A dearth of quality television script's in Taiwan has ended in the past two years with the emergence of three outstanding women writers, Hsia Mei-hua, Yu Li-jen and Wang Pi-chun. By bringing in themes of social interest expounded in a clear and creative way, these scriptwriters have managed to uplift the standards of local television drama.

A favorite setting for television series has always been the classical period of ancient China, with its chivalrous adventures calling for lavish costumes and make-up. One such drama series, entitled Chiou Shui Chang Tien (literally: Autumn Water, Endless Sky) received wide public acclaim for its realism and authentic dialogue, and won four Golden Bell awards at a recent TV festival. One of the awards, for scriptwriting, brought wider recognition to Hsia Mei-hua.

Hsia has enjoyed writing since she was a child, and during her high school years, she often sent short stories to literary magazines to earn pocket money for picnics and outings. Soon after she graduated from the Minchuan Girls' Commercial College in Taipei, Hsia married, and as a housewife, often found herself dissatisfied with the quality of television programs she watched. One day her husband told her: "Why don't you do something about it. . . if you think you can?" Hsia decided to accept the challenge, and enrolled in a scriptwriting class organized by a local television station. After graduating at the top of her class, Hsia sent a script to the Taiwan Television Enterprise, which was accepted, putting her on the way to becoming a professional scriptwriter.

Hsia recalled that at first, she wrote spontaneously whatever came into her head, and never considered the technical problems which directors, producers, and actors would face in interpreting her work. She soon discovered that as well as creativity, more technical qualities were required in a writer.

Now, realism is the hallmark of Hsia's scripts, as all her work is based on her experience of life. Because she now pays greater attention to everything she writes, her output is small.

She believes she has a responsibility to the public to produce thought-provoking and mature dramas about social problems.

Using the pen-name Yu Li-jen, Tso Ching-hua writes in a strong and direct style. Her interest in Chinese opera was cultivated at an early age by her parents who often took her to see performances. Her interest in drama inspired her to apply to the National Arts Institute after graduating from high school. There she learned a great deal about the technical aspects of drama, and came to realize that she was not suited to the acting career she at that time favored.

Her career in scriptwriting met with little success until she followed a friend's advice and sent a script to Tsai Jui-li, a producer at CTV, who advised her to concentrate on early Republican themes rather than contemporary ones. Yu took the advice, and eventually her work was presented on CTV, with Tsai as producer.

Few scriptwriters can match Yu's versatility in being at home writing classical or contemporary stories. This is partly the result of her early contact with classical Chinese opera.

Yu begins her story by selecting a theme and working around it. The details which fill out the story are as likely to be based on her imagination as on fact. In general, Yu's stories have a positive moral message, and she hopes they will have a beneficial effect on society.

Scriptwriting is Yu's hobby as well as her means of livelihood. "I try to avoid thinking of writing as just a job. If I only wrote to make money, it would bring me no pleasure at all. Although I must earn income, I will not accept any compromise in what I write."

For writer Wang Pi-chun, family life is most important of all and scriptwriting, she says "is my small contribution to society." Like any other housewife, Wang is always busy with domestic chores. Originally she wrote short stories, but during the past two years she has turned to scriptwriting.

The recently concluded drama series, "The Companion" has established Wang's reputation as a TV writer. The drama's outstanding characterization has won a wide public following.

At primary school, Wang's only good grades were in composition and art. She attributes this to her greater interest in play than study. Later, Wang majored in the drama department at the University of Chinese Culture. The scenic surroundings of the university campus inspired her creative writing, and she often contributed to literary journals. Wang has written hundreds of short stories in which a trend away from the vague earlier works to the current contemporary social dramas is apparent.

After graduating, Wang did not join her classmates in pursuing a career in drama, put instead opted for a family life. Coming from a broken family herself, Wang longed for a family of her own. She greatly appreciates the support her husband has given her in her scriptwriting career. He does not complain when the housework is occasionally neglected because of her rushing to meet deadlines.

[Picture Caption]

1. Hsia Mei-hua hopes that she will write more profound and mature scripts in the future. 2. Hsiao Fang-fang, lead actress in "Autumn Water, Endless Sky", drew Hsia's attention to the problem of continuity. 3. Hsia won a Golden Bell Award for writing "Autumn Water, Endless Sky."

1. Yu Li-jen's scripts all have a positive moral message. 2. One of Yu's scripts is based on a story about a prostitute. 3. Another of Yu's scripts concerns performing good deeds without expecting anything in return. 4. Wang Pi-chun and her family. 5. The series "The Companion" made Wang Pi-chun famous. 6.7. "The Companion" is about a triangular relationship among one man and two women.

Hsiao Fang-fang, lead actress in "Autumn Water, Endless Sky", drew Hsia's attention to the problem of continuity.

3. Hsia won a Golden Bell Award for writing "Autumn Water, Endless Sky.".

Yu Li-jen's scripts all have a positive moral message.

One of Yu's scripts is based on a story about a prostitute.

Another of Yu's scripts concerns performing good deeds without expecting anything in return.

Wang Pi-chun and her family.

5. The series "The Companion" made Wang Pi-chun famous.

"The Companion" is about a triangular relationship among one man and two women.

"The Companion" is about a triangular relationship among one man and two women.