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On September 8th, yesterday local date here in Taiwan, a “Taiwan National Flag” was raised in the open square before the Presidential Office Building in Taipei, attended by some ten thousand people. An organization active for an Independent Taiwan called for the people to remember that September 8th, 1951, when the Peace Treaty was signed in San Francisco, was actually the begining of Taiwan as a free nation no longer under the yoke of any persons or nations. They demand the government to make September 8th as a national holiday.

The event started with five representatives each reciting a “Taiwan Repubkic Campaign Stqatement” in languages such as Taiwanese(Holo), Chinese(Mandarin), English, Japanese and German. The statement stressed the need to abolish the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution, terminate the ROC system of government, promote a new constitution for the Taiwan Republic and inplement of a new Taiwan republic system of government. After the statement, the crowd sang TAIWAN THE GREEN, a poem written by Professor Emeritus Tin Ji-Giok of Tainan Theological Seminay and set to music by a Taiwanese composer, Hsiao Tyzen, in 1988 and have becoming like a national anthem among Taiwanese everywhere. After singing the anthem, a version of Taiwan national Flag was raised and people waved flags and shouted “Taiwan Republic! Taiwan Republic!!” Incidently, the ROC national anthem was but a KNT’s party song.

Making September 8th as an Independent Taiwan’s national day has solid historical basis as already mentioned above. When the Peace Treaty after the WW II was signed in San Francisco on September 8th, 1951, in the Article Two, Section 2, Japan clearly and formally and simplly stated that Japan will thereafter abandon all her rights, titles and claims over Taiwan and Pinhu(Piscadores) Islands. No mentioning of any recipient for the titles, rights or claims whatsoever. In a seperate Peace Treaty between Taiwan(ROC) and Japan signed on April 28th, 1952, the day when the San Francisco took effect, it repeated the same words of the San Francisco Peace Treaty. Clearly Taiwan was set free and people of Taiwan became their own master. Sometimes so called Cairo or Potsdam declarations were cited to have mentioning of Taiwan’s return to China. But these declarations were actually only news communiques of the participants and there were no signatures. Clearly they do not have any legal authority as that of the Peace Treaties.
It was most unfortunate that Taiwan’s occupation as a former Japanese colony was assigned to ROC by then the Highest Commander of the Allied Forces in the Far East, General McArthur. After the demise of the ROC on China and under the ghost ROC’s continued occupation, Taiwan has been drown into an horrible Chinese quicksand. Although having 2300 million well educated people and ecconomically ranking among the top 30 some countries in the world, Taiwan is denied her rightful participation in all formal international scenes. The only viable and lasting solution seems to be rectification of her name. Calling Taiwan, TAIWAN! The pro-Taiwan Republic people strongly back the President Chen Sui-Bien who recently calls for rectification of Taiwan’s name and says that he will use Taiwan as the name for Taiwan’s UN membership. So, be it!

42 Sumo wrestlers came to Taiwan yesterday. Their combined weight is said to be 6288 kgs. Each wrestler’s huge body shape needs special accomodations and that would make many very busy as it should. The visit is the first time since the end of the WW II in 1945. Their visit has arosed great interest and warm welcome here. Those who were born in the Japanese Era have fond memories of the sport which was played all over the island then. As the national sport, Sumo wrestlers of the Japanese Sumo Association making visit is an indication of gradual warming up of Japanese people toward Taiwan. In the past, it might be due to their feeling of shame for the country’s imperialistic acts and nasty reminders of the history kept harped up by China and the like, Japan simply tried to forget about Taiwan.

Sumo is the Japanese sport, as already mentioned above. Actually, Japanese and Korean are closely related to Mongolian people. Wrestling is also a very Mongolian sport, as also for the Korean. Only in Japan, the sport has linked up with Shintoism and ritualized and formalized. After the War and independence, Koreans abandoned Japanese style sumo and reclaimed their own style of wrestling. However, in Taiwan, any residues of Japanese culture from the colonial era were to be purged under the Chinese Regime which took over Taiwan after the WW II, and so, sumo no longer is played. But this visit to Taiwan which would have three exhibitional games will kindle keen sentiment and interest for the sport. It is reported that many here in Taiwan enthusiastically follow NHK’s telecasts each sumo season. In passing, I should mention that Japan has lifted visa requirement for Taiwanese visiting Japan since last year, ignoring Chinese protest.

