This year marks ‘80s Chinese singer Wen Zhang’s 40th anniversary in showbiz and he had planned a Taiwan concert tour Adrift No More to celebrate the milestone.
The tour was supposed to kick off on October 19 in Taipei, but all performances have since been cancelled after the 64-year-old suffered an acute eye disease and has to undergo immediate surgery.
Doctors warned that delaying treatment could lead to severe complications including blindness.
Wen Zhang, known for his soulful voice and classic ballads like ‘Three Hundred and Sixty-Five Miles of Road’, returned to Singapore, where he is based, yesterday (Sep 12) and will undergo preoperative tests for his surgery, scheduled on Sep 25.
Since October last year, Wen Zhang has been preparing for his concert tour and recently travelled to the cities of Chiayi and Kaohsiung for promotional activities.
However, last week in Beijing, his eye condition flared up and the pain was so unbearable he needed emergency treatment.
According to Wen Zhang’s manager, the star was shooting promo photos for the concert when he felt unwell. His right cheek was also visibly swollen and red.
Despite this, he tried to endure the pain, thinking that a bit of rest would suffice.
But his body kept sending warning signs, and he realised he could no longer push on.
According to Taiwanese media Next Apple, Wen Zhang’s eye condition flares up about once a week, with the pain progressively worsening.
He initially thought he would be able to return to the stage three weeks after surgery, however, doctors warned that he would not be able to withstand the intense lights during concerts and he has to take a break from performing for at least three months.
Wen Zhang has apologised to fans for cancelling the shows and has offered a full refund for concert tickets.