Download: Formosa Betrayed by George Kerr

Formosa Betrayed by George Kerr

This book was very popular among the expat community when I first arrived in Taiwan and forms the beginning of the blueprint for any argument by the expat community defending the sovereign rights and nation status of Taiwan. Someone lent it to me once but I never got the chance to read it and had to return the book. I haven't seen it around in any bookstores of late and was thinking about it the other day. I looked it up on Google and to my surprise and delight there is a complete copy that can be downloaded from the University of Saskatchewan Taiwan Library Online page. I suggest you download it ASAP as one never knows how long these things stay online. Its good to see books like this available to the general public in such an easy way. Fourteen reviews on Amazon give the book a five star rating so I am sure it is a good read and certainly a good place to start the discussion of the early years in Taiwan after the KMT took over. Much of what happened then has a direct impact on current day politics and current day conflicts and disputes accross the Taiwan Strait. Should be a good read.

Download from the Formosa Betrayed page (pdf link)

If you REALLY INSIST on buying it, you can buy it from Amazon @ Formosa Betrayed

Interview: Jay Taylor - The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-Shek

The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the Struggle for Modern China by Jay Taylor

I have heard a lot of good things about this book. Arthur Waldron when reviewing The Generalissimo wrote: "Now at last we have a good biography of Chiang Kai-shek, one of the most important figures in modern China, but also one of the least understood and most regularly caricatured." Waldron continues saying "Taylor’s book is a magnificent achievement" and "very good reading." I have this book on my bookshelf. I bought it over the summer. I have paged through it a bit and seem to prefer it to Jonathan Fenby's earlier account Chiang Kai Shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost. No doubt Chiang Kai-shek is a significant historical 20th century figure. I am looking forward to reading Taylor's account. In the meantime, I found an interview with Jay Taylor, the author of The Generalissimo. You can watch the interview below and it is posted on YouTube.

Buy from Amazon @ The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the Struggle for Modern China (Belknap Press)

Sino-Japanese War - Paine

The Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895: Perceptions, Power, and Primacy by S.C.M. Paine - 5/5

Paine's history of the Sino-Japanese war is a well argued, clearly written account of what she terms "a seminal event in world history." Paine is able to put this event into the context of its time and shows the clear impact this conflict had on subsequent events and perceptions in the world. Her detailed descriptions of the events are largely derived from daily newspapers that were reporting on events as they unfolded. The book is heavily footnoted showing Paine's commendable effort in developing an objective and accurate narrative.

The book is separated into three clear sections. The first section covers the pre-war period and looks at events China, Korea, Japan and Russia that led to the conflict. Paine draws a distinction between the former two and the latter two arguing that while Japan and Russia were modernizers, China and Korea were corrupt, ineffectively run states that were generally antagonistic towards foreign influence and modernization in general. Paine shows clearly that Manchu's at the time feared the rise in strength of any Han dominated military force as they feared the Han Chinese would want to overthrow them and therefore never developed a strong national defensive structure. This, along with the general level of corruption and disorganization contributed to Chinese weakness in the face of a modern Japanese military. Paine also spends time describing the politics and the intrigues of in Korea and the difficulties the Japanese had in encouraging Korea to modernize against the wishes of China, their "protector".

Paine also explores the modernization in Japan (Meiji Restoration) at the time and also looks at Russia and the collective expansionist goals both countries had. Paine argues that the Sino-Japanese war was instigated by the Japanese to prevent growing Russian influence in East Asia. The announcement of the development of the trans-Siberian railway line was in fact the catalyst for the war. Paine shows without doubt the Japanese were the aggressors and argues successfully that they were increasingly interested in empire building too.

The second section goes into some detail on the four major battles (and some minor ones) of the Sino-Japanese war: The Battle for Pyonyang, the Battle of Yalu River, the Battle of Port Arthur and the Battle of Weihaiwei. Paine looks at the reasons for the rapid Japanese success and argues the best strategy for the Chinese to have employed was to attack the Japanese troop carriers at seas. Manchu military orders also prevented the Chinese from destroying military supplies and thereby, when they retreated, left supplies for the Japanese to consume. Paine argues the Japanese logistic lines were severely stretched and if the Chinese had not been so generous the Japanese would have had more difficulties in resupplying their front line forces. Throughout the progress of the battles Paine is careful to follow the diplomatic discourse in each country and also notes the rising strength of the Japanese military over their diplomatic corp. Paine is also quick to show how Japan wanted to show their best to the foreign powers and were quick to assimilate criticisms of their behavior.

The final section focuses on the consequences of the war (both long term and short term). Of course the Treaty of Shimoneski and the triple intervention by France, Russia and Germany gets significant coverage, but Paine also makes a concerted effort to show the effect the war had on events in the 20th century. Paine's main contention is that the war altered the balance of power in the east and the perception of both foreigners, China and Japan. For example Paine argues that Japan did not win her wars against Japan and Russia, rather, Paine argues, Japan and Russia lost their respective wars. Paine argues this created the wrong perceptions in Japan and gave them self-belief to attack America in 1941. Paine also notes that this war was the beginning of Korea's "20th century nightmare" and marks the rise of Japan as the first successful developing nation.

