The Taiwanese 台灣人 Tâi-Oân Lâng

Introducing a Journey at CJCU 長榮大學之旅

2011-09-23T16:32:00.000-07:00

An Invitation to Join a Journey:

A Journey at CJCU - 長榮大學之旅

http://aJourneyatCJCU.blogspot.com

宣教師的典範

http://missionaries-taiwan.blogspot.com/

靈命塑造 - 去蕪存菁

               http://devotionalbuildup.blogspot.com/

              ! Welcome Aboard !

Elder Lâu Chú-an 劉主安校長

2010-05-21T17:59:00.000-07:00

Elder/Principal Lâu Chú-an

1905 - 1994

A life reflected on Faith, Hope and Love

While I searched the information on Principal/Elder Lâu Chú-an, I also searched a word that would describe him the best. The word SERENITY came to my mind. Like all other people on this site, Lâu held a special position in my heart with much admiration.

I probably saw him twice briefly in my early years. Once he was speaking to a lot of young people like me. I honestly don't remember what he was talking about. And it did not matter. Another time I joined seven other high school classmates as a male double-quartet team and sang a couple of songs at the Chang-Jung Girls Middle School (長榮女中) where he was the principal. I paid much more attention to the students (all were young and pretty with their light-blue angel-like uniform) than the teachers, but Principal Lâu still caught my eyes with his unique way. His handsome manner, kindness or something, I do not know. He was just there, smiling with serenity...

Lâu was born in 1905 to a well known family in the city of Tainan, then the cultural center of Taiwan. Lâu was excellent in mathematics with unbelievable memory since he was a boy. He studied at the elementary school in Dr. James Maxwell Memory Church, Tainan (太平境教會附設小學) then moved on to study at Doshisha Elementary School (同志社小學) in Kyoto and then the Aoyama Middle School (青山學院中學) and graduated with honor from the Tokyo Institute of Technology (東京工業大學) majored in Chemical Engineering. Lâu came back to Tainan and taught chemistry and physics in both Chang-Jung Girls Middle School and Chang-Jung Middle School (長榮中學) – both were run by the Presbyterian Church, two of the oldest middle schools in Taiwan.

Like many good teachers, he never stopped learning. Elder Lâu further studied religion and theology at a Presbyterian Seminary in Birmingham (1935-36) and Westminster College, Cambridge University (1948-49.) Besides teaching at the middle schools, Lâu also found time teaching at the Tainan Theological College.

In one of his students’ description, Lâu taught chemistry with creative thinking. While trying to explain the element of water (H2O) he asked his students to simply remember that WATER is “two fish heads [H] with a big egg [O].”

His wisdom, sense of humor, the love for teaching and deep care for his students made him one of the greatest educators in the history of Taiwan. As a devoted Christian, Lâu was deeply moved by the dedication of the missionaries sent by the Presbyterian Church of England while he was a teacher. He was soon asked and then took the administrative duty as the principal in Chang-Jung Girls Middle School. In the span of forty-four years, a school had flourished by building the foundation of “Faith, Hope and Love” for thousands of teen aged girls.

While Lâu's academic achievements were outstanding, he is remembered well as how he spent his life - by giving. He was a life long Sunday school teacher, a popular lay preacher and Bible study leader, a never ending loving teacher, writer and father. He had written a few dozen books ranging from nature science text books to Biblical and theological interpretations especially about Trinity and St. Paul.

To some people, Lâu was an educator and a beloved Principal. To others, he was an Elder Emeritus of one of the most historical churches in Taiwan. To all who had come to know him, Lâu was loved, respected and missed. He had set a role model for what a good Christian/teacher should be.

During his memorial service held in Chang-Jung Girls High School on February 5, 1994, Principal/Elder Lâu Chú-an was remembered with the highest honor by both the school and the church officials.

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

* To read the article by Dr. Lâu Tek-iong on his father Elder Lâu:

http://www.laijohn.com/Laus/Lau,CAn/reminiscence/Lau,Tiong/E.htm

* Some Related Websites:

http://www.laijohn.com/Laus/Lau,CAn/biog/service.htm

http://www.laijohn.com/Laus/Lau,CAn/recollections/1926-1974.htm

http://web.ckgsh.tn.edu.tw /長女簡史/歷任校長.htm

Rev. Dr. Loh Sian-chhun 駱先春牧師

2010-02-24T16:25:00.000-08:00

Rev. Loh Sian-chhun, D.D. 駱先春牧師
1905-1984

- A humble pastor

- A composer dedicated to church music
- One of the pioneers in the ministries to the Taiwanese aborigines
- Part of the 20th Century Miracle in Taiwan

If you are a Christian from Taiwan, chances are you may have sung one of Rev. Loh’s hymns (his first one: O Hear Us Our Most Holy Heavenly Father 至聖的天父，求你俯落聽 ) or heard about the stories of his two well known sons: î-jîn 維仁, an international known Biblical scholar, and î-tō 維道, a gifted church and folk musician. And in her article, the evangelical church musician Ms. Cheng (鄭敏熙) called Rev. Loh, “…a living history of the church music in Taiwan.”

You might have also heard the so called “Miracle of the 20th Century in Taiwan (二十世紀的神蹟)" within the world wide church circle. A handful of pastors had changed the way of life among the majority of the Taiwanese aborigines. The key figure was of course the Rev. Dr. James I. Dickson (孫雅各牧師 1900-1967) who, besides running the Taiwan Theological College, had established four presbyteries and 385 churches among the Taiwanese aborigines mostly in the eastern part of Taiwan, with the help of his former students like Rev. Loh Sian-Chhung, Rev. O’ Bûn-tî (胡文池牧師) among others.

With his outstanding musical talents (a fine singer, composer and musician who was interested in ethnic music of the tribal people) along with a solid theological education, Loh could have had a comfortable life teaching at the Tam Kang Middle School (淡江中學) or elsewhere. Instead, he chose to help the Taiwanese aborigines for most of his ministries.

Rev. Loh and family lived near poverty level during the years of World War II (the Loh’s family often survived with one-meal-a-day then.) Many years later, Dr. Loh î-jîn, Loh's third son, recalled the war time experience saying, "I could never forget the feeling of hunger..."

Like an old time missionary, Loh sensed God’s calling to serve the aborigines as early as 1928 while still a seminary student. In 1947, he gave up all his jobs and went to the East coast to serve the tribal people under the sponsorship of Rev. Dickson.

Loh's ministries, besides his involvement in church music, were areas that many ministers somehow tried to avoid: up in the mountains where basic comfortable life was considered a luxury. The work was long and hard as most of the aborigines communities were tightly closed to the outside world then. He traveled by a bicycle or on foot, up and down among the mountains and hills, helping everybody that he had encountered, either practically (such as free from tobacco and alcohol) or spiritually. Loh was very much disciplined in his religious life while warm and kind toward others.

Loh spent over 32 years in the Hymnal Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, and was the editor of the 1936 hymnal. The Taiwanese hymnbooks have been since transformed from the collections of the all westernized hymns to a combination of the “East meet West” ones. The transformation of the hymnals is going strong, mainly through the work of Rev. Dr. Loh î-tō.

î-tō, Rev. Loh’s fourth son, might have inherited a lot of the music talents from his father. By researching folk music in many parts of Africa and Asia, î-tō has worked hard to find genuine voices of the Taiwanese and Asian neighbors in his various collections of hymns. Today î-tō is still actively working and teaching and leading seminars all over the world to promote the idea of melting the folk music and the Christian faith through the hymnals - well after his retirement as professor and the president of the Tainan Theological College/Seminary.

While denied renewal of his passport by the KMT authority, î-tō was unable to attend the memorial service of Rev. Loh early in 1984. î-tō instead sent back his composition of an anthem entitled, “I know that my Redeemer lives” in loving memory and celebration of his father’s new life in Christ. It is a wonderful combination of the beauty of the chorus of the Taiwanese mountains, rivers, trees, people, and the unshaken faith of the everlasting life.

For those who have come across Rev. Loh's hymns or path, would either respect him or love him, perhaps both. Loh’s hymns, both music and words, had demonstrated the beauty in the form of simplicity, gentleness, and the depth of his devotion to God. It would certainly be a miracle of the 21st century if only a few more Taiwanese Christians today are like Rev. Dr. Loh Sian-Chhun, not particularly with his musical legend but in his footsteps as a suffering servant.

Brief Biography of Rev. Loh Sian-Chhun:

· Born in Tam-Sui, Dec 15, 1905
· Graduated from Taiwan Theological College, 1931
· Advanced study at the Central Theological Seminary, Kobe, Japan 1931-1933
· Minister to Sin-Tek (新竹) Church, 1933
· Teaching at Tam-Kang Middle School (淡江中學) 1934
· Editor of the Presbyterian Church Hymnal Committee, 1935-1967
· Pastor of Sam-Kiap (三峽) church, 1937-1945
· Jailed (for 66 days) with Elder Tân (陳文贊) for their Christian faith, Dec 8, 1941
· Teaching at Tam-Kang Middle School, 1945-1947
· Full time itinerant pastor to various Taiwanese aborigines 1947-1967
· The hymnbook of Ami (阿美族語聖詩) published, 1958
· Honorable retired, 1967
· Awarded Doctor of Divinity Degree by the Taiwan Theological Seminary, 1982
· Passed away, Feb 28, 1984

Related websites/Sources:

http://nrch.cca.gov.tw/ccahome/website/site20/PDFFiles/0635.pdf
http://210.240.41.130/citing/citing_content.asp?id=1736&keyword=%C0d%A5%FD%ACK http://www.laijohn.com/archives/pc/Lok/Lok,SChhun/memorial/Lok,Ito/Ong,Cbun.htm http://gospel.pct.org.tw/AssociatorArticle.aspx?strSiteID=S001&strBlockID=B00007&strContentID=C2007010900017&strDesc=Y&strCTID=CT0005&strASP=default

-- Special thanks to Rev. Dr. Loh î-tō whose extensive editing has made this article possible.

***

Quick Indexed View: http://TaiwanOpensites.blogspot.com/

Dr. D Liang; Dr. and Mrs. P Y Liang 梁道; 梁炳元; 梁許春菊

2009-11-15T06:35:00.001-08:00

Dr. Dow Liang; Dr. and Mrs. P Y Liang
1888-1954 ...... 1913-1982 ... 1918-1997

A Family of Caring...with Medicine, Courage and Faith

Throughout the most part of the 20th century, the first choice for the Taiwanese young people had been the medical field. The second choice would be the engineering and science. The Liang's family demonstrates the choices of the elites. More than 70% of the extended Liang's family members are medical doctors and the rest are PhDs in science and engineering. For the most that I've come to know, not only they are smart, they are with big hearts. They cared people with love and much faith.

Dr. Dow Liang (梁道醫師) graduated from Taiwan Governor’s Medical School (臺灣總督府醫學校 - later became National Taiwan University Medical School where his younger brother also graduated) and worked at the Taipei Red Cross Hospital before opened up his own clinic in ShinHua (新化) Tainan. His life was much more than a doctor. First appointed by the Japanese government, then elected by the majority, Dr. Liang became a beloved local leader during the Japanese ruling period (1895-1945) and beyond. As a physician he took care of his patients and expanded to his fellow citizens in the surrounding communities. Here are some of his stories*:

1. In 1915 the Chiao-Ba-Nien incident (焦吧年事件, aka西來庵事件), considered to be the major armed revolutionary act by the Taiwanese against the Japanese rulers, came with many tragedies in south-central Taiwan. Dr. Liang demonstrated his leadership and power of PR that eventually saved many Taiwanese lives in ShinHua area alone.

2. Shortly after the World War II (1945) a strong earthquake hit the area (with the epicenter only two miles away), Dean Liang (a younger son of Dr. Liang) remembered that there were over fifty victims placed in the clinic of Dr. Liang, and the scene of the blood mixed with the crushed bones and broken legs and arms did not encourage Dean to become a doctor. Dean later turned himself into a scientist.

3. 1947 the infamous 228 incident occurred across Taiwan, Dr. Liang again worked with the locals and the authorities to save hundreds of lives of both the Taiwanese and the Chinese mainlanders. He provided his own home as a sanctuary for all who were seeking protection from the blind violence.

4. In 2008, to celebrate Dr. Liang’s 120 years birthday, the Historical Society of Singhua exhibited Dr. Liang’s documents as well as his memorials in an exhibition hall to officially commemorate his extraordinary services to his hometown.

Dr. P Y Liang (梁炳元醫師) was the eldest son of Dr. Dow Liang. He had often been called Elder Liang and a saint by many friends. Graduated from Fengtian Manchuria (奉天now Shenyang) Medical School and served few years in the nearby city, Dr. Liang brought his family back to his hometown ShinHua to practice medicine.

-- Influenced by his elder sister, P Y Liang was baptized to be Christian at the age of 17 and never looked back.

-- Served the church as early as in his medical student years till his final days including the leadership in medical ministries within the Presbytery of Tainan.

-- His involvement in local church across the board was seen as an essential and crucial part of the ministry. He was also in charge with the local chapter of the Taiwanese Medical Association among other charities.

-- He volunteered to staff Shin-Law Clinic (the first Westernized medical facility in Taiwan 新樓診所-新樓醫院的前身) one afternoon a week during his peak of practice.

-- He equipped his clinic with up-to-date medical books and a Bible which he read while taking his breaks. He was very much loved and respected by his patients and the neighbors as well as the members of the churches throughout the Tainan County. He used to sleep in a bedroom above the door of his office until very late age, so if any patient knocked at the door during the night, he would not miss it.

-- Not a well known public speaker, occasionally Dr. Liang would make a speech for the Gideon society meetings. His simple words were so touching that brought listeners to tears. Dr. Liang would credit the success to his friends who never ceased to support him with prayers.

-- Dr. Liang’s favorite scripture: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NRSV) Simple and straight, yes. Easy, not really.

Mrs. C C Hsu Liang (梁許春菊長老) was one of the most famous female educators and activists in the history of modern Taiwan. Hsu was born in Peng-Hu County, a cluster of small islands west of Taiwan. Her parents were among the first generation Christians in Taiwan. She involved in the education then the politics, community affairs, sports and the churches in Taiwan for more than 40 years, and remained as an active church elder, just like her husband, till the end of her life.

I knew Elder Hsu Liang through the church activities in Tainan Presbytery and also through his son, George Liang, since our junior high school years. She earned a nickname of “One-Dollar-Representative 一元議員”by offering a very special “mail service.” When she was too busy to handle the requests right there and then, she would ask them to send her a letter which would cost only NT$1.00 stamp and the answers/results would be on their way. Mrs. Hsu Liang became a member of KMT after she was elected as a member of Provincial Assembly in her early political career simply because she figured out that she could serve people better in this status. Her critical decisions had been more faith related than of the political ones. It’d take a few volumes of book to detail her life story, but here I just mention the two not-so-public-known tales which indeed had big impact to the church of Taiwan ** :

-- In 1970: the reversal of the ban on the Taiwanese Romanization Bibles – While the Chinese government wanted to ban the Taiwanese Romanized version of the Bible used mostly by the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan for nearly a century, Mrs. Hsu Liang went to see Madame Chiang Kai-Shek (宋美齡) to discuss the issue. Elder Hsu Liang brought Romanized Taiwanese bible and read John 3:16 to Mrs. Chiang in Taiwanese on her request. Mrs. Chiang nodded her head while listening, and was very much surprised and touched by the beautiful sound of the Taiwanese. They prayed together afterward to ask for the intervention of the Lord. That event had saved the Romanized Taiwanese Bibles.

-- In 1972-73: the long standing tradition of the Tainan Theological College and Seminary (TTCS) has been staying out of the touch of the regimes, whether Japanese or Chinese. During the World War II TTCS was forced to close for sometime by the Japanese government due to the well connections between the school and the British, Canadian and American Missions. Shortly after the Chinese Nationalists took over in 1945, there was an on and off conflict between the authority and TTCS. One of the issues was the tax exempt status. Since TTCS was not an officially registered educational institution and not operated as a church, the authority wanted to tax the property and the land of TTCS. To make a long story short, it was, gratefully, that Mrs. Hsu Liang’s assistance to help maintain the tax exempt status for TTCS – the oldest institution on higher education in the history of Taiwan.

In respond to the text "Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God" (Matthew 22:21), Elder Hsu Liang paid her taxes to the authority, and she dedicated her life to the kingdom of God.

* Many stories were provided by Dean Liang PhD, the younger son of Dr. Dow Liang, and George Liang MD, the oldest son of Dr. P Y Liang
** The stories were verified with Rev. S J Liu (劉瑞仁牧師,) a long time pastor and friend of Dr. and Mrs. P Y Liang

Some Related Websites:
http://www.sinhua.gov.tw/index.php?menu=old_news2¬ice_id=191
http://60.248.61.195/xweb/modules/tinycontent/index.php?id=1
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%A2%81%E8%A8%B1%E6%98%A5%E8%8F%8A

Dr. A-Sin Tsai 蔡阿信醫師

2009-10-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

Dr. A-Sin Tsai

1896-1990

The First Taiwanese Female Doctor - with her Family

A-Sin Tsai never gave up fighting. Her first fight was against being adopted at the age of five shortly after her father died. She kept on walking back home by herself more than once. The adoption was cancelled and Tsai got to stay home for good. She also fought during the grade school where 99% were boys, all the way to the medical school in Tokyo with her brilliant and hard working life philosophy. Later she fought in the United States for further study in advanced medicine, and in Canada where she was once jailed for her 'illegal’ license to practice medicine.

Her grandfather (mother’s side) was among the first group of Taiwanese baptized by Rev. George L Mackay (http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2006/03/rev-dr-george-leslie-mackay.html) and Tsai’s family had always been closely associated with the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. She entered the Tam-Sui Presbyterian School as the youngest student ever. And later she went to Tokyo Girls Medical School (東京女子醫專) as the only non Japanese student. While there were 127 entered, only 78 graduated and Tsai was among the top 25.

In 1921, Tsai came back to Taiwan as the first female doctor. Even the clothes she wore turned into an instant fashion as she became the hot news herself. Although her background was obstetrician-gynecologist, her first job at the Taipei Hospital (台北醫院, National Taiwan University Medical School Hospital) was an ophthalmologist. Tsai married to Mr. H Y Peng (彭華英) in 1924. A year later they moved to Taichung and Tsai turned herself to a successful phycisian. Tsai built a big clinic called Ching-Sing Clinic (清信醫院) in 1926. Soon Tsai was not satisfied with limited service that she performed, so she worked very hard with the locals and opened up Ching-Sing Midwife School (清信產婆學校) – the very first in Taiwan. It was said that nearly half of the new babies in the city of Taichung were the results of the Midwife School trainees and Dr. Tsai herself. She had earned a nick name “The Mother of Taichung.”

In 1937, Japan began its military aggressions toward many parts of Asia which also affected Taiwan (under Japanese control then) deeply. Since nobody wanted to enter the midwife school and ended up serving in one of the Japanese battle fields for whatever the reason, Tsai was forced to close her school and clinic. During that time, two issues also brought her attention:

· Mr. Peng was a political activist which caused unwanted visitations from the Japanese police. (Eventually Peng went to China to pursue his political interests. He stayed in political circles without much success. 1968 Mr. Peng passed away in Taiwan.)

· Dr. Tsai’s close relationship with the church and the missionaries also caused some suspicions in the eyes of the Japanese rulers. (For example, Tainan Theological College was forced to close for some years during the World War II.)

Through some arrangements and the help of Mrs. Foster (an American friend), Dr. Tsai went to USA in September of 1940. She took a train from San Francisco to the east coast and for the next several months she spent time at Harvard Medical School, Toronto and ended up in the Vancouver area when Pearl Harbor incident occurred. During that time Dr. Tsai could not obtain her passport to go back to Taiwan, so she went back to New York City. She still had hard time going back to Taiwan even with her passport because the war in Pacific and the strikes in San Francisco Bay area. So she spent time at the Columbia University Medical School and received professional training as an anesthesiologist. She then received more training in Johns Hopkins University Medical School and Hospitals in Baltimore area and moved on to Minnesota Mayo Clinic and then San Francisco.

Tsai arrived home in 1946 at last. So much had been changed in six years of war and political conflicts. The infamous 228 incident occurred the next year. Many intellectuals and local leaders were either disappeared or killed in one of the most chaotic/tragic periods in Taiwan history.

After further observations, Dr. Tsai decided to give up her clinic and medical career in Taiwan and moved on. Tsai and Mr. Peng divorced after a long time separation – they had two children. Later Tsai and Rev. Gibson, a British Canadian friend, got married before departing to England in 1953. They decided to move to Canada few years later. Again she entered the Columbia University Medical School for her study in Public Health. Gibson passed away in 1967. Tsai lived alone again.

Dr. Tsai came back to Taiwan for the last time in 1979. She was moved by all those old ladies who lived alone in a near poverty level. The next year she and her friends started the “Chi-Seng Service Foundation” (至誠服務基金會) as a center for the poor, lonely widows and senior citizens who could come and seek help. This service foundation still functions now, reflecting the love and the life of Dr. Tsai. In 1990 Dr. Tsai passed away in Canada.

It must have mattered much for Dr. Tsai to be the first in many areas when the society was dominated by men. It seems to matter even more that she strived to be the first and the best, not just to take the advantage for herself, but to give back to the needed and the less fortunate.

-- The novel “Lang Tau-Sa” (浪淘沙 by 東方白) has been a dramatized life story of Dr. Tsai.

Related Web Sites:
http://home.i1.net/~alchu/medical/histor1.htm#cc
http://home.i1.net/~alchu/medical/histor2.htm#bb
http://www.gtv.com.tw/TalkAbout/TalkReply.asp?SID=28850&Page=3
http://elearning.ice.ntnu.edu.tw/bdata/uploadpfo/lcvsa029/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%80%E4%BD%8D%E5%A5%B3%E9%86%AB%E7%94%9F.doc

Mr. Yoichi Hatta 八田與一技師

2009-06-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

1886 - 1942

The Father of WuSanTou Reservoir and ChiaNan Irrigation Systems (烏山頭水庫及嘉南大圳之父)

And a love story beyond race, nationality and life

Sotoyo and Yoichi Hatta

The Dam at work

I received a phone call from my friend in Chicago few months ago. He said that in this blog site I have let go a big fish, probably the biggest one so far. After some research, I concluded that my friend was correct. It was a very big one indeed.

