Journal • April 15，2026 ｜ Past Issues 前期

Ask any longtime Sarah Chen fan, and they will likely tell you that her blood type is A and she is a Taurus. To a newcomer and outsider like me, that knowledge seems surprising. I do not even know my own astrological sign, let alone someone else’s. Yet interviews with Sarah Chen in the 1980s show that blood type and astrological sign, much as her birthday and hobbies, were central to her public image2,3.

In these reports, blood type and astrological sign often function as a proxy for her personality. A 1983 Singaporean magazine article4, for example, linked Chen’s dedication to her work with blood type A. A 1986 article from Taiwan reported that Chen wished her mother’s blood type would change to A so that they could get along even better5. In a 1988 Hong Kong interview6, Chen cited her astrological sign, Taurus, as the reason she probably would not have actively pursued singing opportunities had one not been offered to her.

It is unclear whether Chen or the media truly believed in these associations. Blood-type theory, while influential in parts of East Asia7, has little empirical support8, including in research from Taiwan9. Its appeal may lie elsewhere: it provides a simple and socially acceptable way to explain personality differences without assigning blames.

But what do blood type A and Taurus signify in Sarah Chen’s case? How might she be understood through a modern personality framework?

Using period reports, we estimate where Sarah Chen could fall on the five personality factors, starting with those we can infer most confidently and ending with those we judge with less certainty. Together, these reports allow us to reconstruct not just Chen’s public persona, but how she likely functioned as a singer.

5.1. Conscientiousness 尽责性 — High ● ● ● ● ●

The clearest and best-supported Big Five trait in the period reports is Sarah Chen’s consistently high conscientiousness. Tan Jian-Chang said12,13: “During recording, Sarah Chen emphasized technique. Even after I was satisfied, she would sometimes request another take.” After failing to advance in the 1984 Golden Bell Award competition, Chen said that the experience drove her to pursue perfection in her later work13. Reports from Singapore and Malaysia also frequently described her as a perfectionist who always strove for the best14–16.

5.2. Openness 开放性 — High ● ● ● ● ●

Openness refers to a willingness to accept new ideas and try new things. Period reports provide clear evidence that Sarah Chen was high in openness, as she repeatedly experimented with new musical directions, welcomed new collaborators, and sought change rather than repetition17. The best example comes from her own words in a 1985 report18. Chen said that although it would have been easy to continue in the same production style as her popular albums, “I want to try new changes; no matter whether they are good or bad, I will make a bold attempt.” Chen also liked learning from other singers and attended many of their concerts19.

5.3. Extraversion 外向性 — Low to Moderately Low ● ● ○ ○ ○

The period reports suggest that Sarah Chen was low to moderately low in extraversion. Her work required frequent public engagement, but multiple reports describe her as quiet and introverted. A 1984 report from Taiwan said that her mother was more outgoing than Chen20. In a 1986 Singaporean report, her mother even apologized to the reporter for Chen’s shyness21. Faced with greater demands for public interaction after her 1985 Golden Bell win, Chen made a conscious effort to become more talkative22. Still, she listed one of her shortcomings as “not talkative, not good at dealing with others"23, and preferred quiet activities such as reading, listening to music, and spending time with family16.

5.4. Agreeableness 宜人性 — Moderately Low ● ● ○ ○ ○

In the 1980s, East Asian cultural norms often encouraged women to appear agreeable, which may have affected how Sarah Chen was described in period reports.  This makes agreeableness more difficult to assess with confidence.

Reports suggest that Chen was warm toward fans and friendly with reporters24,25, but less accommodating on matters of principle. A 1988 report16 quoted her as saying that “unless I made the decision myself, nobody could change my mind.” Years later, collaborator Kay Huang described her as “principled,” even stubborn. At the same time, Chen was agreeable to her parents. A 1987 report said that Chen had developed the habit of communicating with her mother, which helped them reach agreement5.  

Taken together, these reports suggest that Chen is selectively agreeable in some situations. But she is ultimately guided by her own judgment, especially on matters of principle. We therefore place her in the moderately low range on agreeableness.

5.5. Neuroticism 情绪敏感性 — Moderate to moderately high ● ● ● ○ ○

The period reports portray a singer who was moderate to moderately high in neuroticism. Although Chen functioned very well under stress and remained in control of her work, she reported anxiety over both personal relationships and work. She admitted she feared facing failure after winning the Golden Bell Award, and that stress of recording a new album made her prone to catching colds 26. After twice breaking up with a long-time partner, she said that fear of losing another relationship made her unwilling to begin a new one15,27. In an interview after the 1985 Golden Bell Award, Chen said that in moments of emotional instability, her mother was the only one who could calm her down28.

Thus, the Big Five profile shows Sarah Chen as a highly conscientious singer who was open to new ideas and musical directions. She was introverted yet publicly engaged, reasonable yet unyielding, and moderately neurotic without losing control (Figure 1).