New comic book documents Taiwan’s past

2015-01-20

A comic book detailing the history of Taiwan was recently unveiled in Taipei City, offering young readers an opportunity to learn more about the country and its storied past.

“The Island Against the Wind” includes tales of civilization, colonialism, piracy, settlement and society over the past 400 years. It is a compilation of related works penned by Lin Wen-yi and published by Historical Monthly from 2004 to 2005.

Winner of the Wu San-lien Literature Award for best essayist in 2014, Lin is a renowned Taiwan editor, journalist, novelist, poet and radio and TV talk show host.

At the book’s Jan. 16 launch, Lin said he believes it will appeal to the younger generation and spur interest in learning more about Taiwan. “The youth tend not to read as much as before and I hope to reverse this trend.”

According to Lin, his comics date from a time when Taiwan was experiencing its most dramatic and dynamic era. “The Democratic Progressive Party won the presidential election in 2000 and began ruling for the first time in the history of the nation,” he said.

For Lin, the title of the book epitomizes the trials and tribulations the island has faced over the years.

“In history, no matter if it was foreign aggressors or oppressors, our people fought against all odds to survive,” he said. “These comics are a reminder of the need to re-examine the past for clues to sort out our political differences of today.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=226485&CtNode=413)