There was no excuse on my part even though I was among many Taiwanese who were not totally aware of the story. Five years after the tragic death of Mr. Yoichi Hatta, Chiang Kai-Shek’s regime came to Taiwan and began to suppress much of the local culture and history, especially Taiwanese and Japanese. Thus the story of Yoichi Hatta was virtually buried until early 1980’s.

Like most Taiwanese, I heard of the O-Soaⁿ-Thâu Reservoir and Chia-Nan (Ka-Lâm) Tōa-Chùn (烏山頭水庫及嘉南大圳.) But I did not attempt to find out further or what actually had happened. As recent as May of 2009, pushed by the universities and some local non-for-profit organizations in both Taiwan and Japan, the endorsement campaign to bring the O-Soaⁿ-Thâu (Wushantou) Reservoir System into the World Heritage (烏山頭水庫水利系統登錄世界遺產) has begun.

For us, it’s never too late to find out more, and certainly now is the time to remember some of the most important “Taiwanese” that I have missed.

Mr. Hatta was a Japanese civil engineer, born in Kanazawa on Feb. 21, 1886. He received his schooling at Tokyo University. After his graduation in 1910, Hatta decided to seek a carrier in distant Taiwan, taking up a post within the Civil Engineering Department under the Viceroy Office of the Taiwan Prefecture.

Hatta eagerly tackled his work, traveling vigorously throughout Taiwan to appraise the land. Planning of the waterworks for Taipei city became his first major assignment, to be followed by an irrigation/drainage project in Taoyuan County. Implemented in 1916, the project established Hatta's reputation as a capable civil engineer. In anticipation of his expertise, Director-General Yamagata of the Civil Engineering Department then assigned Hatta to lead an irrigation project planned for Wusantou in Tainan County, a barren territory where even the tough sugarcanes refused to grow.

The ambitious enterprise was a brainchild of the young civil engineer himself, and was conceived with the objectives of water resource development and flood control within the Chia-Nan Plains -- a region previously troubled by droughts, floods and salt injury.

Launched in 1920, the project consisted of the construction of the Wusantou dam, a lock and 16,000 kilometers of waterway, the Chia-Nan Irrigation River. Yoichi Hatta himself migrated to Chia-Nan to oversee the project. Heavy machinery including 50-ton cranes and a German steam locomotive were mobilized in the construction of the 1,273 meter-long Wusantou Dam, the largest civil engineering project in Asia at the time. The locomotive which labored in the construction is proudly exhibited in a dam-side park. Along with the most advanced machinery of the time, traditional methods were also utilized including herds of water buffalos used to trample the surface into a firm foundation.

The project saw its completion in 1930, boosting the agricultural productivity of the region by an enormous margin. The waterways constructed channeled water to 150,000 hectares of farmland within the Chia-Nan Plains. The fertile spreads of farmland now seen within Tainan County are the direct fruits of this undertaking. The total project expense amounted to nearly one-half of an annual budget for the Taiwanese Viceroyship.

On may 5, 1942, Yoichi Hatta boarded a ship bound for the Philippines on assignment to evaluate the possibility of an irrigation project along with a party of Japanese scientists, economists, and industrial experts participating in the investigation of the newly occupied territory. The vessel, Taiyo-Maru encountered an American submarine -- SS210 Grenadier, and was sank off the Goto Islands on May 8th. Hatta was not among the survivors of the incident. His corpse was later miraculously recovered by a fisher boat operating off the coast of Yamaguchi.

Hatta's wife, Sotoyo received the tragic news in Wusanto, where she found refuge until the end of the war. On September 1, 1945, the very same day she reunited with her son who was evacuated in a different location during the war, Sotoyo drowned herself in a discharge channel which her husband toiled to build. The farewell note she left said, "I am following my beloved". It was two days before Japan signed the instrument of surrender and all Japanese were soon to be dismissed from Taiwan.

A grave overlooking the dam was made for the couple, one year after the death of the wife. It was set up by the beneficiaries of Hatta's grand undertaking -- the farmers of the Chia-nan region. In 1978, a memorial service was performed for Yoichi and Sotoyo, and a cenotaph was erected in Honren-Ji temple in Nagasaki, Japan.

A statue commemorating the commitment of Yoichi Hatta was erected adjacent to the dam on July 8, 1931. It was created with contributions gathered from the workers that engaged in the construction of the Chia-nan Irrigation River out of a sheer sense of respect for the young project leader. It depicted him in a very peculiar posture -- sitting down, fondling his hair with his right hand set on an uplifted knee. This was the style the engineer always took when he was sunk in deep thought. In the height of WWII, the statue mysteriously vanished when the State attempted its confiscation as a measure to purvey depriving metal. After the war, Kuomintang government took control of Taiwan. Showing affinity toward Japan and the Japanese were forbidden, deemed to be treasonous behavior. Buildings and monuments constructed under the rule of the Japanese were toppled down.
After the harsh reign of Chiang Kai-Shek, the statue reappeared in 1981 to the astonishment of the general public. It was carefully hidden in a warehouse within the region, and later within a lodging house of the Chia-nan Irrigation Association by its members despite the danger of material harm and even death. Ever since the restoration of the statue, memorial services are hosted by the Association on 8th of May each year, commemorating the anniversary of Yoichi's death.

The achievements of the civil engineer are not forgotten, passed down across the generations with unchanging feelings of gratitude. In recent years, the ceremony has become an opportunity for exchange among the Japanophiles of Taiwan, and the Japanese feeling affinity towards Taiwan.

On May 8th 2001, "Hatta Memorial Museum" was opened beside the waterway, introducing the vestiges of the Japanese civil engineer.

-- Source http://gomushi.at.infoseek.co.jp/eng/world/taiwan/001.html

-- More about Yoichi Hatta (in Taiwanese/Chinese)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqP8EcSFMCM&feature=related
http://www.taiwanyes.com/tvfilm_200909.php

Some Related Websites:
http://seed.agron.ntu.edu.tw/hatta/activity/sympo090508.htm
http://jeffchou.net/yourdon/2004/004/
http://seed.agron.ntu.edu.tw/hatta/clhouse.htm
http://seed.agron.ntu.edu.tw/hatta/eng.htm

Quick Indexed View: http://TaiwanOpensites.blogspot.com/

Rev. So Thian-bêng 蘇天明牧師

2009-05-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

Rev. and Mrs. So Thian-bêng

1911-2000... 1915-2009

"I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me."

This is not about the bio of the Rev. So (So Bok-su.) This is about a personal memory and reflections of a well respected pastor. So Bok-su had influenced my ministry directly and indirectly in so many ways. He was the officiator of my marriage ceremony and I was ordained in his church. My mother had been an elder and a Sunday school teacher from 1957 thru 1972 in his church. I have come to know many members of Sin-Heng Church that they have since become some of my closest friends in Taiwan.

Needless to say that So Bok-su had well connections in the Presbyterian Church network. His wife (許玉珠) was a sister of the Rev. Kho Iú-Châi (許有才). Their two eldest daughters married to pastors (蘇惠馨/謝穎男; 蘇惠蓁/駱維道) who turned out to be professors and then presidents of the two major theological seminaries in Taiwan. All his children are active in various communities and churches throughout Taiwan, Japan and the United States.

So Bok-su had also been deeply involved in the Taiwanese PKU (POĒ-KA ŪN-TŌNG, 倍加運動) double-the-church-movement in 1959 when he was the Moderator of the General Assembly. He had been leading the Overseas Mission Board (海外宣道會 ) of the General Assembly and The Church Press (教會公報社) for many years. Kaohsiung Sin-Heng church (新興, the church So Bok-su had served for more than 35 years,1954-1989) has been a major powerhouse behind the rapid growth of the churches in Kaohsiung area along with a new born Siū-San Presbytery (壽山中會, 1972). Under So Bok-su's leadership, Sin-Heng Church (http://www.kss.org.tw) had established 14 new churches throughout the Kaohsiung area. I would need a page or two just to list his achievements and titles.

But the intentions here, again, are just my recollections:

• As early as 1938, So Bok-su was co-chaplain with Rev Ng Su-Beng (黃俟命 http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2008/05/rev-su-beng-huang.html ) at the Changhua Christian Hospital. The chaplain experience there might have made a strong impact to young So Bok-su. The vital bridges of services must be built between the church and the society. Perhaps that was why Sin-Heng church, the church he serviced the longest, had started a full scale Social Service Hall (社會館) in 1962, one of the earliest social services in Taiwan Presbyterian Church history.
So Bok-su, along with Dr. C Y Peng (彭清約) and other medical professionals, should also be credited to the campus ministry at the Kaohsiung Medical College and beyond in early 1960s.

• Before So Bok-su came to Sin-Heng church, he was the pastor at the near by Old-Town church (Kū-Siâⁿ舊城). It is said that So Bok-su was once asked to cast the evil spirit out of a person. The moment he arrived, the ‘patient’ spoke out loudly, “Okay okay, you win! I will go away by myself. Just leave me alone. You have enough ‘fruits of the Spirit’ which have overpowered me already!”

• So Bok-su was once facing some unsubstantial accusations within the church. I was told by my mother later that I should learn from So Bok-su on that matter. During the entire process he kept quiet. The truth prevailed after all. The arguments stopped, and the accusations died quietly as well.

• So Bok-su was personally involved in all activities of the church and the spiritual growth of his congregations. He did not play the role of the commander, but the actual doer. His life style spoke itself and convinced the people around him that he had been sincerely and truthfully acting as what a good shepherd should be.

• During the funeral/memorial service of Dr. C Y Peng (彭清約
http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2006/01/dr-c-y-peng.html) I was with the church choir then. And I was surprised to hear So Bok-su said with tears - referring to the medical treatment that Dr. Peng received when he became ill, “What has the modern advanced medicine done to our dear friend Elder Peng?” To say the least, it showed how much he had loved Dr. Peng and how much he had already missed him. As the matter of fact, So Bok-su had shared his tears with us, and had spoken from his heart for all of the church members.

• The last time I met So Bok-su was in 1995, the first time I came back home after almost 20 years abroad. We had lunch together with a few friends including Elder Koeh Gôan-sêng (郭源成.) As I looked at So Bok-su and Bok-su-niû (Mrs. So), something struck me all of a sudden. I then realized that how the aging process took its toll on each and every one of us. The beloved So Bok-su and Bok-su-niû were just there, as quiet as ever. So Bok-su did not need to say anything. His life was a good example and a great sermon by itself.

And the title of the sermon could easily be called “A Good Shepherd…”

"I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep."

Dr. John Sung 宋尚節博士

2009-02-13T16:36:00.000-08:00

1901-1944

"What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?"

The Memory

My father, as I recall during my childhood, would prepare the mosquitoes’ net, pillows, and blankets upon a cluster of ta-ta-mi (Japanese straw-mattresses where everybody slept on) while singing, “I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud, and your sins like a heavy mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you…” Isaiah 44:22 NASB (Góa chhàt-siau líau lí ê chōe-kòa, ná o’-hûn siau-sòaⁿ…Lí tioh kui-ng Góa, in-üi Góa kiù-siok lí…) My father was not much a singer, and he was always out of tune when he sang. But his love to us and his respect for Dr. Sung’s revival hymns were unquestionable.

My mother, on the other hand, always talked about Dr. Sung as if he were the real model preacher of her life. Perhaps he was. I thought for sometime that Sung was one of the Taiwanese preachers. I also remember that my mother told me when Dr. Sung boarded the ship in Kaohsiung harbor on his final day in Taiwan, he still found time to pray and perform the healing power of the Holy Spirit for those who came to say goodbye.

My 86-year-old aunt told me a side story of Dr. Sung recently. She said that a group of people from Kaohsiung attended Dr. Sung’s final revival meeting in Tainan. Afterward, they took a train home. And in the train, they’d keep on singing that famous song, “Come on home, Come on home!” (Tò-lâi ah, tò-lâi ah, m-thang koh hòng-tōng. Chû-ài Thiⁿ-Pē chhun khui I siang-chhiú, Ng-bāng lí tò-lâi!) She also said that some pictures of Dr. Sung with Dr. C Y Peng (http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2006/01/dr-c-y-peng.html) and friends were taken in Kaohsiung before Sung returned to A-Moy (廈門.)

Mrs. Au Chìn-an (歐進安牧師娘) well into her 90’s, has told me that while preaching in Mandarin, Dr. Sung, who knew Taiwanese very well, would correct the translator immediately when some words went wrong. The translators would take them with smiles.
Well, the event that made a long and huge wave in Taiwan Christian history in the first half of the 20th Century took place in 1936. The impact of Dr. Sung remains in effect even today. His revival hymns are still sung and sermons quoted. Dr. Sung was very much among the most influential preachers in the 20th century even in his rather short life.

His early Years

Sung was born in
Putian (莆田), Fujian, China. His father, Rev. S L Sung (宋學連) was a pastor of a Wesleyan Methodist Church while the younger Sung had helped some parish work including preaching when his father was ill. The young Sung was even called a “Little Pastor.”

The Sung was brilliant throughout his school works. With the help of an American missionary and a scholarship from the Wesleyan University of Ohio, Sung began his journey to the US in 1919. He then moved on to his graduate study at the Ohio State University. In 1926, he earned his PhD in chemistry.

Facing tons of career opportunities, Sung virtually turned everything down. He believed that, instead of simply following his father’s steps as a pastor, he was called by God to commit himself to work for the gospel of Christ in a special way. He soon entered the Union Theological Seminary in New York for further study.

The Turning Point

During his early period at the seminary (on that night of February 10, 1927) John Sung claimed to have received the gift of the Holy Spirit during a time of prayer. He once exclaimed, “This is my spiritual birthday!" John Sung later described that, “The Holy Spirit poured onto me, just like water, on top of my head continuously, wave after wave…”

Since that experience John Sung was radically changed in just about every aspect of his life. With straight face, he began to preach to his peers and the lecturers in the seminary. He was quickly considered a man out of his mind. For a little over six months Sung was confined in an insane asylum by the seminary authorities.

In that period of isolation, John Sung set himself to read the Bible. It was during this stay that he read through the entire Bible 40 times and soon became very familiar and well versed in its teachings. This period of Scriptural reading and spiritual renewal laid the foundations for one of the greatest revivals of the 20th Century.

The Ministries

Upon his release through the arrangement of the Chinese Consulate, Sung returned to China in November 1927. As one would expect, there was no diploma from the Union Theological Seminary in New York. In showing his commitment to the gospel Dr. Sung threw all his academic awards into the sea. He only kept the doctorate diploma for his father.

He soon began his preaching in the southern Fujian region for three years. His messages concentrated on The Cross of Jesus, The Spiritual Birth/Born Again, and The Ultimate Salvation. He began preaching extensively in China and Southeast Asia where the Chinese and the Taiwanese speaking communities were. In 1931, with a few pastors, he formed a "Bethel Evangelistic Band." And his sermons then focused on how to deal with sins. His powerful and charismatic preaching style (he would frequently sing those revival hymns in the middle of the sermons, and occasionally jumped up and down while shouting) had often made his listeners confess their sins in public. His critics called Dr. Sung a pure religious nut.

Like all other great preachers, Sung was a man of prayer. He often spent hours in prayers while the list of prayer requests poured in. Sung was quoted as defining faith as "watching God work while on your knees". By 1936, before his trip to Taiwan, it was believed that Sung had converted between 50,000 and 100,000 people.

Three Weeks in Taiwan: April 16 - May 8, 1936

Invited by the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, with co-workers, Rev. C J Wang and C C Wang (王宗仁王宗誠) Sung arrived Taiwan. The trip was one of the many for Dr. Sung, but the impact to Christianity in Taiwan was tremendous.

Week 1: At Tōa-Tiü-Tiâⁿ Church (大稻埕教會) of Taipei, there were nearly 2000 people gathered to listen to Dr. Sung’s messages. Dr. Sung organized more than 130 evangelical teams to help him spread the good news.

Week 2: At Líu-Gôan Church (柳原教會) of Taichung the audience doubled. Many followed Dr. Sung from northern Taiwan. Many more people benefited from Dr. Sung’s messages and prayers. His evangelical groups grew rapidly as well.

Week 3: Originally the selected church was East Gate (Tang-Mng 東門教會, the largest church in Tainan then) but the meetings had to be relocated to the open filed of the Tainan Theological Seminary with bamboo-built tents where nearly 5000 people gathered from all over southern and eastern Taiwan. The number of the evangelical teams who closely worked with Dr. Sung almost amounted to 500.

As the result of the three-week revival meetings, many new churches were founded and many more Christians experienced the born-again refreshing joy. Offerings from the audience were overwhelming, including cash, gold and silver jewelries. Some people had committed themselves into the full time ministry.

It is said that Dr. Sung’s three-week messages had greatly helped the Taiwanese Christians endure the Japanese forceful ruling and through the horrible World War II.

Dr. Sung’s Legacy

I have never met any Christians over the age of 80, in or from Taiwan, who had not heard of Dr. Sung. In fact, these people have not only heard of him, but have been affected by his messages. For a three-week journey, it was rather a miracle in itself.

There are many books about Dr. Sung. And among his legacy, such as love, faith, courage, endless prayers, the healing power, and the great team work…I pick his honesty and integrity.

Dr. Sung's messages were like the straight arrows shooting into human hearts. In his perspectives, the gospel did not need any complicated theological arguments, just answered “Yes” and turned around.

Dr. Sung was never really healthy in his adult life. His tight schedules did not help much either. Towards the final years of his life, the tuberculosis had plagued him and deeply affected his work. When he passed away he was just about three weeks short of his 43rd birthday. Yet his spiritual fruits, in Taiwan and elsewhere, are still multiplying even to this day.

Websites Referenced:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Sung
http://www.laijohn.com/works/aleaf/75.htm
http://kuanye.net/shuku/bookread.php?no=4382&code=big5
http://www.bdcconline.net/zh-hant/stories/by-person/s/song-shangjie.php
http://vicchew.tripod.com/drjohn.htm

* Quick Sites Index/View: http://TaiwanOpensites.blogspot.com/

Dr. Chen-Yuan Lee 李鎮源院士

2009-01-03T15:17:00.000-08:00

Dr. Chen-Yuan Lee 1915-2001

The Young, the Wise and the Figure

Professor Chen-yuan Lee 李鎮源 was born in the town of Kiô-á-thâu (橋子頭) of Kaohsiung Prefecture in 1915, born to a distinguished family originally from Tainan City. At the time Taiwan was under Japanese sovereignty. Upon finishing high school, he matriculated in the Taihoku Imperial University in Taipei, one of the seven “Imperial Universities” in pre-war Japan. In 1936 he was among the first students to enter the Medical Faculty. Upon graduation in 1940 a number of the Japanese faculty attempted to recruit him to their laboratories. However, he took up a position as teaching assistant at the Institute of Pharmacology under the direction of Professor Tsung-ming Tu 杜聰明, the only Taiwanese professor in the Medical Faculty at the time. Professor Tu’s main interest was toxicological research on the snake venom and opium. Lee received his M.D. degree with his research on the venom of the poisonous viper Vipera russelli formosensis. Thus began his life-long career in snake venom research.

Taiwan’s gift to science. Since the world-renowned French scientist Claude Bernard’s research on the South American arrow poison in the 19th century, it had been known for over 100 years that the nerve transmits its signal to muscles by way of a special receptor on the muscle surface. However, many attempts at isolating the special receptor had failed. The main obstacle was the lack of a suitable “tag” to label the receptor so that researchers could track the progress of isolation. The turning point came when Dr. Lee and his student C. C. Chang 張傳炯 isolated a toxin from the venom of an indigenous Taiwanese snake. The two researchers were studying the venom of the Formosan banded crait, Bungarus multicinctus, a species closely related to the Bengal snake, Bungarus bungarus, which figures prominently in an episode of Sherlock Holmes. In 1963 they successfully isolated from the venom two neurotoxins which they named α-bungarotoxin and β-bungarotoxin. They found that the snake produces α-bungarotoxin to specifically bind to the special receptor on the muscle surface and block the nerve transmission. They realized that this toxin was what scientists all over the world were dreaming to have for tagging the receptor in order to help extracting it from the muscle surface. Dr. Lee took the toxin and visited many research laboratories in the world, extolling the virtue of the toxin. Eventually in 1970 two prominent laboratories, one at the University College London and the other the Pasteur Institute in Paris, simultaneously reported that they used α-bungarotoxin to successfully isolate the long sought-after receptor from the muscle surface. With this breakthrough a long sequence of advances in neuroscience followed, eventually leading to much improvement in the understanding and therapy of many neuromuscular diseases.

Tributes for his contribution to the breakthrough in science soon followed. In 1976 Dr. Lee received the Redi Award, the highest honor bestowed by the International Society on Toxinology. He was invited by the German publisher in science Springer Verlag to edit a volume specifically on Snake Venoms (please see Figure above), which was published in 1979 in the prestigious series of Handbuch der experimentellen Pharmakologie. The handbook series was started by German scientists at the founding of modern pharmacology in the 19th century and have been regarded as the “final word” in pharmacology. It is a mark of highest distinction for a scientist to be the chief editor of a handbook devoted to the subject of his/her research interest. Subsequently in 1985, Dr. Lee was elected president of the International Society on Toxinology.