August is full of days quite memorable for me. It was on August 24th, 1957 when I was admitted to the USA with a “student” visa in Honolulu, Hawaii. After 19 years studying and working and having a family there, I came back to Taiwan with my family. For my children, they came to Taiwan with their parents. We spent about a week in Japan visiting before we reached Taiwan on August 25th, 1976. There were other dates quite memoriable to me. Some of the dates have been commented already on this blog.

I thought it was on August 17th, but upon checking up, it was on August 16th, 1977 when one most decisive of the “Three Classic and Historical Statements’ of the Presbyterian Church” was presented to then President Chiang in Taiwan, President Carter of US, and to the peoples of all countries concerned and those related Churches all over the world. It was “A Declaration on Human Rights by the Presbyteraisn Church in Taiwan”. The Church had issued two shocking and influentials statements previously: “Public Statement on Our National Fate” on December 30, 1971, and “Our Appeals” in the summer of 1975. It is widely regarded that these “Tree Statements” have laid effective fundation for the democratization of Taiwan from “with-in”.

After comending President Carter for adopting “human rights” as a principle of his diplomacy, the statement confessed that human rights are also gift of God to the people of Taiwan and insisted that the future of Taiwan shall be determined by then 17 million people who live there. The most cardinal section of the Declaration on Human Rights stated that “In order to achieve our goal of independence and freedom for the people of Taiwan in this critical international situation, we urge our government to face reality and take effective measures whereby Taiwan may become a new and independent country”.

It was almost a year after my return to Taiwan and I was called to participate in the drafting of the statement. The drafing committee worked through all day August 15 but could not get a satisfactory draft. A small working group was appointed ti finish it over the night. I was not in the group. In the morning of August 16 the working group offered an even softer and weaker version with small details on how for an UN membership and do plebiscite over the issue. Of course much heated discussions ensued but no acceptable document resulted. Then, the person who came back to Taiwan just a year ago ventured to offer a sentence. He repeated the sentence and it was written on a blackbord by a clerk. There was a utter silence. Moments later it was unanimously adopted and together with other sections adoped before the draft was completed. To the draft, a prayer was affixed, quoting verses from 85th Pslm, “Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up fromthe ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.” I was very proud of my father-in-law who was there and suggested to conclude the statement with prayer. it was then the General secretary the PCT Rev. C M Kao who gave the passage from the Psalm. With the prayer, the statement appeared to be more a confession of faith, rather than a political gesture.
On the way back on a train doing translation of the statement into English with an English missionary, I was taken aback by her comment that some of the participants had their last wills made before attending. She told me some names. It explained why it was so painfully difficult to have an acceptable draft. The person who stayed in the USA for 19 long years and returned to Taiwan a year ago was like “a blind bull in a china shop”! He was so accustomed to speak freely and did not yet know to be afraid. Now after almost 30 years, I still vividly remember the days and feel fortunate to be allowed to participate in the drafting and that my 19 years stay in the US has merit. Indeed, Taiwan as a “New and Independent country” is more than a dream for the 2300 million now on Taiwan and the Taiwanese overseas all over the world.

Today, August 15th, is remembered by many here as a lost opportunuty to be free-ed from colonial yokes for the people of Taiwan. The Emporor of Japan, Hirohito, announced over the national radio 61 years ago that he had accepted the demand of the Allies to surrender unconditionally. With that grave and brave act, it put an end to the era of colonialism. We all know that with the end of the WW II, the world map changed its colours. Many former colonies of the Western powers began to become independent.

