the ups and downs of Taiwanese Opera. Sad to say, the Ming Hwa Opera Troupe was suppressed and persecuted during Japanese Occupation Period. Especially after the July Seventh Lugouqiao Incident in 1937, Japanese government began to implement Kominka Movement（assimilation policy）. Taiwanese Opera troupes were dismissed. If not, they had to present new operas, or better ones. However, Chen never gave up. He devoted more time to the opera group in the hope of make Taiwanese Opera thrive some day in the future. He dedicated himself to performing Taiwanese Opera as well as fulfilling the morals from the drama throughout his life. The morals not only cultivated his personality, but also could be used to educate the younger generations.
Chen kept reminding his troupers to not only deliver the morals in the drama, but also bear them in mind. The Ming Hwa Yuan need not preach audiences with disciplines, nor bombard audiences with slogans, because morals are already internalized in their drama and their personality. That’s the genuine spirit of Taiwanese Opera. Chen’s mottos reached down to everyone’s heart. Because of Chen’s enthusiasm and determinations, the Ming Hwa Yuan was able to survive through the difficult times, ushering in the heydays of Taiwanese Opera during the 1940s and 1950s.

In 1979, Chen passed down the torch of the Ming Hwa Yuan to his third son－Chen Sheng-fu－the only one in the clan who doesn’t learn Taiwanese Opera. It was because Chen Sheng-fu had been away from home working for a long time, which made Chen Sheng-fu capable of objectively providing the most up-to-date information to the Ming Hwa Yuan. His father believed that Chen Sheng-fu would be the person to pave a more promising path for the future.
Indeed, Chen Sheng-fu did not let his family down. In 1982, the Ming Hwa Yuan released the drama, Father & Son, which depicts an exotic romance and how an illegitimate son reunites with his father. This drama poignantly pointed out the contradiction and complexity between morals and human nature. Unlike other obsolete plots of Taiwanese Opera, this drama won championship of National Local Drama Contest, Best Group Acting Award, Best Director Award, and Best Male Lead Award. Since then, the Ming Hwa Yuan became a household name and was granted to perform in National Culture and Arts Festival.

From traditional Chinese perspective, it may be normal for Mr. Chen Ming-ji to pass down the troupe to his own son, Chen Sheng-fu.. While in the 21st century, it is almost impossible to find a family who can sustain its family business for more than three generations, not to mention a family who run a Taiwanese Opera troupe that more than seventy members of it all wholeheartedly dedicate themselves into this business. The Ming Hwa Yuan’s contributions have changed people’s perspectives about Taiwanese Opera. New consensus has been reached between performers and audiences. Experts begin to notice this amazing traditional theatric form.
The Ming Hwa Yuan has gone through the difficult beginning phase under Japanese colonization, and started to robust with Taiwan’s boosting economy, while facing the challenges of other new types of entertainment and media, it is still there with us. Now with modern business management, the Ming Hwa Yuan is fully prepared to conquer the world with its fantastic performance. In 1993, Mr. Chen Ming-ji won the Life Achievement Award of Art honored by American Chinese Arts Association in New York. In 1996, Chen Ming-ji won Life Achievement Award of Art presented by Chinese Culture and Arts Association. Mr. Chen Ming-ji passed away in 1997 at eighty-six years of age. Looking back on his legendary career, we cannot help but salute him from the bottom of our hearts.