Island Charm: Stirring the National Memory of Both Sides

Author: Qin Feng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: Discussing tradition, there is probably no place in all of China as "traditional" as Taiwan. For about three decades, Taiwan tried to portray itself as more "Chinese" than anyone else. This unique life experience has shaped the deep-seated tremors in the heart of Taiwanese society. Whenever genuinely loved by fellow countrymen, these emotions surge forth at any moment. Taiwan is not a small island; it has several times been at the center of major historical storms. Going back 14,000 years, indigenous people have settled here in peace. Before the 17th century, it was a refuge for Chinese maritime adventurers in the southeastern seas. During the Japanese colonial era, Taiwan's mainstream intellectuals remained unshaken by poverty and undaunted by power, steadfastly upholding their national stance. Since 1945, the island has firmly been in the hands of the Chinese.
This book is part of the "Qin Feng Works Series," offering a historical dissection of Taiwanese life. It stands alongside Qin Feng's other works, Taiwan Through the Ages: 1900–2000 and Moments of the War of Resistance, as sister volumes. It also shares the same visual-reading format as the "Looking Back in Images" series, including The Eve of the Civil War's End: China Through the Lens of Life Magazine and A City Born Amid Salt Pits—The Story of a City During the War of Resistance, making its content and form relatively rare. Looking to the future, history teaches us about the present. Taiwan is the nostalgia of Chinese people on both sides of the strait. October 25th is Taiwan's Restoration Day, commemorating the island's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. Chinese mainland media is sure to experience a surge of coverage, with strong media groups like the Nanfang Daily Group focusing on Qin Feng's works and preparing to expand on the Taiwan-themed articles.
Discussing tradition, there is probably no place in all of China as "traditional" as Taiwan. For about three decades, Taiwan tried to portray itself as more "Chinese" than anyone else. This unique life experience has shaped the deep-seated tremors in the heart of Taiwanese society. Whenever genuinely loved by fellow countrymen, these emotions surge forth at any moment.
This book is part of the "Qin Feng Works Series," offering a historical dissection of Taiwanese life. It stands alongside Qin Feng's other works, Taiwan Through the Ages: 1900–2000 and Moments of the War of Resistance, as sister volumes. It also shares the same visual-reading format as the "Looking Back in Images" series, including The Eve of the Civil War's End: China Through the Lens of Life Magazine and A City Born Amid Salt Pits—The Story of a City During the War of Resistance, making its content and form relatively rare. Looking to the future, history teaches us about the present. Taiwan is the nostalgia of Chinese people on both sides of the strait. October 25th is Taiwan's Restoration Day, commemorating the island's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. Chinese mainland media is sure to experience a surge of coverage, with strong media groups like the Nanfang Daily Group focusing on Qin Feng's works and preparing to expand on the Taiwan-themed articles.