With the case of Taiwan, a colony ceded to Japan in perpetuity by China from 1895, the imperial announcement was suppressed and withheld until late the next day, August 16th, 1945. It has been reported that then Governor of Taiwan Rikhich Ando, who was also the top Military Commader on Taiwan, deliverately withheld the news in hope to work out with some Taiwanese leaders for an independent Taiwan. But unlike the situation in Indonesia, his attempt was fruitless, probably due to some over- romantic notions about China held by the leaders, no consensus was gained quickly, and Taiwan was soon after occupied by the Nationalist Chinese military forces under the directive of General McArthur, the Commander of the Allied Forces in the Far East. In the case of Indonesia, then Japanese military commander there withheld the news of Japanese surrender for 3 days and successfully got an Indonesian guerrilla leader Sukarno to declare independence from the Netherland.

Early today, Prime Minister Koizumi of Japan went to pay respect to the war-deads at Yasukuni Shrine, the first time ever in 21 years on the anniversary, August 15th. The Chinese, Korean because of past historical tangles with Japan, and some aboriginals from Taiwan led by a woman legistrator, a pro KMT who was fathered by a Chinese veteran, protested and criticized Koizumi’s action. But he said that he just went there to pay respect to those who died for their contry.

Taiwan, Korea and Manchiuria (in the North East China) were all colonies of the former Japanese Empire. After the war, the Koreans achieved their independence. Manchiuria under the former and the last Emporor of Ch’ing China just vanished. Taiwan was forcefully occupied by a neighbor that caused a limbo, with her future unsettle. Worse, the new neighbor, who replaced the one who came to Taiwan in 1946, humiliates Taiwan by all means, even line-up over 800 misstles aiming at all parts of the island nation Taiwan.

The government of Taiwan (Republic of China) announced at local time 11:30 pm, Saturday, August 5th that it regrets having to sever ties with Chad and called off Premier Su Tseng-chang’s planned visit to Chad as special envoy of President Chen Shui-bien to Chadian President Idriss Devy’s second inauguration on August 8th. The Premier was to begin his journey on the 7th, but as it was reported that the Chadian government, while discussing with China on switching its diplomatic ties to Beijing, wanted to hold-off the news until after Premier Su was well enroute on the air. China wants very much to humiliate Taiwan (Roc) by all means. This is the secind time Premier Su’s planned oversea visit was blocked . He was to attend the inauguration of the new Haitian President in May, but due to Chinese pressure that keeps an UN peace force there, the Haitian government sent invitaion but politely requested President Chen not to send any envoy. Premier Su is one of the hopefuls in the 2008 presidential election of Taiwan.

Now after severing ties with Chad, there remained only 24 nations, small and poor. After driven out of her seat in the UN, the Republic of China (on Taiwan) spent great resources to keep diplomatic ties with those countries , and tried in vain to appeal through these small nations for restoration of the UN membership. For a long time The government of ROC held up its Anti-Communist stance and vowed never to stand together with the Communist China (PROC). Sadly after the ROC’s KMT lost its grip on Taiwan in 2000 and 2004 elections, the leadership of the Chinese Nationalist Party, i.e., KMT now says that their “Ultimate Goal” is “Unification with China” and act in pair with the PROC to undermine Taiwan’s quest for her nationhood. Supported by Chines capitals, they misuse Taiwan’s free media to heep up attacks on the duely elected President and the government. They are using smear tactics to discredit the Prwesident.

The present government of Taiwan emulates the ROC government and tries hard to maintain relationship with those small and poor nations. China is adamant to dig away all that have relationship with ROC Taiwan by promising and heaping great amount of lures. Those nations are also clever in demading and threatening, using Holloween tactics. The latest incident with Chad is a very typical case. When learning to dance, an instructor would say “Cha–d, Cha–d, Chad-Chad-Chad, slo–w, slo–w, quick-quick-quick”. It has been painly slow for establishing rightful diplomatic ties for Taiwan with others, but severings comes ever sudden and quick. But the kind of diplomatic dances better be of the last tango. Recently President Chen was reported to be saying that Taiwan will seek UN entry with her rightful name “Taiwan” and not to use “ROC” as it were before . Many here hope that the report is true. To be accurate, the ties severed were with “the Republic of China” and not with “Taiwan”. Taiwan may not yet be enjoying her rightful sovereignty in the eyes of many. But, with patience and creativity, she will surely be standing under the Sun with her head lifted up high!

