Just when the family assets of Lien Chen-tung (連震東) and his son Lien Chan (連戰) became a hot election campaign issue, a dissertation written by academic Lin Yuan-huei (林元輝) five years ago once again circulated on the Internet. The paper, A Study of the Formation, Transition and Significance of Collective Memory, with Lien Heng (連橫) as an Example, was initially published in Taiwan: A Radical Quarterly in Social Studies. Marvellously, and in depth, the paper introduces Lien Heng, Lien Chan's grandfather and
author of the book General History of Taiwan, which is
the Lien family's most precious asset.
The 30,000-character paper tells the reader that, during the era of Japanese occupation, both Lien Heng and Lien Chen-tung worked for a pro-Japanese newspaper. It also tells how Lien Heng eulogized the colonizers in poems, and how hard he tried to invite colonial officials to write a frontispiece inscription and an introduction for his book at the time of its publication. When the colonizers had objections to the book's contents, the great historian readily followed the good advice and revised it.
The Yatang Bookstore, set up by Lien Heng, claimed it did not sell Japanese-language books, but was hired by the governor's office to procure Chinese books and materials for its "southern studies" (the study of China and southeast Asia).
To increase revenue, the Japanese extended special permission to the opium trade at the end of 1928, ignoring the health of the Taiwanese people. This drew protests from the Taiwan Commoners Party (台灣民眾黨) and medical associations across Taiwan, as well as the New People Association (新民會) in Tokyo. The colonizers mobilized their hack academics and gentry to defend it. Lien Heng also wrote a lengthy opinion article supporting the colonial government's policy. The article was published in the Taiwan Daily News (台灣日日新報), a hack newspaper of the Japanese. For this, Lien Heng was despised by Taiwanese society, ostracized by cultural circles, and expelled by the Oak Tree Poetry Society (
After arriving in Shanghai, he took refuge in another power center. He handed over his son to Chang Chi (張繼), a powerful figure in the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). After Lien Heng's death, World War II ended and the KMT government was in need of some introductory information on Taiwan as it took over the region. Lien Chen-tung hurriedly approached the Commercial Press for a reprint of the General History of Taiwan. Only the frontispiece inscription written by a Japanese official was missing from the new edition.
The KMT central government came to Taiwan after the 228 Incident. To win over the Taiwanese, propaganda officials like Chang Chi-yun (張其昀) extolled the virtues of Lien Heng and promoted him as a representative of the Taiwanese spirit. The media discussed him, cultural groups held symposiums to commemorate him and school textbooks told of events in his life and featured his articles. Lien Heng was deified.
Using his father's reputation, Lien Chen-tung also nudged his way into the Citizens' Reform Committee in 1950. He was the only Taiwanese in the 16-member committee. This is where the legend of the Lien family's wealth began.
Lin's paper discusses how "collective memory" is formed. To serve the interests of Lien Heng and his son, as well as those in power, Lien Heng was transformed from a man of letters dependent upon the Japanese colonizers into a great historian of the Chinese national spirit. Through textbooks and government propaganda this manufactured image became the Taiwanese people's collective memory of Lien Heng.
Should we condemn the KMT for "using" Lien Heng to rule the Taiwanese? Lin offers a more well-rounded explanation: "It was not just that Lien Heng was used; he himself was a culprit who used others (like Chang Chi) and the nationalist sentiments of people in the motherland. Exactly because Lien Heng and his son were culprits, the KMT, while `using' Lien Heng, was in reality also being `used.'"
The Lien family's wealth was built on one book -- the General History of Taiwan, which created enormous wealth as it was skilfully used, first by Lien Heng and his son and then by the KMT regime.
Who says culture is useless? Officials who want to promote the "cultural and creative industries" should first study the legend of Lien Heng and his son.
Ku Er-teh is a freelance writer.
Translated by Francis Huang
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of
In an article published on this page on Tuesday, Kaohsiung-based journalist Julien Oeuillet wrote that “legions of people worldwide would care if a disaster occurred in South Korea or Japan, but the same people would not bat an eyelid if Taiwan disappeared.” That is quite a statement. We are constantly reading about the importance of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), hailed in Taiwan as the nation’s “silicon shield” protecting it from hostile foreign forces such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and so crucial to the global supply chain for semiconductors that its loss would cost the global economy US$1
US President Donald Trump’s challenge to domestic American economic-political priorities, and abroad to the global balance of power, are not a threat to the security of Taiwan. Trump’s success can go far to contain the real threat — the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) surge to hegemony — while offering expanded defensive opportunities for Taiwan. In a stunning affirmation of the CCP policy of “forceful reunification,” an obscene euphemism for the invasion of Taiwan and the destruction of its democracy, on March 13, 2024, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) used Chinese social media platforms to show the first-time linkage of three new
Sasha B. Chhabra’s column (“Michelle Yeoh should no longer be welcome,” March 26, page 8) lamented an Instagram post by renowned actress Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊) about her recent visit to “Taipei, China.” It is Chhabra’s opinion that, in response to parroting Beijing’s propaganda about the status of Taiwan, Yeoh should be banned from entering this nation and her films cut off from funding by government-backed agencies, as well as disqualified from competing in the Golden Horse Awards. She and other celebrities, he wrote, must be made to understand “that there are consequences for their actions if they become political pawns of
RSS