Advocate for human rights in Taiwan. After World War II Taiwan was ruled by the dictator Chiang Kai-Shek and his eldest son Chiang Ching-Kuo. The regime, supported by the U.S., put the whole island under martial laws for 50 years, which was marked as a reign of terror, abject subjugation of the Taiwanese and native peoples, and trampling of human rights and civil liberties. There was no freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of association. People would disappear without a trace. The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan was a frequent target of harassment. Against this background, Dr. Lee joined other university colleagues and intellectuals to protest against the government in late 1980s. Following the abolishment of the martial laws, the Nationalist government used a loosely interpreted Criminal Code Article 100 (刑法100條) to arrest and persecute protestors and opposition members. Dr. Lee, who had been an Academician of Taiwan’s National Academy of Science (Academia Sinica 中央研究院院士) since 1970, became a leader of the movement against this law. The most famous demonstration was the one in which he and other protestors held a lying-in on the broad avenue leading to the Presidential House. This eloquent act awakened Taiwan’s society and subsequently the Criminal Code Article 100 was abolished, another defining achievement for Dr. Lee.
Eventually the tide was turned against the Nationalist regime, which lost the presidential election in 2000 to the opposition party, the Democratic Progressive Party. At the victory rally in the night of 18 March 2000, the national TV networks showed a Dr. Lee, standing on the stage right behind the president-elect Mr. Chen Shui-bian, smiling with the happiest smile he ever had in his life.

In two most important things in his life, science for the world and democracy for Taiwan, Dr. Lee was able to make the greatest contributions. Professor Lee passed away on 1 November 2001 following an illness of blood dyscrasia. Dr. Barbara Hawgood of Queen Elizabeth College, London, writing about Dr. Lee’s life in the scientific journal Toxicon, concludes most aptly, “Professor Chen-Yuan Lee is held in high regard and great respect, both in his own country and internationally.”

References:
Barbara J. Hawgood (2002). Professor Chen-Yuan Lee, MD (1915-2001), pharmacologist: snake venom research at the Institute of Pharmacology, National Taiwan University. Toxicon 40: 1065-1072.
Lindy Yeh (2001). Newsmaker: Taiwan loses a fiery independence fighter. Taipei Times November 3rd, 2001. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/archives/2001/11/03/0000109885

** The article above has been contributed by Emeritus Prof. Chau H. Wu of Northwestern University, a former student of Dr. Lee at the National Taiwan University **

In 1987 Dr. Lee was awarded for his achievement in the science and technology (科技工程獎) by the Taiwanese American Foundation.

In May of 2001, Dr. Lee, on his wheelchair, received a special Dr. Lai Ho Award (http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2007/02/dr-lai-ho.html). During the ceremony, Dr. Lee reminded the medical professionals in Taiwan to raise the moral standards all around, and to revive the values of the Taiwanese culture by all means.

In short, Dr. Lee was a rare gift to Taiwan: in Science, Culture and Conscience.

- S. Chen 　

* Related Website: http://taiwantt.org.tw/taiwanspirit/html/40.htm

* Quick Sites Index/View: http://TaiwanOpensites.blogspot.com/

Merry Christmas, Taiwan!

2008-12-18T01:09:00.000-08:00

Area : 36,000 square kilometers

Population: 23 million

Capital : Taipei City

Language : Taiwanese/Mandarin/Hakka/Indigenous Languages

Religion : Buddhism/Taoism/Christianity/Islam

Like Taiwan, Christmas is mostly about memory. The memory of the way we were celebrating, eating, rejoicing, caroling, and dancing with graceful tears in our eyes…

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Like Taiwan, Christmas is green, deep green with the essence of life: the darkness of death. Yet in Jesus, to many, one expected to see life beyond.

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Like Taiwan, Christmas is a whisper in our ears. A whisper to you and me as it was to Mary and Joseph. The voice stays long after it was spoken. It stays in our minds, and in our hearts: “Fear not !! I am with you, always...”

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Like Taiwan, a solitary island on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean, the first Christmas began with a solitary journey of Mary and Joseph. Facing the unknown future, somehow they were not afraid. They knew one thing for sure: their journey was with God.

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“Do not be afraid... Walk with God.”

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Merry Christmas to you, Taiwan!

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Mr. Bo Yang 柏楊先生

2008-10-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

1920 – 2008

Not to be praising and pleasing the emperors
But to be speaking truthfully for the people
不為君王唱讚歌
只為蒼生說人話

Bo Yang (originally named Kuo 郭) was born one year after Ms. Marjorie Ingeleiv Bly (http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2008/09/marjorie-ingeleiv-bly.html) also in Henan, China. Two different life stories yet shared the same destiny. One, a Western missionary’s daughter turned herself a missionary as well; the other, a Chinese intellectual ended up spending all his adult life mostly "fighting" for the human rights in Taiwan.

Six months after his death (2008/4/29), there are still many Bo Yang’s stories in the news, the book stores, and the websites. What triggered me to include his story in this blog site was that somewhere in his writings, he said that he never ate such a great tasty fruit as the banana of Taiwan.

Well, anybody who spent so many years in Taiwan, embraced the Taiwanese communities, and dedicated so much of energy to the well beings of the Taiwanese, is considered Taiwanese, wherever he was born. Little wonder in 1999 Bo Yang was awarded the Humanistic Sciences Award by Taiwanese American Foundation.

Bo Yang had his life in Taiwan divided into five periods:

Ten years in novels (十年小說)
Ten years in essays (十年雜文)
Ten years in prisons (十年牢獄)
Five years in columns (五年專欄)
Ten years in histories (十年通鑑)

Popeye the Sailor

In 1968, he translated the popular cartoon “Popeye the Sailor” in a Taiwanese newspaper. Once published, due to the insinuation of the nature of the story in the eyes of Chiang Kai-sek, the result: Bo Yang spent nearly 10 years in Green Island, the then infamous political prison in Taiwan. Prior to that, in the 1950’s while Bo Yang worked at Ping-Tung Agricultural School, he was imprisoned for 7 months when he was caught listening to the Chinese communist’s radio broadcasting.

Bo Yang was not ‘corrected’ a bit because the imprisonment. He continued to write articles afterward. In the eyes of the rulers then he was just a trouble-maker. He was one of the few intellectuals in Taiwan (e.g., C Lei 雷震 and S L Wu 吳三連) and dared to challenge the then Nationalist Party (KMT) political rationality and its core existence.

The Ugly Chinese

Bo Yang was not the first one wrote/talked (a speech at Iowa in 1984) about the ugly Chinese. Besides Lu Shiun (鲁迅) there was a British philosopher by the name of Bertrand Russell, who wrote a book called The Ugly Chinese. However it was Bo Yang’s speech (later published) made him an instant ‘star’ in the cultural and academic circles among the Chinese communities around the world. His in depth criticism of the never-changing Chinese value system (Soy-Sauce-Jar-Culture 醬缸文化) made friends as well as enemies all over.

His Writings

Other than his novels, essays and columns, Bo Yang spent years re-writing the Chinese histories in a way that most people could understand. His novels were very good, yet somehow overshadowed by his powerful and critical essays and columns. As expected, Bo Yang's provocative writings also led him to be attacked by the Chinese Communists.

Bo Yang was one of the founders of the Amnesty International in Taiwan. He, among others, made the human right possible - with a heavy toll - in the Taiwanese political environment while the majority was silent.

His Life

Some of his friends asked him to summarize his life story. He said he had been in hell a few times, “I did have more tears than laughter, but most Chinese suffered even more than I have been.” Few can argue that.

Bo Yang was a thinker and a writer, but it was the way he described himself that touched many people’s hearts:

Not to be praising and pleasing the emperors
But to be speaking truthfully for the people
不為君王唱讚歌
只為蒼生說人話

Unaware the severe cold and the dangerous arrows
A lonely bird flew into the dreams for many
孤鴻不知冰霜至
仍將展翅迎箭飛

Good bye and thank you, the bird with a big heart!

Some Websites:

http://chenlc03.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!6E507401510BA7C2!473.entry

http://bloguide.ettoday.com/xiangyang/textview.php?file=148652 (Chinese)

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-TW&u=http://www.tafaward.com/Award%2520Recipients/1999/Ch_Humanity1_1999.htm&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=9&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%25E6%259F%258F%25E6%25A5%258A%26start%3D40%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/book/2003-03/18/content_784620.htm (Chinese)

http://groups.google.vg/group/alt.obituaries/browse_thread/thread/ce5f87b19928d52d

Marjorie Ingeleiv Bly 白寶珠宣教師

2008-09-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

Marjorie Ingeleiv Bly

1919-2008

Where there is love, there is life...

Marjorie Ingeleiv Bly was born in Henan, China, on May 30, 1919, to missionary parents John M. and Minnie S. Bly. She attended school in Northfield, Minnesota, graduated from St. Olaf College in 1941 and from the St. Olaf-Fairview Hospital Nurses Program in 1944. She first went to China in 1946 as a missionary nurse under the sponsorship of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Missionary Board. She left China in 1949/50, then returned in 1952 to the mission field in Taiwan, focusing on caring for and treating the many leprosy patients in the islands of Penghu.

Penghu, located in the middle of Taiwan Strait, little known by many foreigners, is a County consists of more than 90 islands. Some 80 miles east of Mainland China and 30 miles west of Taiwan, Penghu residents are mostly fishermen. During those years of Bly’s service in Makung, Penghu, Taiwan was known for her economic miracles from cheap labors in the early ‘60s advanced to the high tech exports in the 80’s and 90’s. Nevertheless, as in every other society, there were less fortunate people with disease such as leprosy who always needed extra care physically and spiritually. That was where Bly came in.

Bly was called Miss White (白姑娘) or Aunt White (白阿姨) or Grandma of Penghu (澎湖阿嬤). No matter what people called her, she was called with deep love and respect. When some Taiwanese news media arrived to interview Bly but not knowing where to go, a taxi driver was said to give them free rides, saying, “Make sure you write good stories about Miss White. We need more of Miss White here than ever.” That taxi driver later said softly that he was Bly’s patient once.

For the first twenty years or so Bly worked with a Roman Catholic priest Davide Luigi Giordan (何義士神父) -- who also received award by President T H Lee. Bly was one of the first health care professionals in Taiwan who insisted of the privacy of the patients. She refused to give away any information of her patients other than to their immediate family members.

In 2006, after more than fifty years of dedicated work, she was able to report to the Superintendent of the Makung Hospital that she knew of no new cases of leprosy in Penghu in the previous two years and that the stigma of being treated for the disease had been nearly eradicated. That year and the year followed, the then Taiwan's President S B Chen visited her in Penghu to honor her for her lifetime of service to the Taiwanese people and to commission a statue of her to be built in her favorite Penghu Park.

Like many missionaries before her, Bly quietly and gracefully gave her life to the people of Taiwan. In her will, she had dedicated her last few thousand dollars to the people of Taiwan.

“What a beautiful sight! On the mountains a messenger announces to Jerusalem, ‘Good news! You're saved. There will be peace…"

Prof. C K Wu 吳振坤教授

2008-06-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

An Educator, a Thinker, and a Care-Giver

Prof. and Mrs. C K WU
1913-1988

Most people called him Elder Wu, a man who worked in various libraries before joined the faculty at Chang-Jung High school and moved on to Tainan Theological College/Seminary (TTCS). He became the first lay person to be given the full professorship at TTCS.

Graduated from Kyoto University (Philosophy) and Yale University, Wu was more a thinker than a talker. He used the seminar style to conduct the classes at TTCS and pushed students to think more independently than just following the text books. Some students thought he was always serious, not knowing that he was a man with humor:

Once a student made a comment that another student was really strange. Wu said, “Most people come to study at the Seminary are really strange…” I wonder if Wu thought the same way about the fellow faculty members.

Saying the grace in a Japanese restaurant, Wu was heard saying something like, “Lord, please help us that we will not have any poisonous raw fish tonight...”

Elder Wu’s situations under KMT regime in Taiwan during the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s were very difficult due to the political activities of his brother, Dr. C N Wu (吳振南醫師) in Japan. Wu himself was a straight forward talker. He had made comments about KMT when there was known for not to tolerate any criticisms. Thus for a long time Wu, like many other intellectuals, was denied to leave Taiwan.

In 1974 while I was teaching at the YMCA Institute in Hong Kong I received a letter from Wu who was one of the original founders of the Tainan Tung-Ning Church. The letter was to invite me to be the pastor of the church even though most members of the church had not met me. I accepted the ‘challenge’ from my professor and from the church which was one of the first community-oriented churches. The emphasis of the ministry was on the academic communities where Cheng-Kung University, TTCS and several high schools are near by. For the next two years 1976 the church gave me enough freedom to teach at TTCS and assist the student fellowships among the colleges/universities. Without Wu, I would not be even close to make it. After all, he was one of the Student Christian Movements (SCM) initiators. And the Tung-Ning church has been helping the area campus ministries as well.

During my seminary years in the 60’s, Wu came to visit my father. I then found out that they knew each other in Tokyo area when they were students. They talked for a long time. It was a rather strange occasion since both of them were not good talkers. Before Wu left, he told me that it was a rare treat for him to freely talk what he had in his mind without fear.

Wu taught Christian Ethics and Philosophy of Religions at TTCS more than a quarter of a century focusing on the “What if” and made all the effort to keep his students aware of the situations in and out of the church and the society. He retired from TTCS at 1978 and was awarded the Doctor of Divinity Degree in 1986.

In early 80’s I paid a visit to Prof. Wu who stayed with his daughter’s family in New Jersey area. We had a short yet good talk. He still sincerely cared about the Taiwanese young intellectuals and the future of Taiwan, saying, “We have got to do our part continuously and then pray…”

Did we actually do our part, and what are in our prayers? As for the future of Taiwan, what if…? The answers are in many of Wu’s students’ minds all over the world, and in the people of Taiwan too.

Related Websites:

http://www.laijohn.com/archives/pc/Gou,Ckhun/on-church.htm

http://www.laijohn.com/archives/pc/Gou,Ckhun/remiscence/Ong,CChhiau.htm

http://www.laijohn.com/archives/pc/Gou,Ckhun/remiscence/Tin,Thian.htm

How the Taiwanese language virtually links with other languages: http://www.wretch.cc/blog/Heruler

Rev. Su-Beng Huang 黃俟命牧師

2008-05-12T18:49:00.000-07:00

1890-1950

"Even though I go through the deepest darkness,
I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me..."

Even though he was not as famous as his son, Shoki Coe (黃彰輝牧師), Rev. Su-Beng Huang was a very special pastor. Huang’s father, Chi-Seng (黃誌誠牧師) and son, Sioki Coe had made a team of three-generation pastor, serving Taiwan and throughout the world in the entire 20th century.

A graduate from schools of Lam-a-khe (楠仔坑/楠梓) 1906, Tainan Chang-Jung Middle School (長榮中學) 1909, and Tainan Theological School (台南福音書院/台南神學院) 1913, Huang worked as a teacher at ChangHua elementary school and the local ChangHua church then a minister at Kiam-Chui church (鹽水教會) before accepting the teaching job at Chang-Jung Middle School.

In 1927 Huang was ordained at the East-Gate Church in Tainan (台南東門教會) as the church first pastor while still working at the Chang-Jung Middle School. Three years later, Rev. To-Eng Pan (潘道榮牧師) joined him as an associate pastor, the first church ever in Taiwan to have more than one full time pastor. Rev. Huang also served as the first moderator of the Presbytery of Tainan.

It was during those busy years that Huang experienced the shadow of the valley of the death.

First, his brother Tiau-Siong (調祥,) who studied medicine in Osaka, Japan died in 1923. Then his second son Eng-Hui (永輝) and his wife passed away in 1926. And then his father and his mother-in-law both died in 1927.

Shortly after that, Huang was preaching in a evangelical gathering. His message was “The Comfort of the Lord.” He spoke softly in plan language, directly from his personal experience. It was like sharing his own story of the valley of the death, and how he was comforted by the Lord’s caring hands. The audience was very much moved by his simple talk.

In 1934, Huang paid a surprise visit to his son, Shoki Coe who was studying philosophy at the Tokyo Imperial University. At that time Huang was unemployed. He was forced to resign from the Middle School and the church due to the refusal of following the Japanese religious orders, conducting the Japanese Bible study, and preaching in Japanese at the Taiwanese church.

The father and the son then spent three weeks together studied the Book of Job -- 2 chapters each day to cover forty-two chapters. It was a priceless three-week period between the father and the son; and most likely for both ministers in a soul seeking process.

After Huang returned to Taiwan in 1935, he went to work in Taichung rural area (大肚教會). He continued to serve the church and church related offices till he suffered a stroke in 1940. The last church he served was Oan-Lim (員林教會) near ChangHua where Shoki was born.

Rev. Huang passed away in 1950, shortly after Shoki Coe (

http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2005_11_01_archive.html) came back from England to lead the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan in general and the Tainan Theological College in particular.

Web Sites:
http://www.laijohn.com/book5/484.htm
http://www.laijohn.com/book5/485.htm
http://www.laijohn.com/book5/486.htm
http://www.laijohn.com/book5/487.htm

Mr. Chien Shih 施乾先生

2008-02-23T18:47:00.000-08:00

Mr. Shih and family, 1939

Mr. Chien Shih

1899-1944

The Pioneer of the Taiwanese Humanitarian

台灣人道主義的先驅

Mr. Shih was born in Tam-Sui (淡水.) Graduated from Taipei Engineering Institute (台北州工業學校) in 1917, Shih soon was employed by the Taipei (Japanese) Governor’s administration as a civil engineer, a job envied by many. He could have simply lived a very comfortable life with newly wedded wife in 1922. Yet he eventually chose to establish a house called Love-Love Home (愛愛寮) accepting the beggars/panhandlers all over the northern Taiwan.

In order to provide more information to the public, Shih had published four books about the beggars – [Who Are the Beggars] [The Elimination of the Beggars] [The Life of the Beggars] and [Introduction to the Beggars Elimination Association] 《乞食是什麼》《乞食撲滅論》《乞丐社會的生活》《乞丐撲滅協會--宣言, 要旨, 規約.》 His efforts had made a big wave that his stories were reported by a famous Japanese writer that led to the special award by the Japanese emperor in 1928.

Shih’s children also voluntarily stayed in Love-Love House and helped those less fortunate people back on their feet by educating them and farming skills. It was not uncommon to see the House hosted more than 200 beggars lived and worked together with Shih and his family. The first sight (or smell) of the House may not be pretty, but the warmth and love, though invisible, was overwhelming.

Shih’s wife died prematurely in 1932. In 1934 Shih married to Kyomizu Teruko (清水照子) - a Japanese lady who had devoted all her life to help the beggars long after Shih suffered a critical stroke and passed away in 1944.

It should be noted that Shih’s daughter, Shih Shiang (施香,) from his second marriage, married to Rev. Pek-Chong Hong (洪伯宗) who I knew from the Tainan Seminary forty some years before. And as one may know, no such a good deed can be done by one alone. Many humanitarians at that time helped Shih too. In his writings, Shih emphasized that the beggars were the bottom of the social problems which could not be ignored.

One of the big helpers was Mrs. Lillian Dickson (http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2007/11/mrs-lillian-dickson.html) who was moved by the good deeds of Shih’s Love-Love Home and decided to give a helping hand. Lillian contacted the charity organizations in the States and provided the materials as well as the moral support. Eventually Mrs. Teruko Shih (施照子 1910-2001) was converted to Christianity with a simple goal: Helping the least of the brothers and sisters.

For more than 50 years her dedication never ceased to amaze the people around her. It is said that the beggars often heard her saying in Chinese, “Jesus loves you, God bless you.” The Shih’s family members were also known to help bathing the beggars when they were first received and were taught to keep their bodies and environment clean.

Yes, it was a tough job to take care of others, especially the beggars. It was even tougher to give up a well paid job to work with the beggars all life long. And the reward was just a title “The Loving Father of the Beggars.”

No, Mr. Shih was not a beggar. He was a solid and almost the only hope for them. He and his family, among others, showed that even at the bottom of the society, life should always be with hope and future for the better.

There would always be beggars in our society, and we hope there would also be people with the spirit of Mr. Shih, to share life and hope with them.

Related Websites:
http://www.twcenter.org.tw/wu12/01.htm
http://tamsui.yam.org.tw/tspe/tspe0003.htm
http://www.ohmygod.org.tw/goodtohaveyou/good002.htm
http://www.rti.org.tw/Taiwan/TaiwanHistory.aspx?id=24&Month=8
http://www.ohmygod.org.tw/goodtohaveyou/good014.htm
http://www.ohmygod.org.tw/goodtohaveyou/shih01.jpg

Mrs. Lillian Dickson 孫理蓮牧師娘

2007-11-15T18:56:00.000-08:00

1901-1983

Forever the Mother
Forever the Taiwanese

Lillian Dickson was a little lady with a great vision and big heart (as introduced by the Reader’s Digest July 1962 issue.) She was born 1901 in Minnesota. A graduate of Macalerter College, Lillian married to James Dickson (孫雅各,) a Canadian studied at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1927. Soon they accepted the missionary duty from Canadian Presbyterian Church. In her words, “We only go around once. Let’s go to where we would be needed the most.”

The place: Taiwan.

Many people knew Rev. James Dickson because he was the principal of the Taiwan Theological College/Seminary. Perhaps more people knew Lillian Dickson (孫理蓮) because of what she had done for the least of our sisters and brothers for more than 40 years.

Period One 1927 -

As a mother and wife, Lillian quietly raised kids until 1940 while the World War II forced them to leave Taiwan for South America where they continued to work with the natives as missionary.

Period Two 1947 -

Back to Taiwan after WWII where James led the theological education in northern Taiwan and Lillian dedicated her life to the mountain tribes, the children, the poor and the sick. She worked with the lepers, the black-feet patients (a disease caused by arsenic polluted water) among many others.

Lillian once helped build a chapel for the lepers. At first the lepers were afraid to come close to Lillian. So she went close to them each time after the service. Once she distributed the cookies to the kids. And she found out that some of the kids lost their fingers due to the leprosy, and could not even hold the cookie. With the dropping tears she distributed cookies using pieces of paper like paper plate.

In 1952 she founded The Mustard Seed Mission (基督教芥菜種會http://www.mustard.org.tw) The Mission is still actively helping the least of our sisters and brothers today.

Period Three 1967 -

Shortly after James Dickson passed away in 1967, Lillian worked with the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan for the Burning Bush Mission (焚棘海外佈道團) – the first of its kind - which sent mostly the aboriginal missionaries to Southeast Asia such as Sarawak, Papua New Guinea and South Borneo (1973.)