Today, August 8th, is celebrated as Father’s Day widely here in Taiwan. In the USA, it is the second Sunday of June for the fathers, like the second sunday for the mothers. The 8th month’s 8th day, å…«å…« in short, is pronounced Pa Pa (or otherwise Ba Ba), hard p sound, it rhymes with 爸爸 Pa Pa, so it is made to be Fathers’ Day here. Papers are full of fathers’ stories. It happens that pronounciations in Taiwanese and Chinese are different with B and P. In Taiwanese, P has two sounds, one hard, and another soft. The Chinese has no Taiwanese B sound which is like Japanese ba, so, Ba Ba would sound like refering to an old woman, not father.

I was recalling my parents. Both of them passed away before their 40es almost 3 years apart. My mother, a very beautiful lady, clothed and fed us and she was a discipliner. She would chase after my sister and little brothers with a whip. But she stopped using a whip with me after I asked her to tell me what’s wrong instead of hitting when I was 8. My father was different. He let my mother with a whip but himself would preside only there were cases of graver matters bought to his attetion. With me, he would take ME around on a bicycles, talking and commenting. He would ask me to help him build chicken coops and keep records for each productive hen. Once in the building process, I wanted to smash a toad with a big stone because I was terrorized by it, Father sternly stopped me and told whats good about toads. There were many like teachings. He tought me how to hatch chicks with a hatching device and differentiate their sexes. My fondness of orchids is a rub-off from him. He was a talented person with many interests. He was a good humorous and eloquent preacher. He played cornet and oboe and started and led several church bands. There is one such bands which is still active in southern Taiwan (from which I received an very old oboe from my father’s time as a memento). He was a tennis player and a good swimmer. He saved a drowning classmate from seminary when they went picknicing by the sea and after they became like-brothers. I still remember how he taught me to float and breath and frog. There were so much to learn yet but he passed away when I was 14. My mother died 3 years later. As the eldest, I was forced to be brave and take responsibility for my family with youger siblings, emulating my father wanted not to fail him. I am 77 now, but I still miss my father very much, especially around this time here.

Wang Chien-ming 王建民, a Taiwanese pitcher helped the New York Yankees rout the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 6-0 with a complete game two hit shutout on Friday last week, July 28th in New York and his popularity is soaring not only among US fans, he cheers and moves Taiwanese all over the world. He is one of the few Taiwanese players who made scenes on baseball fields in the US and is one who is most promising to become great there in the future. Most of the players who made good before were mostly in Japan.

Different ball games got introduced to Taiwan since arround mid-19 centuries. Tennis, volleyball and rugby were the earliest brought by British missionaries to schools they started. With colonization by Japan in 1895 and after came baseball playing like schools in Japan proper. There were some basketballs played also after it’s invention. But with the coming of Chinese government after the WW II in 1945, basketballs became the most popular games everywhere as if it were the “Chinese” sport. Modern schools in China were but mostly started by American missionaries and basketballs were the favorite game. (Succer is picking up but American football is not played here almost.)
But baseball playing did not disappear in Taiwan, and when an unknown team from a little aboriginal village that beaten a Japanese team to represent Far East and won Little League Championship in the World Game decades ago, it cought the eyes of goverment officials. With official encouragement and support, Taiwan won many championships in world baseball games since. But Taiwan, a nation without membership in the UN, is often mistreated. Last week, the team that represent Taiwan played against Japanese team in Hongkong for the Far East Championship, the game was holted because of rain, but without resuming to complete the game, the officials ruled for Japan to represent in this year’s World Game. It was most pity to see the wronged grim little faces at the airport as they returned home. The country that made it purpose to block Taiwan’s UN entry is China. Their hands are everywhere to undermine Taiwan gain her rightful place under the sun.

