News

Su Beng’s update of banned book released

Monday, 01 September 2014 07:54 Taipei Times

Artist Chen Miao-ting, left, presents Taiwan independence advocate Su Beng with a portrait of himself at an official book signing of Su’s Modern History of Taiwanese in 400 Years in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times

Hundreds of people crowded the small auditorium at National Taiwan University’s Alumni Center in Taipei yesterday to celebrate the release of a updated Chinese version of the Taiwan independence advocate Su Beng’s (史明) 1962 book Taiwan’s 400-Year History.

Once banned by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime during the Martial Law era, the book was considered a pioneer attempt to recount the nation’s history since the arrival of first wave of Han Chinese settlers, including a few chapters discussing Aboriginal society prior to Han Chinese settlement.

Prisoners’ handmade gift book testifies to White Terror period

Sunday, 31 August 2014 01:08 Taipei Times

Hsu Kui-piao, who was imprisoned for seven years during the White Terror era, holds up a book made by fellow prisoners Wu Peng-tsan and Lien Te-en, who were later executed, at a press conference in Taipei on Tuesday.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times

Hsu Kui-piao (許貴標), 82, recently donated a papier-mache scrapbook that seemed like an ordinary item at first glance. However, Hsu’s gift embodied the persecution and sacrifice suffered by Taiwanese during the White Terror era and the remarkable friendship among condemned political prisoners.

“This is the 55th year since I was released from prison. I have the good fortune to share my story here, but my heart is stirred up with strong emotions,” Hsu said as he presented the book to the Preparatory Office of the National Human Rights Museum on Tuesday last week.