Lillian never ‘retired’ from her work. She continued to work till she died peacefully. She was buried besides her husband next to the chapel at the Taiwan Theological College/Seminary.

In Taiwan and elsewhere, Lillian is remembered probably as the most active and contributed missionary’s wife ever.

Some Related Websites:
http://www.taipedia.org.tw/index.php?title=%E5%AD%AB%E7%90%86%E8%93%AE%EF%BC%88Lillian_Dickson%EF%BC%89%EF%BC%88%E6%96%87%E5%BB%BA%E6%9C%83%EF%BC%89

http://www.pct.org.tw/women/magazine.htm?strTID=4&strISID=369&strMagID=M2007071701396

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/mustard-org/article?mid=6&prev=14&next=4

Dr. W S Chiang 蔣渭水醫師

2007-08-29T18:59:00.000-07:00

1891-1931

- An Almost Forgotten Chapter of the History of Taiwan
- A Symbol of the Anti-Japanese Occupation in Taiwan

Dr. W S Chiang was born at Yee-Lan (宜蘭) where many Taiwanese pioneers in democracy came from. He learned the traditional Chinese literature quite early. When he grew up, he constantly refused to be associated with Japanese way of life even though all his life was under the shade of Japan. He dressed up much more often as Chinese than as Japanese.

After medical school, Chiang opened up Da-An medical center (大安醫院) in Taipei and began his practice. Soon he found out that there were invisible patients in the society of Taiwan. After merely five years as a physician, Chiang made a dramatic turn: he dedicated his life for Taiwanese against Japanese occupation in Taiwan. One of his primary concerns was to have the local representatives in the decision making process. Understandably, Japanese authority could not stand that idea.

Nevertheless Chiang founded:
1. Taiwan Cultural Society (臺灣文化協會) – Where lectures were delivered periodically and intellectuals were gathered often
2. Taiwan People’s Party (臺灣民眾黨) – Probably the very first political party looking after the over all Taiwanese benefits and human rights
3. Taiwanese Labors Union (臺灣工友聯盟) – Established the union power of the labors against the rich and the powerful

And his reward: being thrown in jail by the Japanese government in 1924. Chiang did not waste anytime in jail. He wrote articles and used creative writings to reflect his idea of the future pictures of Taiwan.

Due to illiness, Dr. Chiang died at the age of 40. There were more friends surrounded by his deathbed than his family members and relatives. Simply put: His life was by Taiwan and for Taiwan. And his extended family was Taiwan.

Chiang’s political struggles against Japan earned him a nick name of Dr. Sun Yet-sen of Taiwan. But it was his strong cultural identity and social justice concerns that made him come up with the famous clinical report of “A Diagnosis of a Patient Named Taiwan” in 1921.

His summary of diagnosis:
· Moral corruptions
· Absolute materialism
· Narrow minded and short sighted
· Lack of essential knowledge
· No long time planning

Looking at the Taiwan today, culturally, politically or socially, it makes one wonder exactly how much has been improved since Dr. Chiang passed away 76 years ago.

Dr. Chiang’s related websites:
http://www.ftvn.com.tw/Topic/CaringTW/TWnotes/0805.htm
http://design93.town-all.org.tw/view215/afterword_4.htm
http://chao-hsuan.blogspot.com/2007/03/blog-post.html

Prof. Liao Chi-Chun 廖繼春教授

2007-07-28T21:23:00.000-07:00

A Mastery of Colors with Passion for Life

1902 - 1976

Court Yard with Banana Trees, 1928
芭蕉之庭

Shade, 1957
樹蔭

Love River, 1967

Venice, 1973

I first heard of Liao Chi-Chun (廖繼春) was from his student Shen Tse-Chai (沈哲哉 - another Taiwanese famous painter) whose family were the members of the Tung-Ning (東寧) Church I was pasturing from 1974-76. Shen’s house was covered with paintings like a gallery. All I knew then was that Liao was a top modern Taiwanese artist.

Then between 1982 and 1986 I met Sut-Chung (述宗) – Liao’s fourth son, a well known research professor at the University of Chicago, and Sut-Tiong (述忠) - his fifth son, a scientist worked in the Ann Arbor area. I began to feel the impact of an artist’s family when once Sut-Tiong drove me through the University of Michigan campus in the fall. The trees were so breath-taking beautiful. Then Sut-Tiong told me that we were like driving right into the God’s paintings.

Yes, I still remember it well years after that. The beauty of the nature, sometimes captured and reflected by the painters, stands by itself, without comparison.

Born in a poor farming family in Hong-Goân (豐原) in central Taiwan, Liao Chi-Chun displayed his artistic talents in his childhood. He also showed his dream of educating others by entering Taipei Teacher’s school. Through the encouragement of his fiancée among others, Liao ended up graduating from Tokyo School of Fine Arts concentrating on western style oil paintings. Since then he never stopped working with his paintings and teachings, from Tainan Chung-Jung Middle School (長榮中學), Tainan First Middle School (台南一中) to Normal University (師範大學.) While his paintings dominate the arts circle of Taiwan, his students are all over Taiwan and abroad. Liao also had extended his influences by educating his children to have outstanding personalities and achievements with a strong sense of being a proud Taiwanese wherever they turn out to be.

As the saying goes, a painting is worth more than a thousand words. In almost 50 years, Liao’s paintings were evolving in styles with his life experience expanded while teaching and traveling throughout the United States and Europe. He remained as the master of colors. His works were selected and awarded in major government exhibitions such as the Taiten (Taiwan Exhibition 台展) and Teiten (Imperial Exhibition 帝展.)

While struggling through poverty, war and limited human conditions, his paintings demonstrate the endless possibilities of dream-like, sometimes wishful, yet definitely a better and more constructive tomorrow is always around the corner. Through his artistic touch, Liao gave colors to the eyes of the beholders, and beyond. He gave colors with abundant hope to humanity.

More Liao’s paintings are available at these websites:
http://over.tngs.tn.edu.tw/arts/arts-004/arts-004-004/arts-004-004.htm
http://vr.theatre.ntu.edu.tw/fineart/painter-tw/liaochichun/liaochichun.htm

Mr. Lōa Bûn-Liông 賴文良長老

2007-07-03T20:30:00.000-07:00

1907 - 1986

"To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."

-- Lōa's Calligraph and his Life Goal

While Rev. Bú-Tong Hwang (黃武東) and Dr. Chiau-Seng Hwang (黃昭聲) appeared on this site as father-son, this article would mark as the first two Taiwanese figures appeared here related to each other in marriage. The daughter of Chhòa Pôe-Hóe (蔡培火 posted April 12, 2007) married to the son of Lōa Bûn-Liông (賴文良.)

I had heard of Mr. Chhòa often back in Taiwan but never met him. I first heard of Mr. Lōa was at a Detroit area Taiwanese church late in 1986. Even though I never met Lōa in person but felt like I had known him well through his family members.

Lōa was a traditional and disciplined gentleman. He took his time to shave well, to dress properly and to enjoy mostly the classical music. He also loved to read and to work in the garden. Most of all, he loved the nature, his family and the communities.

Lōa was born on 1907, 12 years into the Japan’s rule of Taiwan that had brought modernization of infrastructure and educational system to Taiwan. Lōa’s father died when he was nine. He was raised by his mother with some family owned lands in Tōa-nâ (大林). After three years at the Tainan Normal School, Lōa decided to pursue his higher education in Japan. He got transferred to a Tokyo high school, and whence successfully gained admission to the Tokyo Institute of Technology, one of the top colleges in Japan. Upon graduation in electrical engineering, he took a break coming home before taking up a lucrative job offer in Japan. But Lōa’s mother, having long for her only son to return, found him a very nice lady Miss Chan (曾綢, also well educated), and urged him to stay. Lōa’s plan for returning to Japan thus ended but a love story and a very fine family began to form.

As a then rare college graduate, Lōa took a job as a supervisor in the major sugar refinery. After several years, he accepted an invitation by the town elders to return to Tōa-nâ, to manage the local agricultural corporative. Within a few years he was able to turn the organization around into the black. He recruited educated Taiwanese youths to the team, and added facilities for storage and distribution of farm produces, contributing to the local economy. Lōa’s leadership and amiable personality won the trust of the community. His son Hiro (弘典) recalled an incident years later when once he was caught riding a bike without the front lamp lit in the evening. While Hiro waited to be fined at the police station an officer recognized him. When he was confirmed to be indeed Mr. Lōa’s son, Hiro was given a verbal warning and sent home without penalty.

Towards the end of WWII, a shortage of qualified technical school teachers developed as Japanese teachers got drafted to the war. Lōa was called upon to teach at the Tâi-Tiong (台中) Technical High School, a prestigious position. When the war ended and the Chinese took over Taiwan, however, Lōa was appointed to take charge of the Tang-shi (東勢) county government in Tâi-Tiong area. In the ensuing tumultuous years of culture shock and confusion, Lōa managed to maintain peace and stability in the area. It was not a small feat and he won warm support of the Tang-shi people. But the pressure was great, and Mrs. Lōa became ill with tuberculosis around the time their last child Siù-Khêng was born. Then, Siù-Khêng also contracted the disease on the spine, and Lōa had to spend increasing amount of time for their medical cares.

It was a tough and long journey for the entire family. Lōa resigned from his job and took the family back to Tōa-nâ. While by the grace of God Siù-Khêng’s condition got stabilized, that of Mrs. Lōa’s continued to deteriorate despite of the use of a new antibiotic. At one time lady Chan’s condition was so critical that even the doctors turned pessimistic. At one time she pleaded her husband to “Please give it up. We all suffered enough already.” Still Lōa refused to give it up, and continued to pray to the All Mighty he had come to trust.

Miraculously Mrs. Lōa’s condition turned around, and she felt better by the days. She continued to regain her strength slowly yet surely. With friends from Tōa-nâ church who had often prayed for her, Mrs. Lōa began to attend the church services. The entire family soon followed, and eventually they all converted into Christians.

As normalcy returned, Lōa started to work as a mathematic and physics teacher at public high schools in nearby towns. The ‘land reform’ that the Chinese imposed on Taiwan had taken away most of Lōa’s lands, and his working became a necessity. Fortunately the workload was relatively light, so Lōa could devote large part of his time to church affairs. He studied the Bible diligently, and his morning prayer became a daily must. Having been a local celebrity and because of his dedication to faith, he was elected as the church elder just a year after his baptism.

When Tōa-nâ church, with its aging wooden structure next to the busy market, was looking to a new building, Lōa took the leadership in the project. From fund-raising, selection of the building site to design, contracting and construction, he worked incessantly, and with prayer. The contractor of the church building was so moved by Lōa’s sincere attitude and strong faith that he later became a Christian himself. The new church of brick and concrete, with an affiliated kindergarten was dedicated on 1965. Lōa’s calligraphy was installed permanently on the insignia of the new Tōa-nâ Presbyterian Church. When he left Tōa-nâ for the US several years later, he was made the honorary elder of the church.

Mr. and Mrs. Lōa raised three daughters and four sons. He taught his children in such a way that good traditions were to free people’s thoughts, not to limit them. Unlike some families at the time, Lōa’s family value was “to have quality of life among children” (但願子孫賢.) Lōa practiced what he preached. Among his children, there are professor, electrical engineers, dentists, and software developer. All are actively involved in the Taiwanese American churches and communities. And there are doctors, lawyers and other professionals among his grandchildren.

Lōa’s calligraphy was outstanding since he was very young. After he retired with his wife to the United States, when not playing with their grandchildren, he continued to demonstrate his beautiful writing skill with Biblical verses. His favorite one was from the Old Testament, “To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)

Mrs. Lōa***, once almost died from tuberculosis, now at the age of 97, still shows up in the church near Detroit every Sunday. When asked what she was doing there, her answer was simply, “To give thanks to the Lord.”

** Mr. Lōa Bûn-Liông would have celebrated his 100th birthday in 2007.**

*** Mrs. Lōa passed away April 2008 at the age of 98, with moving memorial services in both Detroit and New York *** Updated, May 2008

Related website: http://www.pctedu.org/~kagipct/church/c11.htm

Dr. Chiau-Seng Hwang 黃昭聲醫師

2007-07-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

Rev. B T Hwang and family
-- Rev. Hwang on the front left
-- Dr. C S Hwang on the right

1936 - 2006

Drs. Landsborough IV, Dr. & Mrs. C S Hwang, 1992

Two reasons that I had known Chiau-seng (黃昭聲) for over 40 years: he had a well known father Rev. Bu-Tong Hwang (黃武東牧師 http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2005_11_01_archive.html), and he married to a fine lady who graduated from the same seminary as I did. But I began to really know him was sometime in late 1986 when I served as a guest preacher at Taiwanese church in Detroit Presbytery. Hwang had been practicing medicine in between Detroit and Ann Arbor for many years and actively involved with the church business. The bonus for me then was not really the mileage from the frequent fliers program (flying between Detroit and Chicago at least once a month for years) but to meet Rev. Bu-tong Hwang from time to time and to see first handed the distinctiveness of the father-son pair both brilliant with sense of humor and their love beyond their fields, namely the ministry and the medical practice.

It was really a surprise that I heard the news of Dr. Hwang decided to take the job as the superintendent of the Changhua Christian Hospital (CCH-Taiwan) in 1989. Pretty much the entire congregation got together at a restaurant in Windsor as a farewell dinner for the Hwangs. Chiau-seng made his famous short yet powerful speech about his dream during the dinner. He had an unfinished dream as a Taiwanese in Taiwan. He shared with me his experience of meeting Dr. and Mrs. David Landsborough IV in United Kingdom before he took his new job. Hwang seemed to be fully aware of the historical responsibility of the nearly a century old hospital. It is, after all, a Christian hospital full of the loving memories and stories of the early missionaries and local professionals in central Taiwan.

In 1995 I got a chance to meet Hwangs in Taiwan – the last time I was there was 1976. Hui-hui, Mrs. Hwang, was once jokingly told me that they would treat me to the best ginger duck soup (薑母鴨) in Taiwan. And I stopped by only to find that Chiau-seng was in hospital bed, not visiting patients, but getting ready for lower back surgery himself.
The main hall of the hospital was so crowded it sounded like a noisy market plaza. However I was warmly welcome by the receptionist and visited Chiau-seng who was actually in bed reading and signing papers. It was my turn to kid both of them back, “Some members of the congregation may get sick to avoid a Sunday sermon from me, but for a lousy ginger duck soup? “

It was really good to see them both in good spirit. And on my way around, I did hear many good things Chiau-seng had been doing for the Hospital both in administration and in medical services. During his tenure, the hospital had expanded the service and business alike, turned CCH into a great medical center for education/teaching, increased cooperation with local churches and communities and even helped the young Chang-Jung University (長榮大學) and the old Tainan Theological College/Seminary financially.

I never got a chance to pay another visit to the Hwangs in Changhua. I met them in Ann Arbor a few times, but never long enough to sit down and talk. How I wish I had.

And then in late 2001 I heard the controversial stories (to retire or not to retire…) from many sides. And I was too far away to even make comments. And in between my secular work Monday-Friday and weekend preaching engagements, I lost count of virtually everything in memory.

And then I was told, in late 2004, that Chiau-seng was retired from CCH and was honored as an Emeritus Superintendent - CCH has also published a book called The Footsteps(腳步), a collection of Chiau-seng’s 15 years at CCH, full of pictures and footsteps of his and many others.

Then in the spring of 2006, like a thunder, I heard the news of Hwang’s passing away in Taiwan. I was totally speechless. In my mind Chiau-seng was always strong (perhaps too strong sometimes) and dignified. How could anything like that happen to him? Well, it happens to everybody. There is no discrimination in the process of life and death.

Like his father Rev. B T Hwang, Chiau-seng spent his final years in Taiwan, did the best he could to offer from both a Christian and a medical professional. And now Hui-hui, his wife, spent most of her time organizing volunteers (as many as 200 plus, including wives of physicians, students and all kinds) to help the families of the CCH patients.

There are tons of loving words expressed in the memorial service of Dr. Chiau-seng Hwang. Allow me to translate (I do not have the original) the eulogy that Dr. David Landsborough IV wrote:

"Dear Dr. Hwang,

Because of your effort and encouragement, every bolt and nut feels important and valuable. You strengthened every one of us. We’ll always miss your smiles and your love. However hard it seems to be, we have to let you go. Have a good trip home. God is taking care of you and we pray that God will continue to take care of your family. May His gracious love be with you forever...

- David and family”

Some related websites:
http://www.cch.org.tw/
http://www.ct.org.tw/index2.asp?iContNo=75897&mbrseq=

Mr. Chhòa Pôe-Hóe 蔡培火先生

2007-04-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

Mr. Chhòa Pôe-Hóe 蔡培火先生
1889 - 1983

"We the Taiwanese” (Lán Tâi-Oân 咱臺灣)

Like Mr. Ko Tióng (高長), Chhòa Pôe-Hóe (蔡培火) was originally from Hok-Kiàn Choân-Chiu (福建泉州). Chhòa was settled and raised mainly by his mother at Pak-Káng (北港) Taiwan, shortly after his father passed away.

He was excellent in his school years. He entered the Governor’s Normal Institute (one of the highest educational institutions then) at the age of 18. Upon graduation in 1910, he took the teaching job in public school.

With his strong Taiwanese identity, along with Lîm Hiàn-Tông (林獻堂) and Chhòa Hūi-Jû (蔡惠如,) Chhòa joined the Taiwan Tông-Hòa Society (台灣同化會). Even though the membership reached some three thousand, it lasted only two months due to the order of the Japanese Governor’s Office.

With the financial assistance from relatives and friends, Chhòa studied advanced physics and chemistry in Tokyo. 1920 He started the Taiwan Civil News (Bîn-Pò 台灣民報) as editor and publisher. Like many intellectuals at that time, he also joined the Taiwan Cultural Association (台灣文化協會) in 1923. He continued to raise the Taiwanese identity and other issues that he was eventually thrown in jail under the Japanese ‘Security Police Orders’ (治安警察法.)

His active social involvement stopped in 1937 when the war between Japan and China began. Chhòa stayed in Tokyo for a while then went on to Shanghai in 1942. He joined the KuoMingTang (KMT國民黨) shortly after the war.

Chhòa might be viewed as a political figure. Apparently he was more involved in educational and social movements than politics. After KMT retreated to Taiwan in 1949, Chhòa was just a political symbol for a well known Taiwanese in a KMT stage. Chhòa never had any political power. He served as a show-case consultant.

Nevertheless, Chhòa did play some outstanding roles in various occasions. He chaired the China Red Cross/Taiwan Chapter, and started the Blood-Donate-Centers throughout the major cities. He also served as the steering committee member to help organizing the Tunghai University and Tam-Sui Industrial/Commercial Management College. He constantly preached the importance of the native Taiwanese language using the church/biblical based Peh-oē-jī (白話字.)

Chhòa had also written many poems (some are lyrics with the music.) Among them, “We the Taiwanese” (Lán Tâi-Oân 咱臺灣) was probably the most popular in the Taiwanese American communities.

To summarize his life: in the Japanese era, he promoted the Taiwanese identity against the Japanese rulers; in KMT era, he promoted the education, culture and literatures based on being a proud Taiwanese.

Chhòa was born near the end of the Chinese last emperor/dynasty, grew up in the Japanese ruling time and spent second part of his life in the shadow of the KMT. When he passed away in 1983, Taiwan was not far away from her first democratic elected president. Chhòa would have been very happy to see for himself and raised his hands and sang “We the Taiwanese!”

His writings were later edited and published in seven volumes. (蔡培火全集) http://www.npobook.org.tw/Books/Book_Show.asp?Book_ID=133)

Honorable mentioned: An interesting book entitled “Chhòa’s Poems, Songs, and His Times” (蔡培火的詩曲及彼個時代) written by Dr. C Y Lai (賴淳彥), Chhòa’s son-in-law. (http://www.twcenter.org.tw/a02/a02_05/a02_05_01.htm

Other Related Websites:

http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%94%A1%E5%9F%B9%E7%81%AB
http://library.taiwanschoolnet.org/cyberfair2001/C0112400335/main608.htm
http://www.twcenter.org.tw/a02/a02_08/a02_08_01.htm
http://nrch.cca.gov.tw/ccahome/website/site20/contents/015/cca220003-li-wpkbhisdict004196-1232-u.xml
http://politics.soc.ntu.edu.tw/RAEC/act/thesis/thesis03.doc
http://www.ftvn.com.tw/Topic/CaringTW/TWnotes/0111.htm

Mr. Ko Tióng 高長傳道師

2007-03-04T18:44:00.000-08:00

Mr. Ko Tióng 高長伯仔

1837-1912

The FIRST FRUIT of the Taiwan Christian ministry

Ko Tióng was born and raised in Hok-Kiàn Choân-Chiu (福建泉州) where he did not learn nor do much way into his twenties. He then decided to change his luck by looking for his sister in Taiwan and started over. It did not help him much either. One day in Tainan, he was thinking of gambling, and first looking for the “good luck” from the gods in the temple. Out of curiosity, he stopped as Dr. James Maxwell and Mr. Wu (吳文水) preached in Taiwanese something as simple as: “You should only worship the genuine God, the God of Jesus…don’t be greedy… don’t gamble…”

Ko Tióng was shocked as if the sermon was pointing to him. He listened more and more and his life course was suddenly changed. No more gambling, no more wondering on the streets. He chose to stay with Dr. Maxwell as a helper by doing chores and gradually learned to read Romanized Taiwanese Bible, and the Christianity, a rather strange religion preached mostly by the foreigners. He was baptized by a missionary from A-Moy (廈門), Rev. W. S. Swanson (宣遜牧師) in 1866. The baptism was held at the Kî-āu church (旗後). Besides Ko Tióng, there were three others (陳清和、陳齊、陳圍.) As one shall see, the history was in the making.