Paine makes a concerted (and much appreciated) effort to understanding the cultural underpinnings of the main protagonists. She dedicates a whole chapter at the end to the underlying culture of both the Chinese and the Japanese and contrasts this with Western culture to try to help readers understand why foreigners at the time simply did not grasp the cultural undercurrents that were being played out. Not only that, she explores the distinctions between Japanese and Chinese culture, which although have some similarities, are worlds apart in other ways. Throughout the book Paine constantly refers to the shadow games of keeping and losing "face" and takes the time to explain why the foreigners did not fully perceive what was going on.

There is much too commend this book. The detail and depth of Paine's understanding is commendable as is her compassion for some of the main protagonists such as China's military leader in the war Li Hong Zhang (who is heavily criticized despite being the only one in China to understand the need of the Chinese to modernize). Paine's book is a good starting point for any study of 20th century East Asian history. The Sino-Japanese war led to the rise of Japan, the fall of Manchu dynasty, conflict between Russia and Japan, the eventual second Sino-Japanese war and the split of Korea and the Taiwan question. The massacre of Port Arthur was also a tragic harbinger of what was to come four decades later in Nanking. As someone who has lived in Taiwan and East Asia for more than a decade, I really enjoyed and appreciated this book as it sheds light on many of today's pressing questions.

On a Chinese Screen - Maugham

On a Chinese Screen by Somerset Maugham - 5/5

In "On a Chinese Screen" Maugham has written 58 beautiful yet astute caricatures of people he met and places he visited during his journey up the Yangtze River in 1919/20. Each small tale is a perceptive observation about a time of day, a person's character, a place or an event. Maugham's writing is eloquent and beautiful. He doesn't waste words. "For", according to Maugham, "in writing the important thing is less richness of material than richness of personality." The richness and perceptiveness of Maugham shines in each story. Each sketch holds you to the end.

Maugham's most astute observations in "On a Chinese Screen" are reserved for the people he meets. For example, when talking about consular employees and their indifference to their surroundings he observes "it made little difference to them in what capital they found themselves, for they did precisely the same thing in Constantinople, Berne, Stockholm, and Peking." And after speaking to a Chinese official who was lamenting the loss of China and traditional values in the youth, and the disrepair of the temples, Maugham notes that he (Maugham) "knew all the time that he [the official] was a rascal." And of an Italian missionary who had been in China for 50 years he writes "the passion of his eyes bespoke the battles long fought out in the uttermost depths of his heart, and his soul cried out in them, vanquished and bleeding, yet triumphant, and he exulted in the unclosed wound which he offered in willing sacrifice to Almighty God." Brilliant!

Maugham writes compassionately about the plight of the locals. He describes the bearers' burdens and notes that admiration for their strength and perseverance is not allowed. He writes compassionately about the foreigners who find themselves out of place and struggling to adapt. He writes with tragic sadness about the tower from which mothers throw their unwanted babies. Yes, with sadness, deep sadness. Without doubt Maugham is an astute observer of the world, of the people around him, of circumstance, of his time.

I am glad this book is available again. I first saw it in a bookstore in Taipei in 1999. At that time I didn't have money on me to buy and thought I could buy it the next day. Alas when I went back it had already been sold. I looked for it on Amazon but no copies were available and from that day forward, every time I went into a bookstore I asked them if they had a copy. In 2002 I remember asking a store in Hong Kong if they had it in stock. The assistant laughed at me saying they last had it in stock more than five years ago. I eventually found it at another store in 2004 on a brief visit to Hong Kong. It was worth the wait and I have not been disappointed. Needless to say, it never gets lent out.

If you are a lover of literature and a lover of travel then this is a must read. Very seldom are such deep perceptions captured by travel writers and very seldom do travel writers write with such depth, clarity and beauty. It's a small book, can be read in a day and can be re-read countless times. One never gets bored of the prose, of the ideas, of the thoughts, of the descriptions. One of the stories, "The Old Timer," describes the colorful life and travails of a 76 year old English Captain who had been in China for most of his life. At the end of the story Maugham writes: "The dying of the day made him think, he (the Captain) knew not why, of his long past and of his great age. He regretted nothing. `By George,' he muttered, `I've had a fine life.'" I'm sure Maugham could have said the same.

Hudson Taylor - Steer

J. Hudson Taylor: A Man in Christ by Roger Steer - 5/5

Originally posted at Christian Monitor

Roger Steer has written a fitting and highly commendable tribute to J. Hudson Taylor who, as a missionary to China and founder of China Inland Missions, lived an extraordinary life in submission to God and in the service of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Roger Steer's comprehensive biography of Hudson Taylor's life and work, "Hudson Taylor: A Man in Christ" (HTAMIC), is a carefully crafted, compelling, well-told and well-written account of one of the nineteenth century's missionary legends. The story starts in a small room at the back of a pharmacy in the English town of Barnsley where a young pregnant woman is praying for a son who will serve as a missionary in China. It ends seventy years later in a small room in China, where a man, who became the spiritual father to over 50 million Chinese Christians, was called home to rest in heaven. The years between birth and death were filled with a magnificent, single-minded purpose, which was to bring knowledge of the Gospel to the thousands of Chinese who were dying daily a without knowledge of the sacrifice of Christ.

