Kao Chin Su-mei (; pinyin: Gāo Jīn Sùméi; born September 21, 1965), also known as Chin Su-mei, May Chin and Ciwas Ali, is a Taiwanese politician and retired actress and singer. She is of Manchu and Atayal descent, Ciwas Ali being her Atayal name.
In the 1980s and 1990s, she starred in many popular TV series and films, including Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet (1993). She also released several Mandopop albums. She retired from showbiz in 1999 following her diagnosis of liver cancer which she recovered from.
Chin was elected into the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in December 2001, and re-elected in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020, all in the Highland Aborigines electoral district. Representing the Non-Partisan Solidarity Union, she is currently the party's only member in the Legislative Yuan, where she is an advocate of aboriginal rights and is associated with the Pan-Blue Coalition.
Early life and education Chin Su-mei was born in Heping Township, Taichung County (present day part of Taichung City), Taiwan. Her father was an ethnic Manchu from mainland China. In the mid-1980s, she stood for election to be a representative of Taiwanese Aborigines within the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China (Taiwan), during which she took on the Chinese surname of her Taiwanese Aborigine mother, hence becoming Kao Chin Su-mei. Her Atayal name is Ciwas Ali and May Chin remains her stage name.
After high school, Chin graduated from the Minzu University of China with a bachelor's degree in ethnology.
Chin also released at least 8 Mandopop albums and appeared in various local commercials. Besides acting, May Chin ran a wedding photography service shop in Taipei during the mid-1990s. However, the shop burned down in 1996, claiming six lives.
Political career Since entering the Legislative Yuan after elected in the 2001 Republic of China legislative election, Chin has been noted for her outspoken views, traditional Atayal costume and face paint in the shape of traditional Atayal tattoo work reserved for married women.
On 19 August 2009, Chin met with the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Hu Jintao. At the meeting, General Secretary Hu expressed his deep sorrow and condolences for the typhoon victims in Taiwan to an actor-turned-politician Kao who led a delegation of her fellow ethnic minorities in Taiwan to visit the mainland. Hu added that "People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are of one family and Chinese people have a long tradition of lending a hand to those in danger and difficulties."
On 8 June 2026, Kao Chin, 60, was officially indicted in a corruption case. According to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, she fraudulently obtained more than NT$7.87 million (US$249,377) in public funds through false claims for legislative assistant salaries, overtime pay, bonuses and childcare subsidies.
Personal life Chin was once in a relationship with Hong Kong actor Kenny Ho whom she first met on the set of the Taiwanese drama Endless Love in 1989. They later separated in 1993 and still remain good friends. Chin and Ho agreed that if they are still single by the age of 60, they would spend the rest of their lives together.
In 2006, Next Magazine uncovered her long-lasting extramarital affair with the Minister of the Interior Lee Hong-yuan between mid-2000s and early 2010s.
In 2011 she entered into a relationship with a renowned Taiwanese journalist and writer Xu Zhiyuan. They later broke up in 2013 but still remain good friends.
Filmography Films YearEnglish titleChinese titleRoleNotes1987May Jane梅珍May Jane1988Hero of Tomorrow江湖接班人Yeung Lai-lingHuman, Sentiment, Law情與法1993The Wedding Banquet喜宴Gu WeiweiMagic Sword將邪神劍Mo Ye1999Woman Soup女湯Faye
Television YearEnglish titleChinese titleRoleNotes1987Porters挑伕Yu'er1989Endless Love不了情Zeng Jiayu1990Wan-chun婉君YanhongThree Flowers三朵花Zhang NianchenLove愛Ding Yuenü1992Fate緣sequel of Love1993Terracotta Warriors秦俑Fan Dong'er1999The Mute and the Bride啞巴與新娘Xu Huimeionly first few episodes due to cancer diagnosis
Electoral history No.CandidatePartyVotesRatioElected2001 (5th)1Kao Chin Su-meiIndependent8,90910.42%Yes2Lee Wen-lai (李文來)People First Party8,2599.66%3Ho Hsin-chun (何信軍)Kuomintang8,5309.97%4Yu Meng-tyieh (余夢蝶) Democratic Progressive Party5,1326.00%5Yisao Ludao (伊掃·魯刀)Independent7900.92%6Chuan Wen-shengKuomintang6,3187.39%7Walis PerinTaiwan Number One Party9,19410.75%Yes8Kao Yang-shengKuomintang7,1048.31%9Lin Wen-sheng (林文生)Taiwan Solidarity Union4,0924.78%10Lin Chun-tePeople First Party8,64710.11%Yes11Payen Talu Democratic Progressive Party4,5675.34%12Tseng Hua-te (曾華德)Kuomintang13,98216.35%Yes2004 (6th)1Walis PerinNon-Partisan Solidarity Union9,41511.54%2Tseng Hua-teKuomintang13,53616.59%Yes3Lee Hsiu-chin (李秀琴)Independent2160.26%4Wu Hsin-kuo (伍新國)Independent3,1453.85%5Kao Chin Su-meiIndependent16,28419.96%Yes6Chen Tao-ming Democratic Progressive Party5,7857.09%7Kung Wen-chi (孔文吉)Kuomintang17,30721.21%Yes8Lin Wen-shengTaiwan Solidarity Union3,7194.56%9Lin Chun-tePeople First Party12,17914.93%Yes2008 (7th)1Syue Yi-jhen (薛宜蓁)Civil Party4430.53%2Kung Wen-chiKuomintang22,39126.54%Yes3Chien Tung-mingKuomintang22,65926.86%Yes4Hou Jin-jhu (侯金助) Democratic Progressive Party4,4205.24%5Kao Chin Su-meiNon-Partisan Solidarity Union20,01223.72%Yes6Lin Chun-tePeople First Party14,26516.91%7Sung Jen-ho (宋仁和)Taiwan Constitution Association1680.20%2012 (8th)1Tseng Chih-yung (曾智勇) Democratic Progressive Party9,9688.54%2Kao Chin Su-meiNon-Partisan Solidarity Union29,52025.29%Yes3Chiu Wen-sheng (邱文生)Independent1,4811.26%4Kung Wen-chiKuomintang31,62927.10%Yes5Walis PerinPeople First Party15,53313.30%6Chien Tung-mingKuomintang28,58124.48%Yes2016 (9th)1Lin Shih-wei (林世偉)Independent2,2471.99%2Yumin Suyang (尤命·蘇樣)China Production Party5680.50%3Tseng Hua-teIndependent5,3264.71%4Walis Perin Democratic Progressive Party16,65814.75%5Yilan Mingjinuan (伊藍·明基努安)Faith and Hope League7,7506.86%6Kung Wen-chiKuomintang20,10517.80%Yes7Chien Tung-mingKuomintang25,94022.96%Yes8Chuan Cheng-wei (全承威)Taiwan Independence Party4960.44%9Lin Hsin-yi (林信義)Faith and Hope League6,1855.48%10Kao Chin Su-meiNon-Partisan Solidarity Union27,69024.51%Yes
References
External links
Personal Blog (in Traditional Chinese) Washing away vanity , Taiwan's Aborigines