As the modern ‘first fruit’ (初熟果子) of the Taiwan Christian ministry – converted, baptized and licensed to preach, Ko Tióng, at the age of 29, barely read enough Bible and memorized just six hymns, stood as a brave preacher in a very tattooed and closed society. Against the tide, he experienced unspeakable pain, both physical and emotional. In the following some 40 years, he traveled all over the central, southern, eastern Taiwan, including the mountain areas and Peng-Hu (澎湖) islands. Being thrown into jails, badly abused and beaten, Ko Tióng never gave up his faith. He was called a Christian warrior (火戰車) by missionaries and uncle Ko Tióng (高長伯仔) by Taiwanese.

Ko Tióng was somehow well known by the mountain tribes that the gangs always gave him a break out of the respect. He was therefore often called to accompany the missionaries during the more dangerous trips in the mountain areas. At that time, saying grace before the meals in Taiwan was viewed as a foreign curse (with possible poisons which might cause disorientation,) let alone attending the Holy Communion in a church service. One could imagine the bumpy roads of the earlier Christians. It was much worse for the preachers like Ko Tióng.

Not only Ko Tióng endured, he married Chu Eng (朱鶯) when he was 38. They raised five sons and three daughters. Viewed by many as some special blessings from God, their children turned out to be as outstanding (and beyond) as their father: On the boy’s side, two ministers, three physicians; and the girls, one married to an elder, other two married to physicians. As for his twenty grandchildren, the male side alone: five ministers, twelve physicians, an engineer, an agriculture expert and an educator. Among them, Rev. Dr. Ko Chùng-Bêng (高俊明牧師) former general secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan; and Dr. Ko Thian-Sêng (高天成醫師) former dean of the Medical School of the National Taiwan University.

Before his death in 1912, Ko Tióng was like a living document of the early Taiwan Christian history. At his funeral on September 23rd 1912, there were hundred of them, missionaries such as Rev. Dr. Thomas Barclay and Rev. Dr. William Campbell, pastors, teachers and students from Christian high school and theological seminary, local officials, all came to pay their final respect.

It’s beyond comprehension that Ko Tióng, once a jobless young man going virtually nowhere, turned himself into such an important chapter of the Taiwan church history.

Today, almost 95 years after his death, Ko Tióng's grand children and great grand children are still the living documents of the Taiwanese ministries. All over Taiwan and many parts of the world, among Christian communities, healthcare industries and educational institutions, there are still fine footprints of Ko Tióng and his enlarged families.

Some Ko Tióng related websites:
http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!EJfUaEqeBRIzyTKr1FM-/article?mid=178
http://tpkch.dyndns.org/weblink/missionary/gao-zhang.htm

Dr. Lai Ho 賴和醫師

2007-02-06T20:16:00.000-08:00

Dr. Lai Ho
1894-1943

Deep rooted in the literatures of Taiwan…
Embraced the lives of the ordinary people

深耕文學鄉土
詩詠庶民滄桑

Lai Ho (賴和, 本名賴河) was born in ChangHua, Taiwan on May 28th 1894. He studied Chinese literature quite early, and entered the Taipei Medical College (later known as National Taiwan University Medical College) when he was 16. One of his classmates was Dr. Du Chong-Ming 杜聰明 http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2006_02_01_archive.html.

Upon graduation, Lai opened up his own clinic in his home town at the age of 22. He practiced medicine and was involved in cultural and creative writing activities throughout his life.

Twice he was arrested (1923, 1941) by the Japanese authority because of his guts and resistance expressed in writings and speeches on the unfair treatments to the fellow Taiwanese by the Japanese government. While in jail, like many great writers, he continued to write. He derived from the traditional poems to the freer form and some novels.

Dr. Lai was known for standing firmly with the Taiwanese all the way. In January 31st 1943 Lai passed away at the Taipei Imperial Medical College Hospital.

He earned his nick name as the Matsu of ChangHua (彰化媽祖) because he dedicated his skills to the patients, especially the poor. While he was not at the clinic, He observed and read and put his thoughts together and wrote.

Throughout his life, he had written more than a thousand poems, articles and novels. To his friends, his writings were as effortless and as natural as breathing (平生慣作性靈詩，珠玉連篇不費思.)

Like Dr. Lim Bo-Seng (林茂生) http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2006/04/dr-lim-bo-seng.html Dr. Lai was also actively involved in the Taiwan Culture Association (台灣文化協會) which could be considered at that time the Taiwanese cultural oriented think-tank.

In his rather short life (barely half a century) under Japanese control, Lai tirelessly tendered his patients. And his writings had actually opened up a new dimension of the Taiwanese literature.

The power of his works was found in the very common language, first handed and almost naked descriptions, and down right struggles with the people like our grandpas and grandmas and great uncles and great aunts, those senior neighbors, known and unknown, in the fields, on the streets and in the alleys. In stead of collecting the fees from the patients, Lai collected the stories of their lives, laughs, hope, tears and pains.

Lai probably was not the first Taiwanese physician who involved so much in the writings, but he was certainly among the best.

Dr. Lai was later honored as the Father of the New Taiwanese Literature (台灣新文學之父).

Some of his works displayed in Chinese:
http://laiho.mit.com.tw/Laiho_Info/works.htm
http://staff.whsh.tc.edu.tw/~huanyin/lieho.php

Dr. Lai’s official Memorial Hall:
http://cls.admin.yzu.edu.tw/laihe/

To find out how the Taiwanese language virtually links with other languages:
http://www.wretch.cc/blog/Heruler

Rev. Campbell N. Moody 梅監霧牧師

2006-12-08T19:04:00.000-08:00

"No [medical] equipment can compare with a long-suffering (enduring) kindness."

- Campbell Moody
1866 - 1940

Campbell Moody Memorial Church

Campbell Moody had many translated names. The last name was translated as Moê (梅) and Campbell was like multiple choices: 甘霧; 監霧; 監務; 甘務; 鑑霧. They all sound the same in Taiwanese, but the meanings are not quite so. Campbell did not seem to care much. He never really cared much of his own clothes, food or shelter. He spent most of his money in helping local churches and people. A British missionary once said that if Campbell went back to United Kingdom the way he was in Taiwan, he would look more like a beggar than a missionary.

Another missionary from Scotland, another graduate from Glasgow University (M.A.) and the Free Church College, Campbell Moody arrived Taiwan together with Dr. Landsborough and Rev. A. B. Nielson. Moody and Landsborough both worked in the ChangHua area. Moody was with the church evangelicals while Landsborough was in the medical mission.

Moody was better known for his various efforts to draw people’s attention while he preached on the streets and in the open fields. He was the first street corner preacher in Taiwan. He often dressed up in white with a big white hat, used the cymbals and the trumpet, singing and crying out loud saying, in Taiwanese, “God had lost His Children. Please help me find them back!” He often went into the fields when farmers took a lunch break, told them the stories of how God loved to have them back, and taught them the easy hymns. When it was over, the farmers would go back to farm, and Moody, by then would be sweat all over, retrieved to the shadow of trees, drank his water and ate his lunch.

He was never famous, rich or even healthy. Like many missionaries and the native Taiwanese, Moody suffered malaria a few times. But he was content and happy because he did what he believed the most important thing in the world. During that time the brand new transportation in Taiwan was the Japanese built train. And the train cabins consisted of three classes. Moody always traveled in the third class. He said, “By traveling in the third class cabin, I could save enough money to build a church just in two years!” When he had to stay overnight, he chose the cheapest inn. He was not joking after all. Between 1896 and 1906, Moody helped establish 18 churches (鹿港, 二水, 柳原, 溪湖, 清水, 大里, 芳苑, 豐原, 草屯, 員林, 赤水, 竹山, 大肚, 大城, 田中, 北投, 二林, 和美.) No doubt, there were many more churches received Moody’s contributions in various ways.

There were about 1,100 villages in Taichung, Nan-Tou and ChangHua counties (台中縣市, 南投縣, 彰化縣.) Moody traveled through over 900 villages. He reported that more than half of the men in those villages had listened to his sermons at least once. He was so much with the audience that he always said, “We Taiwanese” (咱台灣人) as if he were one of them. Like many missionaries at that time, he was indeed a Taiwanese.

In July 1901, Moody was re-assigned to Singapore due to his health. He got “home sick” right away. He missed the Taiwanese so much that he requested the Presbyterian Church in England to send him back to Taiwan. His request was granted and he came back to ChangHua area in October, 1902.

He once asked his congregations to buy the baby pigs (he called them the “gospel pigs”) and months later selling them. The profit was to help the local church budget. Moody’s monetary contributions to the churches were probably among the most in the history of the missionaries.

During his sabbatical in 1908, Moody, then 44, married Margaret Findlay, daughter of a famous theologian Rev. William Findlay. Moody came back to Taiwan with Margaret, only a week after their wedding. Moody continued his ministries along with his writings. A year later they had to move to Australia because Mrs. Moody became very sick. They came back to Taiwan in 1914 facing a very warm welcome ceremony. Unfortunately Mrs. Moody passed away in 1915 after a long illness. The farewell hymn sung by the missionaries was “How Bright these Glorious Spirits shine.” She was laid to rest near ChangHua.

Moody married Peggy Arthur six years later. Nevertheless, his health never recovered completely. He became ill again in April, 1924. Moody and Peggy had to leave Taiwan two months later. It was the end of his journey in Taiwan. Even though he wanted to come back to Taiwan, he never had the chance.

Moody was awarded the Doctor of Divinity degree by Glasgow University in July 1928 for his extraordinary contributions in ministries.

Moody carried his trumpet (蕃仔古吹) wherever he went. It was like a symbol for his love of Taiwan. He hung that trumpet along with a piece of dried sugar cane from Taiwan over his bed in England until he passed away in February 28, 1940.

His published books include:
The Heathen Heart（異教徒的心） 1907
Romans Letters ( 羅馬批 in Romanized Taiwanese ) 1908
The Saints of Formosa（福爾摩沙的聖徒） 1912
Love's Long Campaign（愛的恆久功效） 1912
The East and the West（東方與西方） 1913
About Evangelicals ( 佈道論 in Romanized Taiwanese ） 1914
The Mind of the Early Converts（早期改教者的心思） 1920
Talk about Christianity ( 談論道理 in Romanized Taiwanese） 1920
Early Churches ( 古早的教會 in Romanized Taiwanese） 1922
The Purpose of Jesus（耶穌的目的） 1929
The King's Guest（國王的客人） 1932
Christ for Us and in Us（為我們, 在我們當中的基督） 1935
The Childhood of the Church（教會的童年） 1938
The Mountain Hut（山上的小屋） 1938
Essays on Evangelicals ( 談道集 Chinese） 1953

And his hymns (collected in the Hymn Book of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan):
# 25A／萬君的主至聖的厝

# 45／厝若不是主共咱起
# 46／我對深深陷坑
# 217／受賣彼冥救主耶穌
# 266／主歡喜聽人祈禱

In 1995, a beautiful church was dedicated as the Rev. Dr. Campbell Moody’s Memorial Church in ChangHua, a place where his heart had always been, a place like home for Moody and many others.

Websites:
http://www.pctpress.com/data/pctpress/2006/2812/2812-12-13.htm

http://www2.cch.org.tw/history/story4.htm
http://taigu.fhl.net/loa/loa19.html

Mr. Lí Chhung-Seng 李春生長老

2006-11-22T19:02:00.000-08:00

Lí Chhung-Seng
1838 – 1924

Lí Memorial Church
李春生紀念長老教會

Lí Chhung-Seng* was best known for his successful tea-based trading business. He was once considered the second richest man in Taiwan, next to Mr. Lim I-Goân of Pâng-Kio (板橋/林維源.) Yet he is best remembered for his thoughts and how he spent his fortune with an endless loving heart.

The first time I heard of Lí Chhung-Seng (李春生) was when I briefly joined the Taipei YMCA Oratorio Choir under the then music director Rev. Tēⁿ Kím-Eng (鄭錦榮牧師) in 1959 where Mrs. Tēⁿ was the pianist. Rev. Tēⁿ had already been the pastor of the Lí Memorial Church (李春生紀念長老教會) in Taipei for a long time. Since then I have learned of many incredible things Li had done in his lifetime.

Li was born to a poor fisherman’s family. Many of his siblings did not make it to the adulthood. He could not afford to spend much time in school. He simply had to work to get by. Lí entered the business world when he was 15 while learning the streetwise business experiences and the English language from British businessmen.

At the age of 19 he was promoted to work as the treasurer of an international company in Amoy and expanded his visions and experiences rapidly. With his earned trust he was sent to Taipei Taiwan in 1866 to develop the business “network” at Báng-Kah (艋舺 a k a 萬華.) Lí soon began to assist John Dodd, a British businessman who had helped Rev. George L Mackay (馬偕牧師) much in early days, in the import/export tea business between Mainland China and Taiwan. With the success of the growing tea trade in northern Taiwan, their business took off and never looked back. The tea made in Taiwan soon became world famous.

In 1889, Lí Chhung-Seng and Lim I-Goân invested their wealth to help the public buildings in Toā-Tiū-Tiâⁿ (大稻埕) area which turned into the most prosperous district in Taipei in the early 20th century. Líearned a household name of “Lí-Powered by the Westerners” (番勢李春生 or 番勢李仔春) due to his influential foreign relationships.

Lí once spent 64 days touring Japan and was totally surprised by what he saw. He thus opened up the chance for the young Taiwanese to study aboard, especially to Japan. He was also believed to be the first Taiwanese spending more than a year traveling around the world.

Lí became a Christian in his early teens and was never shy of showing his faith to people. In his home, there was daily Bible study, prayers and religious discussions. He was elected as an elder at Toā-Kio church (大橋長老教會 a k a 大龍峒教會) in 1901. He contributed almost half of the church annual budget while he gave away more to the needed. Lí was also known for his strong positions against evolutionary theories and Liberalism. In his world, all things were in the hands of the Creator.

In Taiwan, almost all memorial churches were named after missionaries. Lí’s memorial church in Taipei was the very first with a Taiwanese namesake.

Most people did not see Lí as just a business man. He was much more than business and money. He was also a thinker, a writer, an adventurer, a giver, a dedicated Christian, and a Taiwanese. Lí’s insightful details can be found in his writing, “Journal of a Blockaded Resident in North Formosa during the Franco-Chinese War, 1884-1885” (published in 1888.)

He spent much time in defending Christianity – with writings - in a fundamentally folk religion island whenever he felt necessary. Lí donated money and lands to the institutions like Cheh-Lâm Church (濟南教會,) Toā-Tiū-Tiâⁿ church (大稻埕教會/1915, single handedly) both in Taipei and as far as Taichung First High School.

Money comes and goes. The real treasures are in Lí's deeds and writings. It is our Taiwanese honor and duty to keep, publish and study Li’s life and books which include philosophy, folk religions, Christianity, history, and Biblical interpretations.**

* The Romanized Taiwanese pronunciation of the names and places are used in this article whenever available/possible.

** Some of Lí’s books:
《主津新集》1894 《東遊六十四日隨筆》1896
《主津後集》1898 《民教冤獄解》1903
《民教冤獄解續編》1903 《民教冤獄解續編補遺》1906
《耶穌教聖讖闡釋備考》1906 《天演論書後》1907
《東西哲衡》1908 《宗教五德備考》1910
《哲衡續編》1911 《聖經闡要講義》1914

-- Some Lí Chhung-Seng’s websites:
http://www.epochtimes.com/b5/4/9/29/n674441.htm
http://www.tipi.com.tw/taiwanhistory_detail.php?twhis_type=2&twhis_id=118

-- Special thanks to Dr. Che-hong Chen of Fremont, CA who provided much of Lí’s data

Rev. William Campbell 甘為霖牧師

2006-09-14T19:23:00.000-07:00

A Journey of Faith, Culture and Languages

William Campbell
1841-1921

When Campbell arrived Formosa from Hong Kong in late 1871, he almost lost his life (virtually he lost all of his luggages) in the strong wind and high waves. For the next forty some years however, he had made the impact, a much higher waves, to the blind communities, the central Taiwan including the aboriginal tribes, the cultural and the linguistic fields.
And yes, Rev. William Campbell was another University of Glasgow and the Free Church Divinity College graduate. Campbell was lovingly remembered the way Mackay was remembered, “South Campbell, North Mackay” (南甘為霖，北馬偕.)

Like many missionaries in his time, his base was in Tainan. Yet he traveled all over Taiwan, reaching the central mountain areas, the Sun-Moon Lake (日月潭- believed to be the first missionary appearance,) Peng-Hu (澎湖), and as southeast as Lam-Su (蘭嶼). In 1891 Campbell started a school for the blind (訓瞽堂, later known as 台南啟聰學校) and introduced the Braille for them to “read” books. Later he convinced the Japanese government in Taiwan to take over his school, so he could spend most of his time writing.

As a scholar, Campbell was an extraordinary missionary in his own way. He witnessed the periods such as the Japanese Bo-Tan-Sia incident (牧丹社事件) in 1874, French sailors blocked the northern Taiwan in 1884-85, and the strong confrontation with the Japanese military in 1895. For 44 years (1871-1915) he recorded his reflections in the book, “Sketches from Formosa” (福爾摩莎素描.) One of the must-read books in studying the history of Taiwan. Campbell also introduced the first Taiwanese hymnbook with 59 hymns in 1900.

Besides preaching, Campbell asked the men to stop using opium, and the women to stop feet-binding (纏小足.) He worked closely with Dr. David Landsborough in ChangHua area to establish and nurture churches.

But his best known work was completing the “New Dictionary of the Vernacular or Spoken Language of Amoy” (廈門音新字典, also known as 甘字典.) The dictionary contained 15,000 vocabularies and now in its 15th edition. It has been widely considered the bible of the Taiwanese language.

From late the 19th century to early the 20th century, Campbell watched the changes in Taiwan, from the corruptions of the Ching Dynasty (滿清) officials to the efficiency of the Japanese ruling. Even though the strong anti-Japan feelings were among the Taiwanese locals then, Campbell concluded that for the long run, he would pick Japan over the Ching’s.

While he was not working as a preacher, he traveled, read and wrote. Besides his classic book “Sketches from Formosa,” his “The Success of the Mission in Formosa” (1889 臺灣宣教之成功) and the “Formosa under the Dutch” (1903 荷蘭統治下的臺灣) are among the most valuables.

He received the award from the Japanese government for his education of the blind in July 1915. Two months later, he was awarded the Doctor of Divinity degree from the Knox College (a member school of the Toronto School of Theology at the University of Toronto) for his achievements in languages, ministries and historical studies.

In 1917, Rev. Campbell retired and returned to his home in England. He passed away peacefully on September 9, 1921.

What a well taken journey!

Some related websites:
http://www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/booksfile.php?item=0010333837
http://taigi.fhl.net/loa/loa1.html
http://english.yhsh.tn.edu.tw/~religion/sacred-4.htm

Rev. Hugh Ritchie 李庥牧師

2006-07-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

Hugh Ritchie 1840-1879

The Wind beneath the Wings

Shortly after Dr. James Maxwell rooted his medical ministry in southern Taiwan, the Presbyterian Church in England decided to send a missionary to help Maxwell in much needed church ministries. It was Rev. David Masson (馬大闢牧師 1838-1866) who began his journey to Formosa about a year after Maxwell settled in Tainan. Unfortunately the ship Masson took sank in the troubled water of South China Sea. In the midst of sad news, the church started looking for a substitute missionary. There came Rev. Hugh Ritchie (1840-1879) who was just ordained, newly married (with Eliza C. Cooke 伊萊莎．庫克) and accepted the mission all within the year of 1867.

The journey began on July 14, 1867, barely two weeks after their wedding. They arrived in Kaohsiung on December 13, 1867. Among the first things he did was to learn Taiwanese and Hakka. Amazingly he was soon able to preach with simple Taiwanese in local churches, and became the first pastor to baptize the believers in Toa-Sia (大社/神岡) area as early as September 1871. That was the year Canadian missionary Rev. George L. Mackay arrived Taiwan. Ritchie worked with Mackay in southern Taiwan for two months before encouraged Mackay to start his mission in Tam-Sui, northern Taiwan. Their agreement was that the British missionaries would stay south of Tai-Ka river (大甲溪) and Canadian missionaries in the north.

With his long range vision, Ritchie started the Preachers Training Center (傳道師養成班) as early as 1870 in Kaohsiung area. The Center turned into the first Taiwanese higher education institution known as Tainan Theological College under the direct supervision of Rev. Dr. Thomas Barclay.

Between 1869 and 1874, Rev. Ritchie opened up 13 churches throughout the central and southern Taiwan. In 1875 Ritchie extended his mission to the Eastern Taiwan. Within few years, he had helped other missionaries into the aboriginal tribes besides the Pi-Po’ (平埔族) and Hakka (客家族.)

Ritchie looked beyond the routine missionary tasks. He and his wife Eliza thought of the education the women seldom received while men took it for granted. Unfortunately he never lived to see the establishment of the first girls school in Taiwan. He died of Asiatic cholera at the age of 39 in Tainan Sin-Lau dormitory (台南新樓宿舍.) Earlier, his younger son also died of chorela. With his last will in mind, Rev. Ritchie was laid to rest with his son by a hill near Kauhsiung where they first came ashore.

Even though Ritchie was the very first ordained minister/missionary at the beginning of the Presbyterian church in the second half of the 19th century, among many others, such as Maxwell, Mackay, Barclay and Landsborough, he was the least known. There was no known memorial church for Ritchie. And according to the Taiwan church history report, his tomb became anonymous during the graveyard relocation project because nobody seemed to acknowledge or claim to be his next of kin.

Besides his mostly quiet yet wide spread ministries, Ritchie also left something for the church in Taiwan. Ritchie wrote a simple yet touching hymn named “Jesus, My Best Friend - 我有至好朋友” using an Welsh hymn melody. The hymn is still available in the Taiwan Presbyterian church hymn book, hymn #285.

Eliza Ritchie (1828-1902) continued Rev. Ritchie’s unfinished business in Taiwan, served as the first lady missionary of the British Presbyterian Church from 1880 till she retired. In 1884, with the help of another British lady missionary Miss E. Murray (馬姑娘,) Eliza's life savings and donations from England, the Sin-Lau Girls School (新樓女學校 later known as 長榮女中) was established. Eliza should also be credited for the beginning of the Taiwanese Church Women Mission Fellowship (女宣) – one of the most effective and dynamic church groups.

