Taiwan Today

Times have changed, even in supposedly conservative, slow-changing China. Not so long ago, Chinese girls stayed home, found their husbands through matchmakers, and hesitated to expose more than a little finger embracing a teacup.

This year, 134 Chinese girls entered a Taipei beauty contest. One hundred and one of them fought it out—revealingly clad in playsuits and chipao—for three Miss China titles and the right 10 compete in international pageants at Miami, Long Beach, and London. This was the fourth Miss China contest, and winners are expected to do well, as have their predecessors. Chinese girls have finished among the finalists in several of the inter­national competitions since 1960.

The three Misses China 1964 are Lona Yu, 20, Philippina Chao, 23, and Linda Lin, 22. Miss Yu went to the Miss Universe con­test at Miami in late July. Miss Chao will participate in the Miss International competi­tion at Long Beach in August and Miss Lin in the Miss World event at London in November.

At the invitation of the Dominican Re­public, Miss Suzie Tien, one of three runners-up in the Miss China contest, will represent China at the Miss World pageant at Santo Domingo from August 4-9.

Sponsored by the Space Mass Communication Corporation, the Miss China pageant of 1964 attracted 131 local girls and three from overseas—two from Thailand and one from the Philippines.

Size of the entry list indicates new under­standing of the contemporary scene on the part of conservative Chinese, who have considered it a breach of decorum for women to display their physical attributes in public. Seven of the 134 were college graduates and 61 had at­tended college. The rest were high school graduates or students. Screening was rigid. Aspirants had to be:

1. From respectable families.

2. Unmarried and with formal education.

3. In good health and attractive.

4. Over 18 years old.

5. Of good manners and poise.

6. Articulate in conversation and capable of coping with minor social situations.

7. Possessed of one or more skills or talents representative of Chinese culture.

More Than Models

The Miss China Selection Committee wanted to make sure its choices were unofficial ambassadors of goodwill and not mere fashion models.

The contest was held from July 2 through 7 at the China Sports and Culture Center, a new circular stadium seating 15,000. One hundred and one girls had been certified for the actual competition. Even in the prelimi­naries, which ran three days, crowds exceeded 10,000.

Forty-five beauties went into the semi-finals July 6, and these were reduced to 15 for the finals July 7.

Criteria of judgment were confidential. It was said that figure accounted for 50 per cent, beauty of face 20 per cent, and manners, gait, and everything else the remaining 30 per cent.

The 15 finalists were Philippina Chao, Lona Yu, Linda Lin, Suzie Tien, Chu Chih­-jung, Chen Ping-ju, Huang Yen, Mimi Tu, Chou Sha-ping, Cheng Ching-ning, Celia Su, Kuo Chung-chih, Mona Wang, Liu Ying, and Liu Chin-ying. Six had competed in previous contests.

Each girl made three appearances—one in chipao, the Chinese national dress, one in playsuit, and one in Western evening dress. To the accompaniment of a concert orchestra, smiling contestants paraded, whirled, and curtsied on the big red-carpeted ramp, each trying to charm judges and audience.

The scene was an Arabian Night's spectacle to the audience but an ordeal to the contestants. Under the dazzling lights, maneuvering before the critical eyes of the judges, many aspirants showed signs of stage fright. Nights were hot and the kleigs didn't help.

In the semi-finals, the contestants made three-minute speeches on what they wanted to be. Judges were able to rate the girls for originality and manner of presentation.

Finalists answered two questions put by the master of ceremonies. One girl was asked:

"Suppose you were in a room with a boy friend. What would you do if the lights went out?"

"Well," she said, "I would ask him to fix them at once. If he said he couldn't, I would take him for a walk."

Another finalist was asked, "When talk­ing about the achievements of Taiwan in a foreign country, what would you say first?" The answer was: "Why, of course, the suc­cessful land reform program and freedom in Taiwan."

After all this came the judges turn to perspire. The visiting Vienna Academy Chorus sang several songs, and the audience then resumed its impatient waiting.

Winners were announced in reverse order. When names of the three Misses China were revealed, thunderous applause and cheers drowned out the fanfare of trumpets.

Runners-up were Misses Suzie Tien, Chen Ping-ju, and Chu Chih-jung, sharing second place. They were followed by Miss Huang Yen, third, Miss Mimi Tu, fourth, and Miss Chou Sha-ping, fifth. Sixth place was shared by the remaining six finalists. Runners-up are alternates for the internation­al contests.

Taiwan-Born Beauty

The three Misses China were crowned by Helen Liu, Annie Fang, and Roxana Chiang, the queens of 1962. No contest was held in 1963. They congratulated the winners, helped them to don their coronation robes and tiaras, and handed them their scepter of office.

Miss Philippina Chao is a native of Hupeh province in central China and recently was a stewardess for Civil Air Transport. A graduate of the Taichung Providence School, she speaks fluent English and Japanese in addition to her native Mandarin.

Miss Chao was first runner-up in 1961 and 1962. She stands 5 feet 5, weighs 110 pounds, and has measurements of 34-23-35.

From Antung province in Manchuria, Miss Lona Yu is a tall beauty 5 feet 6 and weighs 116 pounds. She is a freshman at the Tamkang College of Arts and Sciences and works part-time in the Bureau of Personnel, Ministry of National Defense.

Lona was the second runner-up in 1962. Her measurements are 35-22-35.

Miss Linda Lin, 22, is a typical Oriental beauty from Taichung county of Taiwan province. She stands 5 feet 4½, weighs 110 pounds, and was graduated from the Taichung Home Economics School.

Miss Lin is the only Taiwan-born girl to win a crown since Miss Janet Lin in 1960. All the other winners have been mainland­-born.

Miss Suzie Tien, 22, is from Anhwei province in central China. A political science junior at National Taiwan University, she moderates the TV Courtroom program of the Taiwan Television Corporation every Mon­day. She also works part-time for the Police Broadcasting Corporation.

Miss Tien stands 5 feet 4, weighs 114 pounds, and measures 35-22-35.

In addition to their tiaras, Philippina and Lona receive NT$30,000 (US$750) and Linda NT$40,000 (US$1,000), the larger amount because of higher expenses in London. Other prizes include clothes, makeup, pocket money of US$100, and round-trip plane tickets to Miami, Long Beach, and London. All finalists received cash prizes and other awards.

The Miss China contest first was held in 1960. Miss Janet Lin competed in the Long Beach pageant that year.

In 1961, Misses Dolly Ma and Lily Wang were finalists at Long Beach and Miami and Miss Grace Li was a runner-up in London.

In 1962, Miss Helen Liu went to Miami, Miss Annie Fang to Long Beach, and Miss Roxana Chiang to London. Annie entered the semi-finals and Helen was fourth.

Misses China 1964: (top, from left) Lona Yu, Philippina Chao, and Linda Lin just after their coronation. In the preliminaries, the spotlight was on 101 girls in their evening finery (bottom).

Fifteen made the finals and are seen (top) in playsuits. Philippina Chou in playsuit and evening dress shows form and charm that won for her.

This was the "Manchurian candidate," and obviously good enough to finish among the top three. Lona Yu, who is a Manchurian in fact, will represent Chinese femininity at Miami. The 1964 Miss China contest proved that no province has a monopoly on beauty, because the winners were from north and central China and the lovely isle of Taiwan.

At the mike is Suzie Tien, one of the runners-up, who will go to Santo Domingo. At the right is the pert Linda Lin, born in Taiwan, who is going to London.