Today is the Seventh of the Lunar Seventh Month,七夕, and it is a “Valentine’s Day” of sort here in Taiwan and many other Asian countries. The folklore has it that a young “Cow Boy” 牛郎 and a “Maiden Weaver” 織女 were in deep affection with each other but somehow invited ire of the master, who, howeever was allowing them to meet once a week. Unfortunately it was wrongly conveyed to the lovers by a hapless magpie that they were allowed a tryst only on 七夕，the Seventh Eve of the Seventh month, once a year!
On summer evenings, there are three stars of Summer Triangle in the northern celestial hemisphere brightly attract our eyes. Two of the three are in Constellation Lyra, namely, Vega 織女星 and Altaire 牛郎星，16 light years apart from the other, are the main characteres of the joyous yet poignant story, celebrated each year by those who in love, vowing constancy to each other. In Japan, the 七夕 Tanabata is celebrated also on the Seventh Eve of the Seventh Month, but it is on solar July 7th after the country westernized. By the way, the Maiden Weaver Vega which shines with the bluish-white colour of a diamond, will be our Pole Star again in 120,000 years, due to tilted axis and rotation of our planet, as it was some 200,000 years ago.

Today, July 25th, according to Lunar calendar here, is the first day of the seventh month and it is the begining of the second half of the year. The majority of the people in Taiwan follow folk religion, and they believe that the Gate of Hell and the Underworlds were opened at zero hour of this day to let the denizens out to roam and wander at their wills for a month. It happenens that in 38 years the lunar July this year is a leap-momth, and so, it means that the denizens will have two month-long summer vacation! There is a shrine in Keelung, on the north of Taiwan, which is built in front of a sepulchre full of nameless dry bones, actually symbolically opens and closes a gate so named at the specific times every year. On the 15th, the day of full moon, households of the followers all over will prepare great feasts set at the front doors by the road to feed and entertain those wandering ghosts. After the feast, the ghosts will commance their return trip, or suppose to. This feast of feeding the hungry ghosts coincides with the Buddhists Urabon (the Feast of Lanterns in Japan) which aims at bring relief to one’s dead. Folk religionists here belive that the dead need to be fed regularly and especially on memorial days of deceasing.

Taiwan was a wild island and saw peoples come and go. Those men who came from the opposite shores in China in the 16th centry and on were the dispossessed people seeking for a new home. Different world powers also came to make use of this island for their own benefit. Struggles occured and many people died in the process of colonization. Their remains left unattended which is deeply in conflict with the religious belief of respect and hornor the dead. So, it is most fitting to remember those nameless ghosts and treat them well at least once a year. More than for the reason of afraiding their trick plays, as some one says, for remembering their contribution to the opening of the country. When Chinese gained controll of Taiwan after the WW II, soon they practiced “Clean Field”. The 228 Incident (Feb. 28th, 1946) and the aftermath in which people of Taiwan rose in protest of a corrupt Chinese governer were met with ruthless arrests and killing by the forces sent over from the Central Government in China. The victims were reported to be over a quarter million. The population of Taiwan at the time was just over 6 million. Many just lost and went uncounted even today. Thus, feeding of wandering ghosts has a very poignant meaning in this society.

It has been an irritable thing for many Taiwanese to receive a mail with an offensive and erronous notation “Province of China” after Taiwan. Instead of addressing Taiwan sinply and directly, it appeares as “Taiwan, Provice of China”. Hopefully this kind of practice will change and cease in the future. On May 9th this year of 2006, the US Postal Service sent an official letter to the Formosan Association for Pablic Affairs(FAPA), saying that the USPS will take FAPA’s advice and drop the erronous notation on Taiwan from all USPS nets and publications listing the nations of the world, and applogized for the previous mistake. It was pointed out to the USPS, that, in 1996, when the Taiwan Relation Acts were enacted, the US State Department will , there after, call Taiwan simply and directly as Taiwan, for the reason that the USA and the “Republic of China” have no diplomatic relations. As an enterprise established by the Congress, the USPS should heed and follow the governmental rulling to call Taiwan directly by her proper name and do not add any thing else! Similarly, in July last year, FAPA did successfully make the AMTRAK to drop the erronous notation when naming Taiwan. YEY! CALL US BY OUR NAME, BY ALL MEANS!