Rev. and Mrs. Ritchie were really the wind beneath the wings of the early church in Taiwan. Directly and indirectly their contributions and sacrifice should always be noted as the foundation of the Taiwanese church and beyond.

Related websites:

http://www.pcttcp.org.tw/Introduce/allp/rightp_hh.htm

http://www.tschurch.org/news/2003/news030323_2.htm

Dr. Wu Fu Chen 陳五福醫師

2006-06-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

Dr. Wu Fu Chen
Wufu Clinic of Ophthalmology, Lo-Tung
Moo-Kuang Rehabilitation Center for the Blind, Tung-San

Give Them the Light

Dr. Wu Fu Chen was one of those people I wish I had met in person. I always wanted to meet someone who had dedicated so much of his life for the less fortunate. I would like to shake his hand, to chat with him, to sense his insightful life philosophy, and to catch his spirit.

Dr. Chen might be a quiet person. I have heard of his stories many times, but never heard him talk. Perhaps like many humble Taiwanese, he let his deeds do the talking. He had been remembered well for his devotion to communities, especially to the blind. He was also lovingly known as "The Dr. Schweitzer of Taiwan," and "The Father of the Blind."

Chen was not just another ophthalmologist. For some forty years, along with his wife and co-workers, they had given hope to countless blind people through his ‘Moo-Kuang Rehabilitation Center for the Blind’ (慕光盲人重建中心, Moo-Kuang: longing for the light) – the hope of being independent, living with dignity and joy, and being able to see through and beyond.

Chen’s given name Wu Fu (五福) means five-happiness. The common sense is the more happiness the better. In Chen’s heart, as a devoted Christian, was the more shared happiness the better. He was raised in a rural area with eight elder siblings. Running a small grocery store, his parents must have saved every penny to put him through schools. During his Lo-Tung elementary school (羅東公學校) and Keelung middle school (基隆中學) years, he had learned something a lot more important than reading, writing and obtaining knowledge. He had learned how to live as decent as possible, with oneself and with others. He believed that a decent life must be built on a decent community. One could never be an isolated island.

While in Taipei Imperial Medical School (later became National Taiwan University Medical School,) he had chosen to be an ophthalmologist, not a profitable field then. He continued his advanced medical study in Japan (日本福島醫科大學.) He then worked at the National Taiwan University Hospital. Chen could have stayed working right there if he chose to. Yet he dreamed more than the simple five-happiness. Chen dreamed of perhaps a thousand times of five-happiness, not for him, but for those who were poorer, blind or near-blind.

He had a not-so-secret mentor, Dr. Albert Schweitzer. For six years, Chen was one of Schweitzer’s worldwide correspondents. If Dr. Schweitzer could do those wonderful works for black people in Africa, Chen thought, why could he not do the same for his fellow Taiwanese?

He went back to his hometown Lo-Tung/Yee-Lan (羅東/宜蘭,) north-eastern corner of Taiwan, and opened up his own Wufu Clinic of Ophthalmology (五福眼科.) At first, he just carried a case of equipment and medicine, rode on his bicycle all over the country site to help the sick and the blind. Not long after, he expanded his medical practice to a rehabilitation center for the blind. Eventually Dr. Chen, as the books described later, became the light of that part of the world. He cured more than a patient visions, he gave them the light of life.

Chen was quoted saying, "Without giving the blind a chance to improve their vision and life, we are giving them a near-death sentence." He gave them hope. He provided the poor patients free services. He soon drew many big-heart people all over Taiwan to help him in his mission.

During his life time (1918 – 1997) Chen received Social Service Award from Taiwanese American Foundation (臺美基金會: 社會服務獎 1983,) Love Award from Chung-Sian Wu (吳尊賢: 愛心獎,) and Medical Award from San-Len Wu (吳三連: 醫學獎) among other honors.

“A blind can do all sort of things, except driving a car, or being a surgeon,” Chen once said. To follow that line, a physician can do just about all sort of things except making a dead person alive. And as Schweitzer made so many black people 'alive' in Africa, Chen did his share to make many blind people see that it was, after all, a beautiful world, full of loving people.

Like many talented Taiwanese during that period of time, Chen pursued one of the few fields allowed: the field of medicine. As it turned out, Chen was not a doctor who built himself a fortune, but a doctor who built a spiritual 'kingdom' where love alone rules and enlightens.

Shortly before his death, Chen sincerely asked his family members and closed friends to keep on looking after the blind, the poor and the sick. On November 8, 1997, Dr. Chen, an elder of a local church, after years of fighting liver cancer, passed away. Moo-Kuang Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Wu Fu Clinic remain open. One of the key workers is Dr. Chen's son-in-law, Dr. Y M Lin (林逸民醫師.)

Today in Taiwan, many medical students are searching for a role model. Dr. W F Chen, a quiet native physician, would be the outstanding one for all.

All three pictures above were taken from http://computer.lotes.ilc.edu.tw/plog/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=81&blogId=4

Dr. David Landsborough III 蘭大衛醫師

2006-05-12T17:37:00.000-07:00

Dr. and Mrs. David Landsborough III

President Lee Teng-hui and Dr. Landsborough IV - 1996

Skin Graft with Love

Some 250 years ago, the name was McClamroch. Then it was changed to McLandsborough; and then to Landsborough. If the reason was to make the name shorter, then Taiwan was the right place to be. Both Dr. Landsborough III and IV were simply called Dr. Lan (Lân I-Seng; 蘭醫生.) The Landsborough III was Dr. Lan, and Landsborough IV was young Dr. Lan.

The Christian faith must have run deep through their blood. Both Landsborough I and II were ordained ministers and natural scientists (what a combination!) They were well respected in Scotland. A church has been named after Landsborough, and a street was called Landsborough Drive. Nevertheless, they had no idea that, thousands miles away, hundred years later, Landsborough - Dr. Lan - would become a household name in Taiwan. Between Landsborough III and IV, a family tradition of medical missionary, their loving and touching stories, their service to Taiwan for 68 years were beyond imagination. They became the foundation of Changhua Christian Hospital (彰化基督教醫院.) Their skin graft with love (切膚之愛) and the spirit of feet-washing (洗腳精神) became the lasting model of the medical ethics in Taiwan.

Chronological Events Digested
Like all great notions in history, there was no such thing as one-man army. Prior to the arrival of Dr. Landsborough, there was Mr. W. A. Pickering (必麒鏻) in 1870 at Toa-Sia (大社) near Changhua (彰化) to asist the local patients in order to receive medical treatments from Dr. James Maxwell in Tainan. The following year there was Mr. B Lee (李豹傳道師,) sent by Dr. Maxwell to help establish a local church in Changhua area which became the base of the ministry in central Taiwan. Also in 1871, missionary Rev. William Campbell (甘為霖牧師) arrived in Taiwan to take charge of the missionary work in Changhua area. And then in 1888 came another British missionary Dr. Gavin Ruessell (盧嘉敏醫師.) In 1895 Taiwan was ceded to Japan. There was no ruinning water in a mostly hot and humid climate. There were, however, malaria, plague, typhoid, dysentery, and plenty of mosquitoes all year round.
Welcome aboard, Dr. David Landsborough!
Just months after Japan took control of Taiwan, accompanied by Rev. Campbell N. Moody (梅監霧牧師) and Rev. A. B. Nielson (廉德烈牧師) Dr. Landsborough arrived in Taiwan. They spent the first few months in Tainan learning Taiwanese from Lim Ian-Sin (林燕臣.) In 1896, the year-long joint effort of three missionaries, namely Duncan Ferguson (宋忠堅,) Campbell Moody (梅監霧) and David Landsborough (蘭大衛) had thus made possible the birth of both a church and a hospital in Changhua.

With the bamboo-made beds as platform, Landsborough, who had a MD degree with very little clinical experience when he started, performed operations while medical students looked on. It was probably the earliest form of [teaching hospital] in Taiwan. These early medical students all turned out to be outstanding physicians. There were Yen, Kao, Y Wu, H Wu, and Liu (顏振聲﹑高再得﹑吳臥龍﹑吳希揚﹑劉振昌.)

From the beginning, they never had enough beds for the patients. All doctors and nurses worked long hours, and many became sick due to the environments and constant physical contacts with the patients. But none gave up the hope of helping patients. With the offerings among missionaries and the approval from the Mission Board in Tainan, the original hospital was built to tend 75 patients while the actual in-patients were easily over 130. As the years went by, the improvements were visible. There were more medical staff, the housing for the missionaries (1910,) the running water system within the hospital (1911) and the wonderful marriage (many expected David to stay single since he was already 40 then) of David Landsborough and a fellow missionary Marjorie Learner (1912.) In 1914 David Landsborough IV was born. The arrival of the young Landsborough was perceived by the locals as if he were one of their own. (And he was indeed one of them as we would see later.) People were running around on the streets telling everybody about the good news.

During the WWI (1916-19,) Changhua hospital was forced to close, and the Landsboroughs went back to England while Dr. Lan served at the Navy hospital as a surgeon.

Landsborough came back to Changhua hospital after the war. The new equipments were introduced, and more local professionals were involved with the expansion of the hospital. In the midst of years of struggles, frustrations and sweats and blood, Changhua hospital was there to grow. Today, 2006, the Changhua Christian Hospital has more than 1500 beds, and stands as one of the best teaching hospitals in Taiwan.

The Love that Hurts and Heals
In 1928 came that country boy named Chiu Kim-Iau (周金耀.) Chiu had a severe affection around his right knee. Doctors were frustrated because they seemed to be running out of the options to save him. Mrs. Landsborough learned about Chiu, and came up a brave idea: transplant her skins to save Chiu. It was believed that Dr. Landsborough used up four pieces of his wife’s skin from her leg, with the hope to save Chiu’s foot and more so his life. The transplant was later proved to be rejected clinically. However, after almost a year of on-off operations and constant care, the boy’s life was saved. Chiu grew up to be an ordained minister. He was a long time pastor of Iam-Tia Presbyterian Church (鹽埕教會) in the city of Kauhsiung, and was once elected as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. All his life, Rev. Chiu walked with minor difficulties, yet he walked with pride and gratefulness. He said, “The operation failed on my knee, but it has been a success in my heart.” This story has inspired so many people, Taiwanese and foreigners, Christians and non-Christians. Dr. Chong-Ming Du (杜聰明博士) had asked an artist S C Lee (李石樵) to paint the story in order to set the highest medical professional model for Kaohsiung Medical College students.

In June of 1935, Dr. Landsborough was awarded a precious vessel by the Japanese government for his 40th anniversary of service in Taiwan. The church and hospital held their own celebration on December in Changhua church.

On March 1st 1936, retired Dr. and Mrs. Landsborough boarded a train for the port of Keelung, to catch their ship home. As the church choir sang the hymns "God be with you till we meet again," and "The Lord bless thee and keep thee," to them, they waved farewell to their friends and to their beloved town of Changhua.

The Love that Endures
In 1957, at the age of 87, Dr. Landsborough (1870-1957) passed away in England. The news came to Changhua and saddened many. At that time, his Changhua-born son David (蘭大弼) and wife Jean (高仁愛,) both physicians, had been back to Changhua hospital from Choan-Chiu (福建泉州) for five years already. They were to spend a total of 28 years in Changhua, furthering old Dr. Landsborough's good work at the hospital he had created.

The senior Dr. and Mrs. Landsborough spent their final years in a home named Formosa near London. Mrs. Lan continued to write books of the Formosan memories well into her 90's. On her 100th birthday she was honored with a telegraph of congratulations from Queen Elizabeth II. Marjorie Landsborough passed away gracefully at the age of 101 (1884-1985.)

In 1991, David Landsborough IV was honored by the Taiwanese American Foundation with the Social Service Award. At the presentation ceremony in California he introduced himself in Taiwanese, saying: "I am a Taiwanese from Britain, who grew up in Changhua." At that moment, the eyes of many in the audience were moist with tears.

In 1996, at the age of 83, David Landsborough IV traveled back to Taiwan to receive the Order of the Brilliant Star with Violet Grand Cordon, presented to him by President Lee Teng-hui. As he said at the time: "Everyone has their roots, the place where they are born and raised. I have roots in Taiwan. People here remember my family well, and many still recall my parents." Again in February 1999 Dr. Landsborough IV delivered an excellent speech about medical ethics "How to be a Good Doctor" at the Medica School of the National Cheng-Kung University in Tainan. And again he used Taiwanese language to emphasize that he, too, was a native Taiwanese, "I am a child of Changhua (Goa si Chiong-Hoa gin-na.)"

It is more than just a loving memory. It has been close to worshipping. The people in Changhua remembered Dr. Lan with a saying, "Matsu Temple at the South Gate, Dr. Lan's Clinic at the West Gate." (南門媽祖宮，西門蘭醫生 -- in Taiwanese: Lâm-mng Má-Cho· keng, Sai-mng Lân I-seng.) In people's mind, between the south gate Matsu and west gate Dr. Lan, everyone is covered. Dr. Lan was also called the "living Buddha of Changhua" (彰化活佛.)

The people in Taiwan will always remember Dr. Lan, both the old and the young, and Mrs. Lan, both the old and the young. Through them, many lives were saved, transformed, inspired, and touched. Through their stories, many more lives will be saved, transformed, inspired and touched.

Acknowledgement: A big part of information is taken from these two web sites -
http://203.75.23.4/html/intro.html
http://www.taiwanheadlines.gov.tw/20010704/20010703f2.html
New Found Site: http://oa.mingdao.edu.tw/~foo/www8/fenyes/b3.htm
Dr. Lan IV 1999 speech: http://myweb.ncku.edu.tw/~y1357/speech1.html

Rev. Dr. Thomas Barclay 巴克禮博士

2006-04-26T05:53:00.000-07:00

Sixty Years of Dedication

- Rev. Dr. Thomas Barclay
- Mrs. Barclay (Elisabeth A. Turner)
- First Taiwanese Newspaper: Taiwan Hu-Sia Church News, July 1885

Looking into the church history of Taiwan in the 19th century, one would wonder what else was there if there were no missionaries from Scotland. The majority of British missionaries, if not all, were from Scotland. Even the beloved Rev. George Leslie Mackay was born to the Scottish parents in Canada.

Rev. Dr. Thomas Barclay was not just another missionary from Scotland. He could easily hold the title of the longest serviced missionary (1875-1935) in Taiwan. In the span of those sixty years, Barclay’s dedication to Taiwan was really above and beyond. Even though Barclay was born in Glasgow, Scotland, he seemed to be born for Taiwan.

At the age 15, Barclay was already a freshman at the University of Glasgow. He had everything going right in the fields of science and math. Even his story was later included in the Britannica Encyclopedia. On his 16th birthday, Thomas Barclay had decided to offer himself to God’s services. Upon graduation from Glasgow, he entered the Free Church Divinity College, then did his post graduate study at the University of Leipzig, Germany, for one year.

He arrived at Amoy in 1874 to learn Taiwanese dialect (Holo) and then onto Formosa (Taiwan) a year later. For the next 60 years, his life was more Taiwanese than many Taiwanese.

While settled in Tainan, Barclay worked closely with Rev Hugh Ritchie and Dr James Maxwell to set up a training institution for the local ministers. It was called the Tainan College (府城大學.) It is now Tainan Theological College/Seminary. It was the very first college ever in Taiwan then, it is now one of the finest theological institutions in Southeast Asia. In 1885 he started another very first: the first newspaper in Taiwan with the first printer, called The Taiwan Hu-Sia Church News (臺灣府城教會報.) It is now The Taiwan Church Press (臺灣教會公報.)

In 1895, Taiwan was ceded to Japan. The Tainan city officials and citizens asked Barclay for help. On October 20, he accompanied by Rev. Duncan Ferguson (宋忠堅牧師) walked more than two miles at night to pay a visit to general No-Gi (乃木希典將軍,) and successfully arranged the peaceful entry of the Japanese soldiers to the city the next morning.

During his second vacation back in England, Barclay made a wonderful decision. He married Elisabeth A. Turner, a registered nurse, in 1892. Mrs. Barclay turned out to be an important source for the family members and friends of the missionaries. She took care of them physically and spiritually. They met regularly for Bible study and prayer meetings near the College campus beginning 1903. It became part of the congregation of the Maxwell’s Memorial Church in 1906.

In 1921 the congregation became an independent church called East Gate Presbyterian Church (台南東門教會,) one of the most dynamic churches in Taiwan. Two former presidents of the Tainan Theological College/Seminary were from that Church: Dr. Shoki Coe (whose father was the first pastor of the church) and Dr. C S Song (whose father and brother were the elders of the church.) East Gate Church later adopted the name as Dr. Barclay’s Memorial Church.

Besides the first college, the first printer, and the first newspaper in Taiwan, Dr. Barclay’s major contributions to Taiwan including the completed revision of the Romanized/Taiwanese Bible and a dictionary.

There are three dictionaries still referenced among the businessmen and missionaries in Southeast Asia wherever Amoy dialect is spoken. All were made possible by British missionaries:

“Chinese English Dictionary of the Vernacular or Spoken Language of Amoy” (廈門音漢英大辭典,) by Rev. Carstairs Douglas (杜嘉德,) published in 1873 by Trubner & Co., London.
“Supplement to Dictionary of the Vernacular or Spoken Language of Amoy” (增補廈門音漢英大辭典,) by Rev. Thomas Barclay with the assistance of Rev. Iu Su-Iong (楊士養.)
“New Dictionary of the Vernacular or Spoken Language of Amoy” (廈門音新字典, also known as 甘字典）by Rev. William Campbell (甘為霖) - another University of Glasgow and the Free Church Divinity College graduate - who also pioneered the ministries to the blind people in Taiwan.
Barclay was believed to be closely living and working with the Taiwanese. He had many Taiwanese friends and he picked up the street talks wisely. That was also why his linguistic usage of the Taiwanese Bible (白話字聖經) was so popular because they were so close to the lives and the hearts of the locals.
During his sermons, he seldom, if ever, talked about his personal experiences. It was understandable that the discovery of his life and ministries upon his death became a moving chapter in Taiwan church history.
Barclay had a pajama for some time. The obvious worn out areas were near his knees. He was the man of prayer, and he always knelt down while praying.
Barclay also left a statement of Dedication when he decided to offer himself as a missionary at the age of 16. He affixed his signature at the end of the statement on his birthday every year (first:1865-11-21; last:1934-11-21.) During his married life, he also asked his wife to do the same with him.
Here are the last few lines of Thomas Barclay’s Dedication:
And if any surviving friend should, when I am in the dust, meet with this memorial of my solemn transactions with Thee, may he make the engagement his own: and do Thou graciously admit him to partake in all the blessings of Thy covenant through Jesus the great Mediator of it; to Whom with Thee, O Father, and Thy Holy Spirit, be everlasting praises ascribed, by all the millions who are thus saved by Thee, by all those other celestial spirits in whose work and blessedness Thou shalt call them to share. Amen.
當我睏在土粉的時，若有我在世的朋友，有人讀著這個我與你所立嚴肅的約，願他也能將這個成做他自己與你所立的契約。願你讓他有份於通過大中保耶穌基督所立聖約，各樣的福份。大中保耶穌，就是親愛的天父，你與你的聖神是堪得你所拯救的全人類，以及受召天頂一切有份於你的工作與祝福的，這些靈的讚美的。阿們！ (台語)
Barclay was named the President Emeritus of the Bible Society of England in December 1918. He was also awarded the Doctor of Divinity degree by the University of Glasgow in June 1919. He died in Tainan, 1935, two years after his complete work of the Taiwanese Bible. In the midst of the thousands mourning friends, Thomas Barclay (1849-1935) was laid to rest – a distinguished gentleman, and another deeply loved “sticky-nosed” British/Taiwanese.
Acknowledgements: This article has been written with the references from various websites, and from "Formosa For Love" by Rev. S C Pan, published by Jin Kong/Taiwan Church Press.

Related Websites:

http://www.readingtimes.com.tw/folk/taiwan/gallery/galleryn6.htm

http://www.ttcs.org.tw/ 台南神學院

Dr. James Laidlaw Maxwell 馬雅各醫師

2006-04-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

Dr. James L Maxwell, 1836-1921

(from left)
Dr. John Maxwell, Dr. James Maxwell, Mrs. Maxwell and
Dr. James Maxwell, Jr.

A Pioneer Medical Missionary

Christianity was first brought to Taiwan by Dutch Protestants (1624 in south) and Spanish Roman Catholics (1626 in north.) More than 200 years later, Christianity reemerged with the Dominicans' return to southern Taiwan in 1859. In Kaohsiung, Rev. Fernando Sainz established Taiwan's first Catholic Church, the Holy Rosary Cathedral (Minor Basilica). Christianity started to take root in Taiwan and gradually expanded toward the north.

However, the major impact of the Christianity in Taiwan was found after Dr. James Laidlaw Maxwell (Má Ngá-kok 馬雅各醫師) arrived in 1865. Maxwell and his co-workers had been much closer with the locals than the previous missionaries, and that made a significant difference. Maxwell’s introduction of the modern western medical practice had then created a path for Taiwanese toward modernization in many aspects.

A graduate of the University of Edinburgh medical school, Maxwell further studied in Paris and Berlin. While being a respected elder of the church, he decided to be a missionary for the Presbyterian Church of England. He began by spending about a year learning Ho-Lo dialect (Taiwanese) at Amoy in early 1864. He then accompanied by his 3 assistants, Chen, Huang and Wu (陳子路,黃嘉智,吳水文) arriving Taiwan on May 28, 1865. With the city of Tainan (台南/府城) as their base, the Christian mission thus began on June 16, 1865 when Dr. Maxwell’s clinic opened.

While providing a free medical practice with free medicine, Maxwell soon suffered the rumors that “this foreigner must be stealing the organs from his patients – even from the dead bodies – to come up with the free medicine.” He and his clinic stoned, vandalized and nearly destroyed. Due to the increasing objections of some citizens, Dr. Maxwell could only use his clinic at Kan-Si Street (看西街), just outside the Tainan city limit, under the British officials’ protection. Still, Maxwell failed to convince his patients and believers during his first month attempt. He then retreated to Ki-Au (旗後) near Kaohsiung harbor on July 12, 1865. As time went by, the locals began to view Maxwell with a different perspective. There was no organ stolen from anybody. His clinic had increased patients and so did the worshippers in his Sunday services. Thus Ki-Au Church virtually shared with Tai-Peng-Keng Church (太平境教會) also known as Maxwell Memorial Church, as the very first established Protestant church in Taiwan.

In 1867 Pi-Thau church (埤頭/鳳山教會) was founded and soon Rev. Hugh Ritchie (李庥牧師) became the very first full time pastor. Both Maxwell and Ritchie continued to train the locals to become a team in ministry between Tainan, Pi-Thau and Kaohsiung, at the same time Maxwell worked on the Romanized Taiwanese Bible (羅馬字/白話字) mostly during his vacation at home.

Maxwell was strongly convinced that the spread of the Christianity needed an easy-learned local language in Taiwan where only a few could read and write the rather complicated Chinese language then. He spent years working with Biblical scholars and linguists to complete the New Testament (Lán ê Kiù-chú Iâ-so· Ki-tok ê Sin-iok) in 1873 and then the Old Testament in 1884. For a medical doctor and a missionary, these were remarkable achievements. Rev. Dr. Thomas Barclay, Maxwell’s fellow missionary, completed the revision of the Taiwanese Bible in 1933. This revised version of the Taiwanese Bible has been used by the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan ever since.

Maxwell’s clinic was expanded in 1868 with new location and more local staff. It is now a beautiful hospital with 500+ patient beds, still called Sin-Lau Hospital (新樓醫院) - the very first Western clinic in Taiwan. Dr. Maxwell married Mary Anne Goodall of Handsworth on 7 April 1868 in Hong Kong.

Even in his early days Maxwell seemed to have kept his sense of faith and humor. After receiving a bucket of human wastes one day, he spoke to that person in Taiwanese, “If you pour this onto the field, it would help the vegetables or fruits to grow. Too bad that there’s nothing ever grew on my body.”
Well, before the end of his life time, something significant did grow through Dr. Maxwell, his fellow missionaries and the locals:

The first Taiwanese Bible: the original 1884
More than 120 churches in southern Taiwan alone
Two middle schools and a theological college
The first Taiwanese weekly newspaper (Rev. Dr. Thomas Barclay, 1885)
Two Hospitals: SinLau and ChangHua (Dr. David Landsborough, 1896)

Dr. Maxwell passed away in March 1921, three years after Mrs. Maxwell's death. His memorial service was officiated by Rev. Dr. Thomas Barclay in England.

Maxwell was a man of deeds. His integrity displayed in his medical and religious fields as well as in his family. He had two sons, John Maxwell and James Maxwell Jr. They turned out to be physicians and missionaries as well. Instead of enjoying their lives worldly, they followed their father's steps.

Sent by Foreign Mission Board, after working as a medical missionary, Dr. John Preston Maxwell, an OB/GYN, went on to teach at Peking Union Medical College/Hospitals (北京協和醫學院/醫院,) while Dr. James Maxwell Jr. came back to continue working at Sin-Lau Hospital in 1901. People welcomed him like a warm home coming party, shouting "Young Dr. Maxwell! Young Dr. Maxwell!" Twenty three years later, the junior moved on to work in Shanghai, then served as the general director of China Red Cross in 1937. Dr. Maxwell Jr. returned to his homeland in 1940. In 1949 he went to work at the Hang-Chou Leprosy Hospital (杭州痲瘋醫院.). Two years later, Dr. James Maxwell Jr. died in Hang-Chou. In 1961, John passed away in England, 21 years after his retirement.

Dr. and Mrs. Maxwell would have been very proud of them both. Maxwell, a family totally dedicated to Taiwan and China.

A side story: In 1866, Maxwell introduced another fellow countryman Dr. Patrick Manson to help him in Kaohsiung area. Dr. Manson moved on to Amoy six years later, and then to Hong Kong to assist the founding of the Hong Kong Medical College (香港西醫書院) where Dr. Sun Yet-Sen (the founder of the Republic of China) was among the first year graduates. In October 1896 Dr. Sun was ‘kidnapped’ during the so called London Incident. Dr. Manson and his colleague Dr. James Contile (康德黎醫師) worked with the British government for the release of Dr. Sun - the history was really in the making.

Related Websites:
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/ref/james_laidlaw_maxwell
http://english.www.gov.tw/Yearbook/index.jsp?categid=29&recordid=52739
http://church.chhs.com.tw/tpk/About.asp
http://olddoc.tmu.edu.tw/chiaungo/he/history.htm
http://tainan.pct.org.tw/about_us/area_04.jsp (Chinese)

Dr. Lim Bo-Seng 林茂生博士

2006-04-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

Dr. Lim Bo-Seng 林茂生博士, 1929

...and his calligraphy *

The Dignity of a Taiwanese in Full

His look was Taiwanese. His deeds were Taiwanese. His life goal was education - Taiwanese style. Even in his mysterious “departure,” he showed the dignity of Taiwanese in full.

Let’s begin with Lim’s father, Rev. Lim Ian-Sin (林宴臣牧師 1859-1944 also known as 林燕臣.) Ian-Sin was a scholar-gentry with a degree of “hsiu-tsai” (秀才) and was invited to teach missionaries the Taiwanese language in the context of Chinese literature**. While working with Rev. Dr. Thomas Barclay (巴克禮牧師) and company, his constant contact with Christians and Christianity led to his baptism under Barclay. Ian-Sin then studied theology and was ordained as a minister and worked in local churches before accepting a teaching position at the Tainan Theological College which was founded by Barclay.

Lim Bo-Seng was the eldest son of Rev. Lim Ian-Sin. He began his study at the age of 3 and was soon recognized as a child prodigy at the age of 4. Eventually Bo-Seng became one of the most outstanding alumni of Chang-Jung high school (長榮中學.) He went on to study at the Tokyo Imperial University majoring in Oriental Philosophy/Chinese Literature. He became the first Taiwanese ever to graduate from TIU.

After more than 10 years of teaching in southern Taiwan (including Chang-Jung high school and Tainan College of Commerce 台南商業專門學校,) he received a Japanese government scholarship and went abroad. Within two and half years he received his Master’s and Ph. D. degrees from Columbia University, the very first Taiwanese to hold a Ph.D. Some of Lim’s academic advisors were world renowned scholars such as John Dewey and Paul Monroe. Lim’s dissertation: Public Education in Formosa Under the Japanese Administration: Historical and Analytical Study of the Development and the Cultural Problems (日本統治下台灣的學校教育：其發展及有關文化之歷史分析與探討) showed how he believed a way to help his fellow Taiwanese through education. Little wonder that all of Bo-Seng’s children were highly educated with outstanding professional achievements (e.g., dental scientist, psychiatrist, bank executive, professors, and writer.) Looking at their given names, one can easily see how Bo-Seng was so much in the world of literature and humanism. The only daughter was named “praising the plums blossom” [詠梅] while his nine sons were named in the order of “Just; Righteous; Human; Way; Literature; Peace; Serenity; Prosperity; Brilliant - 正; 義; 人; 道; 文; 和; 平; 昌; 光” while sharing the same middle name Tsung (宗.)

Upon returning to Taiwan, Lim put his education theory and convictions to practice. He taught with passions at schools such as Taipei College of Commerce (台北高商) and Tainan Institute of Technology (台南高工 - later became Cheng Kong University 成功大學.) He was involved in virtually all major educational programs in Taiwan. He was later named Dean of the College of Arts and Letters at the National Taiwan University, one of the top universities in the Far East. Dr. Lim also became the publisher of the most widely circulated Taiwanese newspaper Ming-Pao [民報] – a tool he believed would best serve the Taiwanese – an avenue of public education and opinions gathering.

While the majority of his life was spent under the Japanese rule, Lim showed no objections to Chinese, Japanese or Western cultures. Through education, Lim strongly believed that everyone had the right to live a dignified life and at the same time contributed to the society fully.

Nevertheless, Dr. Lim fought Japanese colonialism in Taiwan. He joined the Taiwan Culture Association (台灣文化協會) with like-minded Taiwanese intellectuals to enlighten the Taiwanese populous and to trumpet the modern ideas of equality, freedom and democracy. In his lectures and speeches, he strove to instill in his beloved compatriots a sense of Taiwanese identity and consciousness by speaking in Taiwanese--a practice banned by the Japanese authorities.

After the WWII, Dr. Lim welcomed the Chinese rulers to Taiwan only to find that some rulers were worse than the others. Even before the 2-28-incident, Lim was warned by his foreign colleagues at the university that he had to be careful because his talents might be taken as a possible threat to some. Lim did not seem to pay much attention. Perhaps he did not have time to worry, or he never thought of himself as a threat to anybody. Dr. Lim was simply a scholar and an educator with no political ambition whatsoever.

And then came February 28th 1947. The day that few Taiwanese could forget, yet for their own safety, many chose to keep quiet then. Senseless and violent deaths occurred within weeks of the incident. The real terror, however, lasted for decades. Missing people mostly went unreported and therefore were unknown to public except the victims’ family members. On March 11th 1947, in the midst of more warnings from his friends and colleagues, Lim was arrested, without any court order or formal charges. He dressed up, and walked into the hands of the secret policemen. His whereabouts were a total mystery. His life suddenly ended. To many Taiwanese besides Lim’s family, the hope also ended suddenly in 1947. Lim’s body was never found.

In a society where scholars are respected and even adored dearly, among the estimated tens of thousands of Taiwanese victims since the 2-28-incident, Dr. Lim was virtually at the top of the list. Nevertheless, his life should be viewed more in the light of the literature, culture and education over the political/ideological arguments. It is a common understanding that the 2-28-incident and its aftermath should have not happened if the rulers were with a little heart and common sense. It is also a common belief that this kind of incident/massacre, like the Holocaust, should never happen again. All in all, Dr. Lim (1887-1947) will always be remembered as a scholar, who dedicated his life for the Taiwanese people, as if all were his brothers and sisters.

Many wondered where exactly God was when a tragedy stroke. People would wonder the same thing long after the 2-28-incident especially the majority of victims were as peaceful and loving as Lim Bo-Seng. This little story may present part of the answer.

While studying at the Columbia University, Lim regularly attended the services at the nearby Riverside Church, one of the most famous Protestant churches in the US. Once he was asked to demonstrate his calligraphy. In Chinese characters, he wrote down “God is Love” (上帝是愛) which was joined by other languages also expressed the same way on a stained glass window at the chapel. Looking at Lim’s life, his family, his poems and articles, in that few words God is Love, Lim not only wrote down the summary of his life, but stood as a witness of God’s love in spite of all the tragedies. He wrote beautifully with his brush, yet more so with his life as part of the answer to that aged old question: “Where was God?”

God was with those who suffered there and then, here and now.

* The author of the poem “The Utopia” (桃花源仙境) was Wang Yang-Ming (王陽明,) Dr. Lim's favorite writer. Wang was a Chinese philosopher and poet from Ming dynasty.

** One of Rev. Lim Ian-Sin's students was Dr. David Landsborough (蘭大衛醫師) who founded the Changhoa Christian Hospital (彰化基督教醫院.)

Acknowledgements: The pictures used here were taken from the book "A Lin Odyssey" by Marnie Copland. And some detailed information was obtained after consulting with Prof. Tsung-Kuang Lin (林宗光,) the youngest son of Dr. Lim Bo-Seng.

Some Related Websites:
http://www.taiwanus.net/history/4/68.htm
http://www.jimlee.idv.tw/art_03_25.htm
http://www.jimlee.idv.tw/art_03_12.htm

Mr. C T Lin 林澄藻先生

2006-03-27T10:35:00.000-08:00

Mr. and Mrs. C T Lin, 1970

An Ordinary Man with Extra Miles

He was like a fresh air in this southern city of Taiwan, especially during the long humid summer. Many would easily see why his favorite song was "Comfort Ye...My People" from George Frideric Handel's Messiah. In many ways, C T Lin was there to comfort people.

His life was the combination of family, music, education and communities. Mr. C T Lin was a cultural man of Tainan with much sense of humor. Throughout the majority of the 20th century, few people could ignore his contributions to the city of Tainan in music, education, and many other cultural activities. He had taught at Cheng Kong University (成功大學), Chang-Jung high school (長榮中學) and served as the acting principal of Kuang-Hoa Girls high school (光華女中.) Lin also served as member of the board for both Chang-Jung and Kuang-Hoa. Besides volunteer work at the local Rotary Club, he held a job as the vice director of the United States Information Services (USIS - 美國新聞處) in Tainan. Lin probably knew enough of the dark side of the politics and propaganda, he chose to promote more of the western cultures in the form of literature and music.
He was open-minded with open heart. He had become an integrated person with the combination of rich oriental traditions of Taiwan and Japan plus the newer life style of the West.
Lin, a tall handsome man, with some gray colored eyes and straight nose, was very much respected by everybody who came across him. He graduated from Chang-Jung high school and Waseda University (早稻田大學) in Japan with major in economics. While in Japan he began to court a lady pianist Miss Huang (黃蕊花.) He once brought his violin and asked her to accompany him in practice. That was a “pickup line” few could borrow. Lin must be one of the few men then to ‘arrange’ their own marriages instead of waiting to be arranged.
Lin later married Huang who became a life time church organist/pianist and also taught music at Tainan Girls Middle School (台南女中) for more than 40 years. The marriage turned into a famous family of musicians (five boys and two girls, all college/professional schools graduated) - like an ensemble orchestra with excellent pianists, violinists, cellist and vocalist. Some examples: Yung-Choen (永全,) an architect, once won the Taiwan’s violin soloist champion where Amy (惠美), Lin’s youngest daughter, was the pianist for a 5000+ grand choir when Rev. Billy Graham visited Taiwan many years ago. One walked into his home, and most likely would run into a free concert. During the middle of the 20th century, seldom concerts in the city of Tainan could have been without him.

Lin developed his “love for all people” life philosophy while working under Chang-Jung Principal Rev. W.E. Montgomery (滿雄才牧師) who was also the president of Tainan Theological College during 1925-40 and 1948-49. Perhaps that was why Lin was never as rich in materials as many of his colleagues. He gave more than he received and was more blessed in many other ways. Through his work at the school, came some of the well known alumni: Rev. F C Chang (張逢昌牧師-a dynamic pastor) Rev. C J Tseng (鄭錦榮牧師-a master of chorale and oratorio) and Dr. C F Wu (吳基福醫師-a famous ophthalmologist.)

Lin was remembered by many as a nicest and kindest and most humble person. He was also remembered as a best father. Perhaps because he himself never experienced enough fatherly love – he lost his father at the age of 9, and was then brought up by his uncle. He in turn provided the best he could for his family and beyond.
Although Lin did not go to church every Sunday, he was a true believer. He dearly held the heart of the Christianity - faith, hope and love. He was an ordinary citizen with extra talents and characters. Started with his family and friends, he offered the best he could to the society in his life time (1900-1973.)

Wouldn’t it be much nicer if there are more people like C T Lin in today’s world?

An added story - C T Lin must have some loving blood running in his family. As of January 7, 2007 a story revealed that Lin's brother (林澄輝) and his American wife (a missionary and a nurse) offered a big piece of land for the Senior Center in Tainan: http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2007/new/jan/7/today-t1.htm

-- Mr. and Mrs. Lin's picture was provided by Amy Lin

C T Lin’s website: http://folkartist.e-lib.nctu.edu.tw/collection/Egret/cheng_zao/about3.html

Rev. Dr. George Leslie Mackay 馬偕牧師

2006-03-20T14:43:00.000-08:00

A painting reflects Dr. Mackay's missionary acts

George Leslie Mackay's family / Dr. Mackay and students in the open-air tooth-extracting service

A Missionary Known as a Dentist with a Nickname The Black-Bearded Barbarian《黑鬚番》
“O Formosa, so far away and so beautiful.
You are the love of my life. I love you all, each and every one of you, regardless of your origin and the past. To serve you with the only Good News I know. Here is my life for you, a thousand times and more…” ***

The journey began on October 1871, George Leslie Mackay (馬偕牧師, aka 偕叡理牧師) left his home in Oxford, Ontario, Canada, took a train to San Francisco, California. He then boarded a ship for the longest trip of his life, stopping in Japan, Hong Kong and various spots in southeast China, finally arriving in Kaohsiung (aka Takao) Taiwan on Dec. 29 1871. By his account, “I was pulled by an invisible string to an unknown place. But when that beautiful view of the green mountains on the island came to me, all was cleared that this was where my life would like to be.”

Upon the finding that there was no missionary working in the northern part of Taiwan, accompanied by Rev. Hugh Ritchie (李庥牧師) and Dr. M. Dickson (德馬太醫師) from the south, on March 7 1872, Mackay entered Tam-Sui (淡水) which later became his home and the base of his legend.

After the initial contact to Taiwanese language with Ritchie, Mackay continued his study of the 'street talk' from a local cow boy and learned Chinese literature at night for another 6 months. When he began preaching, a few paid attentions to what he had to say, but many were making jokes out of his accent and probably did not care much at all of what he was talking about. He was often “greeted” by stones, raw eggs, suspicious and hostile looks and once a bucket of human wastes. He was usually called ‘hoan-a’ (番仔, the uncivilized) until it was stopped by the local officials in 1886. He suffered malaria on the Jan. 1 1873. He overcame all of those difficulties somehow.

Gradually the believers were baptized and the churches were built. Of course Mackay could never have done it alone. Besides the locals, he constantly received help from the Presbyterian Church in Canada:· 1875 Dr. B. Fraser (華雅各醫師)· 1878 Rev. and Mrs. K. Junor (羅虔益牧師夫婦)· 1892 Rev. and Mrs. William Gauld (吳威廉牧師夫婦)Mackay eventually gained the trust of the Taiwanese people, a major step to success for missionary work anywhere.
His mission network continued to expand in Taiwan. Among the earliest encounters:

December 29 1879, Mackay visited Dr. Thomas Barclay (巴克禮牧師) in Tainan where Dr. Barclay founded Tainan Theological College (台南神學院) three years earlier (1876.)
August of 1898, Dr. D. Landsborough Sr. (蘭大衛醫師) the founder of Changhua Christian Hospital (彰化基督教醫院) and two missionaries of the Presbyterian Church of England from southern Taiwan visited Mackay.

On May 27 1878, Mackay married C. M. Chang (張聰明) The wedding ceremony was officiated by the British consulate in Tam-Sui. Now he was more than a Canadian missionary, he was a Taiwanese-son-in-law.

Graduated from the University of Toronto, Knox Theological Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary of US and Edinburgh University of Scotland, Mackay was an ordained minister of the Canadian Presbyterian Church.

As a first missionary in northern part of Taiwan, like Dr. James Maxwell in southern Taiwan, Mackay paved the way of the modern educational, medical and religious institutions of Taiwan. The Mackay effect can still be felt clearly in Taiwan today. He was not a physician, nor a dentist, but to most, he was viewed as the best doctor and dentist there and then. Mackay was simply well connected. At one time he was accompanied by six British medical professionals. For many believers and followers, Mackay was the one who could heal both physically and spiritually.

During his almost 30-year ministry, along with his co-workers, Mackay practiced the combination of evangelical and medical/dental work to help people and got in touch with them personally. It proved to be very successful. Like most missionaries, Mackay traveled and spoke extensively to the western world and received offerings to help his mission. The result: many patients tendered, more than 10000 teeth pulled, and more than 3000 people baptized. Through the help of the Canadian, US and local friends, he had helped established more than 60 local churches, the very first girls’ school (淡水女學堂) and the Oxford School (牛津學堂) which was the foundation of Taiwan Theological College/Seminary, Tam-Sui middle school, and Aletheia University (台灣神學院, 淡江中學, 真理大學.)

In Sep. 4 1880, Mackay was awarded the Doctor of Divinity degree by the Queen's University of Canada. In June 12 1894, to show the appreciation of his work in Taiwan, the Presbyterian Church in Canada elected him the moderator of the General Assembly with special honor.

However, his never ending effort of working throughout northern Taiwan seemed to carry a human toil. At the turn of the 20th century Mackay suffered a throat cancer and virtually lost his voice. In 1900, he went to Hong Kong seeking treatment. During that time, he continued to be in touch with fellow missionaries and local pastors. He died in his home June 2 1901, survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. He was buried in Tam-Sui, a place he called home, and for many it was a sanctuary.

In "My Final Resting Place" Mackay wrote:
"How dear is Formosa to my heart! On that island the best of my years have been spent. How dear is Formosa to my heart! A lifetime of joy is centered here. I love to look up to its lofty peaks, down into its yawning chasms, and away out on its surging seas. How willing I am to gaze upon these forever! My heart's ties to Taiwan cannot be severed! To that island I devote my life. My heart's ties to Taiwan cannot be severed! There I find my joy. I should like to find a final resting place within sound of its surf, and under the shade of its waving bamboo."

Mackay's motto: "Better to go up in flames than rust away" (寧願燒盡，不願腐銹)

In a country where many streets were named after politicians, there is a street named after Mackay, and a brass sculpture of Mackay with his well known long beard built at downtown of Tam-Sui by Taipei county. The other two "foreigners" commemorated with the street-name were President Roosevelt and General MacArthur of the US. In 1912, Mackay Memorial Hospital (馬偕紀念醫院,) one of the most advanced and best maintained hospitals in Taiwan, was built and opened to the public, eleven years after his death. On June 1, 2001, the 100th anniversary of George L. Mackay's death, a commemorative stamp was issued in his honor.

***

The poem was written by Rev. George Leslie Mackay, D.D. (1844-1901.) It was a translation from Chinese version, not a direct quote.

Related Websites:
http://www.au.edu.tw/mackay/antiquity/c.htm http://www.clevelandonline.org/English/biographies/mackay/mackay.htm http://mackay.ccpct.org.tw/
Taiwan Theological College/Seminary http://www.taitheo.org.tw/index-en.htm (台灣神學院)TamSui Presbyterian Church http://www.mackay.com.tw/ (淡水教會) Mackay Memorial Hospital http://www.mmh.org.tw/ (馬偕紀念醫院) Aletheia University http://www.au.edu.tw/ (真理大學) TamKang High School http://www.tksh.tpc.edu.tw/ (淡水中學)

Dr. Chong-Ming Du 杜聰明博士

2006-02-10T17:10:00.000-08:00

The Dawn of the Taiwanese Medical Research

Dr. Chong-Ming Du (1892-1986) aka Tu Tsung-Ming, was a gentleman, a scholar, an educator with high disciplines, an internationally known research pioneer in the fields of medicine and pharmacology. A native of Tam-Sui (淡水), he graduated at the top of his class from the Japanese Governor’s Medical School in Taipei, and was the first Taiwanese recipient of an MD degree from Kyoto Imperial University (1922), the first dean of the Medical School of the National Taiwan University (1946-52), the founder and the first president of Kaohsiung Medical University (1954-66, 高雄醫學大學 formerly Kaohsiung Medical College 高雄醫學院).

In Taiwan, Dr. Du was a pioneer in medical education and pharmacological research. Besides his dedication to medical education, he was known for his broad research of poisonous snakes, opium and traditional Chinese medicines. He founded the first 5-year curriculum BS degree of pharmacy in Taiwan and the first community-styled cafeteria at the Kaohsiung Medical College. He was remembered by his students, colleagues and friends as a very caring person who paid close attention to the faculty members, and kept on encouraging students to learn foreign languages in order to either study abroad later or simply to learn new knowledge firsthand from the published materials.

Dr. Du also developed a medical college system to encourage training Native Taiwanese in the mountain areas for the complete health care needs. He also made possible for the less fortunate students to complete their medical education through the “CM Du Scholarship Funds.”

Throughout his life Dr. Du demonstrated how a gifted Taiwanese could be at such a high level, at the same time his love for Taiwan and its people at such an in-depth style of honor.

Rev. Dr. William Sia 謝緯牧師

2006-01-09T19:00:00.000-08:00

1916-1970

Rev. and Mrs. William Sia 謝緯牧師,牧師娘

A Doctor, a Minister and a Lover of Life

I never met Rev. Sia 謝緯牧師. I probably never heard him preaching as I recalled. Rev. Sia was busy in Taichung Presbytery area most of time until he was elected the moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (台灣基督長老教會總會議長.) At the time of his death, I just came back from 10-month training in Hong Kong, tried to ‘regroup’ myself to campus ministry in Kaohsiung Medical College Luke Hall. I knew that there would be a General-Assembly-Honored funeral for him, and I knew that all the church leaders and civil leaders and medical professionals would be there to pay their highest and final respect. Other than knowing him through a lot of people from Lam-Tau (南投) area, where he was a household name, and through the Taiwan Church Press Weekly (台灣教會公報), I did not have any personal touch to add here.

But none of the above really mattered much. Rev. Sia had enough stories to fill up a library. He played good enough piano to keep bible study occasions alive. His medical and clerical professional standard always kept up-to-date. He had that rare reputation that some people even called him a holy man. His dedication to the gospel was larger than life. And every memory about him would quietly bring down the tears of the listeners.

Few ordained ministers hold an MD degree. Fewer still would be so people oriented that one wondered if he ever had enough time for himself. In fact, the car accident that took his life happened right after his now famous last sentences, “If I delay a minute to tend the patients, it’d be that extra minute those patients will have to suffer.” He then said good bye to his wife, also a physician, started his car, and took off with the hope that he’d be able to ease patients’ pain just minutes sooner. And the rest is history.

All seemed to agree that Sia’s work was over loaded, but he never complained. A nurse from a Christian hospital said that she never heard anybody, including nurses, complained about Rev. Sia. That should be big news in the medical fields everywhere. And by looking at his two favorite authors, Albert Schweitzer and Toyohiko Kagawa, we’d understand his private journey well. It’s no surprise that some had called him Dr. Schweitzer of Taiwan. Now look at the summary of Rev. Sia's busy activities on the top of endless meetings:

-- He helped founded and continued his voluntary work at the Christian Hospital in Ji-Lim (二林).

-- He traveled hours to Pak-Mng (北門) - a free Christian Clinic (established in 1960) - to perform surgery for the “black-feet” 烏腳病 patients, a disease caused by arsenic (砷) polluted water. The medical director there was Dr. C H Wang(王金河), Sia’s Tokyo Medical College classmate.

-- He helped open up yet another free clinic for tuberculosis patients in central Taiwan

-- He still held his primary medical office at Lam-Tau (南投.)

Some great preachers would draw your attention within minutes, and with punched lines coming down before you could start napping. Rev. Sia made his case more in deeds than in words: His life was a combination of touching sermons, and a great example of how a person can share one’s undivided love to the people who would never be able to pay back.

According to his niece Yaling (雅怜) of Chicago, Rev. Sia enjoyed family, life, food and chess games whenever he had a break. His laughs were warm and exciting and his sermons were short and powerful. Certainly Rev. Sia looked like my kind of guy. How I wish I could have spent sometime with him. Just to get to know him as a friend and as a mentor. With his 54 years on earth, he surely had made all his extra miles accounted for. While completing this article I had a chance to talk with Mrs. Sia over the phone. She sounded, perhaps, like Rev. Sia, youthful, optimistic, encouraging and full of hope. Only people with strong faith appear that way. Tomorrow will always be better and brighter.

A few years back I had a chance to visit Rev. Sia's Memorial Youth Camp Center in Po’-Li (埔里), where my long time friend Elder T L Wang (王天龍長老) served as one of the directors. I walked around the camp site with Wang. I could feel the spirit of Rev. Sia. The spirit of taking the path less traveled; going where one would be needed the most. And the image of him appeared to me, as it had always been, like a cloudy picture in a cloudy day.

Well, I never really met him. However, as it is written, “Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)

We don't know everything, but then we will… How comforting!

And in His Grace, one day, we may take turn to play a game of chess with Rev. Sia 謝緯牧師 when we see him face to face...

-- The above picture was provided by Enoch Pai (bayuhian.)

Dr. C Y Peng 彭清約長老

2006-01-04T17:55:00.000-08:00

A Man Practiced Medicine with all Heart

1888-1969

Dr. Peng was not always smiling, but he was all heart. He was a good physician yet better known as an elder who never stopped working with Sunday schools and beyond. Some thought he was a pastor, yet he was more than a pastor. He had helped numerous seminarians go through years of education anonymously. When a pastor finally realized what had happened and came forward to thank him, Peng's reply, “I do not know what you are talking about.” He cured his patients physically and emotionally. He would give money to his poorer patients instead of receiving the fee for his service.

Peng’s life story was included in 楊士養 Rev. Iuⁿ Sū-Ióng’s “The Taiwanese Famous Christians Vol. II.” There was also a special memorial book published by Kaohsiung Shin-Heng Presbyterian Church in 1982. His father was a preacher before entering the seminary and continued to be a pastor more than 30 years throughout the various churches in southern Taiwan. Peng and his two younger brothers graduated from Taiwan Governor’s Medical School (later known as National Taiwan University Medical School) while his elder brother received theological education from Tainan Theological Seminary.

His family members have contributed to Taiwan in such a broad areas, from higher education, medicine and cultures to Christianity. For instance, Peng's son, 明聰, was the Dean of the Medical School, National Taiwan University (NTU); and his nephew, 明敏 was also a professor at the NTU before he exiled to Europe and then to the States due to the KMT house arrest. 彭明敏 soon became the icon of the Taiwan Independent Movement.

Dr. Peng was once asked to run for the mayor of the city of Kaohsiung. He refused. The reason: "Politicians tend to enjoy being served rather than to serve. Jesus' teachings were simply to serve."

Like most great men, Peng endured his family tragedies and somehow those tragedies purified his faith. Throughout his life, especially when his wife passed away unexpectedly, Peng never gave up his faith and his hope for the mankind. He always gave generously to the churches, pastors, and patients but to himself. He had his share of favorite food, but always ate a little and saved for others. He once offered a big piece of land to build a local church and a student center (known as the Luke Hall) near the newly founded Kaohsiung Medical College (高雄醫學院.)
I was honored to work at the Luke Hall with Rev. Owen Bechtel, a Reformed Church missionary, for a few years. I remember Peng told me once, “If we can help build the strong Christian faith among these medical students, the hope is unlimited.”

During the senior year at the seminary, I once became sick. So I came home to rest. My father was a physician too, but he wanted Peng to take a look at me. Peng came and examined me for a while, then he knelt down and prayed. I remember what he said in his prayer, “Lord, this young man is your servant, we’ll tend him, but it is you who will heal him.”

The last time I “encountered” Peng was at his church honored funeral. I led the choir for the funeral process. We sang with tears to Peng’s favorite hymn, “O for a Closer Walk with God” (Goān goá ná-kiâⁿ kap Chú ná-oá.) At the end of the service, led by the pastors and elders, we began to move on to the burial site. Not surprisingly, we saw many people gathered by the side walks, wearing white clothes, knelt down and wept as if they had lost their father.

Yes, all of us had lost a father of faith indeed. And nobody I have ever come to know has had a closer walk with God than Dr. Peng 彭長老.

Related Website:
http://www.kss.org.tw/www/important/pengqingyuejiniantushuguanjianjie
(Dr. Peng's Memorial Library 彭清約紀念圖書館)

Missions in Taiwan since 1865 - 台灣宣教 140年
英國馬雅各醫師 Dr. James L. Maxwell started from South, June 16, 1865
加拿大馬偕牧師 Rev. George Leslie Mackay started from North, Dec 9, 1871
Read more: http://www.ccpct.org.tw/140-1.htm

What a Beautiful Sight!

2005-12-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

The Beauty of the Unknown Footprints – A Tribute to the Past Missionaries in Taiwan

Since 1860's, missionaries from England, Canada and later America had worked with their hearts and ultimately their lives to provide broad services throughout Taiwan. Started from building schools, churches, clinics and hospitals, a modern civilized Taiwan had merged.

And then, about a week before the Christmas of 1961…

As a class at Tainan Theological College/Seminary (台南神學院*), we paid a visit to a Leprosy Clinic (痲瘋診所) somewhere in Tainan County. Our purpose was to sing Christmas carols to the patients and workers there, while distributing Christmas gifts. We met a leper who lost his nose, both hands and feet and ears and still greeted us with smiles and was so happy to see us that he asked us to join him singing two of his favorite hymns, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and “For God So Loved the World – even me” (“Thi-Pe Thia Lan Se-kan cheng-lang” – a popular hymn in both Japan and Taiwan.) He sang with us smiling, rocking his shrinking body and waving his shorten arms while we tried so hard to hold back our tears. We also saw a picture of a missionary nurse who died from a direct contact to another leper there.

One of the doctors told us while we were leaving, “That nurse looked great there [in the picture] but,” he lowered his head and voice, “she did not look much better than our singing friend before she passed away…”

Nobody expected that place to be a beautiful sight. But the real beauty of life and love was so profound that it brought about one's graceful tears and deeply changed one's visions. And the words from Isaiah 52 came to me then and come to me now, “What a beautiful sight! On the mountains a messenger announces to Jerusalem, ‘Good news! You're saved. There will be peace. Your God is now King.’"

* 台南神學院 http://www.ttcs.org.tw/

Rev. Dr. Shoki Coe and Rev. Dr. B T Huang

2005-11-16T11:45:00.000-08:00

Shoki Coe
1914-1988

Ng Bú-tong
1909-1994

Shoki Coe

- Shoki Coe, a graduate of Tokyo Imperial University (Philosophy) and Cambridge University (Theology), who first introduced the term "contextualization" in 1972 as a new approach to understand the problematic relationship of faith and culture, was one of the key members of the 20th century ecumenical movement which gave birth to the World Council of Churches

- Ngⁿ Bú-tong (B T Hwang), one of the key members from start to finish the PKU movement (Double-the-Church Movement, 倍加運動1954-64) and the coordinator of the joint General Assembly for the northern (Canadian) and the southern (British) congregations to become the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan

Two Giants from the Presbyterian Church

I met Rev. Shoki Coe (Ng Chiong-Hui 黃彰輝牧師 D.D.) in my first year at the Tainan Theological College/Seminary (TTCS) where he was the first Taiwanese president. He was always warmly greeted as the president (院長,) with a nickname Chiong-Hui sian (彰輝仙.) I also met Rev. B T Huang (黃武東牧師 D.D.) within a few months when he was a guest speaker at the seminary weekly worship service. With his rich literature and culture background, Bu-Tong Boksu was one of the most powerful and popular preachers. They shared many major tasks among the church organizations. Chiong-Hui Boksu was regarded as a thinker full of ideas, and Bu-Tong Boksu was the doer who carried out those ideas by 'translating' into the language and procedures that people would understand and accept. For many years Bu-Tong Boksu served as the general secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan while Chiong-Hui Boksu was the president of TTCS. The impressions I got from both outstanding ministers last till this date. They both were rather small in physical size, yet great in mind and heart. Chiong-Hui Boksu was an exceptional theological educator with European academic style, and Bu-Tong Boksu was such a rare church executive one could feel his decisive power miles away and years apart. Both loved Taiwan so much that they dedicated their lives to witness: “For God so loved the world, the land and the people of Taiwan.”

There are numerous articles and books available about them already. Allow me to add a few personal lines here to salute these two distinguished Taiwanese who had shaped the Taiwanese/Christian movements in the 20th century.

In one of his lectures of the introduction to systemic theology, Chiong-Hui Boksu mentioned his experience while returning Taiwan from England in the late 1940’s. He was traveling by ship, and he passed through so many countries which had been either independent or self-determination-oriented after the World War II. Then Chiong-Hui Boksu looked at us in the class, and asked, “What are we going to do here in Taiwan?” The entire class sat still in silence. I think, we were either afraid to follow his thought or simply could not comprehend the answer. He continued, “The land were given by God, and the people/life also given by God, and what are we going to do about that?” Talk about the “Truth or Dare!”

With his unique executive style and true insight of the Taiwanese culture, Bu-Tong Boksu was very humble and always kept his sense of humor. He once said that a pastor should go to a church full of problems, “That’s what a pastor is for. Who needs a pastor when all is well? A pastor and the church should keep on challenging each other.” When he was at TTCS as a student, he was smart and somewhat playful. An unofficial off-line story: he was once accused of stealing the dragon-eyes (a popular summer fruit looks like smaller Lychee) from the school yard, he responded: “I was walking under the trees with a high wooden stick, and those poor dragon-eyes just fell at the contact of the stick.” During his retirement, before returning to Taiwan to complete his memoir, he had helped many Taiwanese churches in north America, and always gave hand to fellow younger pastors, saying, “If you do not accept the torch and pass it on, xx Boksu, would you rather leave you and your fellow Taiwanese in the dark?”

Three months prior to his death, Shoki Coe spent sometime in New York City with his former student and colleague, Rev. Andrew Kuo, who once taught Greek and New Testament at the Tainan Theological Seminary.

“Word became flesh, full of grace and truth,” Shoki said to Andrew, “so, do not just seek truth, BE GRACIOUS!”

Among other things, The Taiwanese Self-Determination Movement (with Rev. Dr. C S Song and Dr. T Y Lin**) in the 70’s and 80’s has been their joint achievement. As of today, the Taiwanese political future is still unknown, and Taiwan maintains just a handful of countries diplomatically.

The last time I met Chiong-Hui Boksu was in Los Angeles/1984(85?) - at the TTCS alumnus meeting - and remembered he said firmly that "never, ever give up hope for Taiwan..." And it was at the Taiwanese church in Detroit area that I met Bu-Tong Boksu for the last time (1990?). After the service, he came to me, made his sincere bow, called my name and thanked for my sermon. I must have blushed. How could I, of all preachers, deserve to receive the respect from a master of preaching like Bu-Tong Boksu?

Dream on. Pass it on. We still have tasks to do, voices to be heard, people to be taken care of, in Taiwan and elsewhere.

Related Website: http://shokicoe.blogspot.com/

** 1972.3.20 黃彰輝、林宗義、黃武東、宋泉盛發表「自決運動宣言」

-- Shoki Coe's picture was provided by Rev. Dr. Pekho Huang, the president of TTCS. And B T Huang's picture was provided by Elder Franz Tsai of TPC, Chicago.

Dr. Franklin Lee 李豐明博士

2005-11-01T08:05:00.000-08:00

-- Dr. Franklin Lee with his friendly smile

A Life that Shined...

Recently I lost a dear friend of mine, Franklin Lee (1934-2005). I attended his memorial service in the Bay area, gave a short message, and was deeply moved by his family members and friends.

That was how it got me started this website!

Like many others, I missed Franklin Lee. At the same time there are many other Taiwanese, known or unknown, who had made Taiwan, that beautiful island, possible for us today. At least we owed them (and ourselves) this site...

Frank (豐明兄 - as most people called him) was a scientist, an educator, a thinker in many fields, a Christian and a Taiwanese. He spent most of his life in the States, from coast to coast, studying, working, playing and raising kids (two wonderful girls and one elegant boy - all of them already have their own family.)
Always came up with ideas, Frank never ceased to open up new doors for the Taiwanese overseas. He actively promoted the Taiwanese language and culture. He enjoyed tennis, fishing, music, and most of all, friends. His life shined through various congregations, fellowships, Taiwanese Americans associations. Upon his retirement, he went back to Taiwan and taught at the Cultural University Engineering School, served as Dean, and worked closely with fellow professors and researchers. Frank never ceased to dream for the better no matter how remotely.
About a month before his departure, we shared an interesting phone conversation. We talked about the politics, Taiwan, the world, Christianity, and the intelligent design vs. evolution. At one time he said, "I am borrowing time from God now, you know..." My reply was, "Yes, we all are. The question is how we are going to return His favor."
Frank did by shining his life through so many groups and individuals. We, I hope, are working on it still.

Dr. Franklin Lee's memorial site:

http://www.mem.com/display/biography.asp?ID=1008731

The Taiwanese 台灣人 Tâi-Oân Lâng

Introducing a Journey at CJCU 長榮大學之旅

Elder Lâu Chú-an 劉主安 校長

Rev. Dr. Loh Sian-chhun 駱先春 牧師

Dr. D Liang; Dr. and Mrs. P Y Liang 梁道; 梁炳元; 梁許春菊

Dr. A-Sin Tsai 蔡阿信 醫師

Mr. Yoichi Hatta 八田與一 技師

Rev. So Thian-bêng 蘇天明 牧師

Dr. John Sung 宋尚節 博士

Dr. Chen-Yuan Lee 李鎮源 院士

Merry Christmas, Taiwan!

Mr. Bo Yang 柏楊 先生

Marjorie Ingeleiv Bly 白寶珠 宣教師

Prof. C K Wu 吳振坤 教授

Rev. Su-Beng Huang 黃俟命 牧師

Mr. Chien Shih 施乾 先生

Mrs. Lillian Dickson 孫理蓮 牧師娘

Dr. W S Chiang 蔣渭水 醫師

Prof. Liao Chi-Chun 廖繼春 教授

Mr. Lōa Bûn-Liông 賴文良 長老

Dr. Chiau-Seng Hwang 黃昭聲 醫師

Mr. Chhòa Pôe-Hóe 蔡培火 先生

Mr. Ko Tióng 高長 傳道師

Dr. Lai Ho 賴和 醫師

Rev. Campbell N. Moody 梅監霧 牧師

Mr. Lí Chhung-Seng 李春生 長老

Rev. William Campbell 甘為霖 牧師

Rev. Hugh Ritchie 李庥 牧師

Dr. Wu Fu Chen 陳五福 醫師

Dr. David Landsborough III 蘭大衛 醫師

Rev. Dr. Thomas Barclay 巴克禮 博士

Dr. James Laidlaw Maxwell 馬雅各 醫師

Dr. Lim Bo-Seng 林茂生 博士

Mr. C T Lin 林澄藻 先生

Rev. Dr. George Leslie Mackay 馬偕 牧師

Dr. Chong-Ming Du 杜聰明 博士

Rev. Dr. William Sia 謝緯 牧師

Dr. C Y Peng 彭清約 長老

What a Beautiful Sight!

Rev. Dr. Shoki Coe and Rev. Dr. B T Huang

Dr. Franklin Lee 李豐明 博士

Elder Lâu Chú-an 劉主安校長

Rev. Dr. Loh Sian-chhun 駱先春牧師

Dr. A-Sin Tsai 蔡阿信醫師

Mr. Yoichi Hatta 八田與一技師

Rev. So Thian-bêng 蘇天明牧師

Dr. John Sung 宋尚節博士

Dr. Chen-Yuan Lee 李鎮源院士

Mr. Bo Yang 柏楊先生

Marjorie Ingeleiv Bly 白寶珠宣教師

Prof. C K Wu 吳振坤教授

Rev. Su-Beng Huang 黃俟命牧師

Mr. Chien Shih 施乾先生

Mrs. Lillian Dickson 孫理蓮牧師娘

Dr. W S Chiang 蔣渭水醫師

Prof. Liao Chi-Chun 廖繼春教授

Mr. Lōa Bûn-Liông 賴文良長老

Dr. Chiau-Seng Hwang 黃昭聲醫師

Mr. Chhòa Pôe-Hóe 蔡培火先生

Mr. Ko Tióng 高長傳道師

Dr. Lai Ho 賴和醫師

Rev. Campbell N. Moody 梅監霧牧師

Mr. Lí Chhung-Seng 李春生長老

Rev. William Campbell 甘為霖牧師

Rev. Hugh Ritchie 李庥牧師

Dr. Wu Fu Chen 陳五福醫師

Dr. David Landsborough III 蘭大衛醫師

Rev. Dr. Thomas Barclay 巴克禮博士

Dr. James Laidlaw Maxwell 馬雅各醫師

Dr. Lim Bo-Seng 林茂生博士

Mr. C T Lin 林澄藻先生

Rev. Dr. George Leslie Mackay 馬偕牧師

Dr. Chong-Ming Du 杜聰明博士

Rev. Dr. William Sia 謝緯牧師

Dr. C Y Peng 彭清約長老

Dr. Franklin Lee 李豐明博士