HTAMIC is a fitting and highly commendable biography that chronologically traces the defining moments of Taylor's life and his development as both a Christian and as a missionary. The decision to become a Christian and to serve as a missionary in China were two of the most important decisions Taylor ever made. Steer is quick to point out that although "both sides of the [Taylor's] family were Methodist" and although Taylor's father instructed him and his siblings to "Love your Bible," Taylor in his youth began to doubt God. Steer carefully describes the causes of these doubts and articulately records Taylor's final conversion to the faith. A short while after his conversion Taylor asked God for "something to do" and Steer records that Taylor wrote, "from that time the conviction has never left me that I was called to China."

Perhaps the most important decision Taylor ever made, and the one Steer notes "would assure his [Taylor's] name a place in history," was the formation of China Inland Missions (CIM). The organization was founded with the explicit purpose of evangelizing the interior of China and aimed to place missionaries in all of China's provinces. Many mission agencies that were operating in China at that time were restricting themselves to the treaty ports and very few had dared to venture into the interior. Yet Taylor was compelled by a single thought that defined his purpose: "Thirty-three thousand people will die in China today without hope - without God."

It was this thought that initially drove Taylor into the Chinese mission field and resulted in a stream of missionary journeys to the land and people he would grow to love. Steer's overview of Taylor's many trips are colorful depictions that encapsulate the full drama of what it meant to be a missionary in 19th century China. The difficulties with learning the language, the dangers of disease, the problems with communicating with supporters in London and the burden of not having a constant supply of funds. Added to these were the dangers of civil war and persecution. The life of a missionary in China (and especially within the interior) at this time was a perilous and difficult task. Yet through all this Taylor, throughout his life, remained committed to his mission.

To construct an accurate picture of both Taylor, and the times in which he lived Steer has made careful and effective use of both letters and diary entries written by Taylor and his contemporaries. While most of the entries that focus on Taylor's character are uplifting, not all of them are complementary. Steer avoids embellishments and he is careful to document times when Taylor faced both spiritual difficulties and hardship. At one point Steer writes, "sometimes he [Taylor] doubted whether someone [like Taylor himself] so dogged by failure could be a Christian at all." Throughout HTAMIC Steer admirably persists in constructing an honest, down to earth portrayal of Taylor the man. The result is a powerful human portrait of someone who was willing to give up all to follow God.

Taylor's success as a missionary and as founder of CIM was the result of his unfading commitment to prayer and his dedication to hard work. Taylor's son wrote, "Hudson Taylor prayed about things as if everything depended upon the praying, but then he worked as if everything depended upon the work." Taylor himself wrote:

Who spoke of rest? There is rest above.
No rest on earth for me. On, onto do
My Father's business. He, who sent me here,
Appointed me my time on earth to bide,
And set me all m work o do for Him,
He will supply me with sufficient grace -
Grace to be doing, to be suffering
Not to be resting. There is rest above.

Taylor's commitment to hard work was observed by Dr. De la Porte, a Christian doctor who worked in Shantou when Taylor was working in the area. Dr. De la Porte wrote:

I have seen him come home at the close of the day footsore and weary, his face covered with blisters from the heat of the sun. He would throw himself down to rest in a state of utter exhaustion, and then get up again in a few hours to face the toil and hardship of another day. It was clear to me that he enjoyed the highest respect from the Chinese, and was doing a great deal of good among them.

HTAMIC is an inspiring testimony to how God can use any person to accomplish his work on earth. Hudson Taylor was neither a physically big man nor a particularly healthy person. Even when hearing him speak people were not overly impressed. When an article in a Canadian newspaper wrote that Taylor was "rather disappointing" he responded with all humility saying, "I have often thought that God made me little in order that He might show what a great God He is."

The impact and influence of Taylor's life and work are still felt around the world today. Many of the missionary techniques he employed were revolutionary at the time and were adopted by missionaries in later years. The organization he founded, CIM, has blossomed into the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF), which today has missionaries scattered throughout Asia and aims to evangelize East Asian people wherever they may be. Yet for us, the most important lessons that can be derived from Taylor's life are best described by his great grandson, James Hudson Taylor III who writes in the epilogue to HTAMIC:

The lessons in discipleship highlighted in J Hudson Taylor: A Man in Christ are not limited to a man or the organization he founded. They are abiding principles that can be learned and lived by any Christian, whether student or home-maker, employer or employee. The key is to act on them.

Dr. De la Porte wrote that Taylor's "influence was like that of a fragrant flower, spreading the sweetness of true Christianity all about him." February 29, 2004 marked the 150th anniversary of Taylor's arrival in China. One hundred and fifty years later HTAMIC ensures that Taylor's influence will continue to be felt in our generation. As Christians, let us all, in the tradition of Hudson Taylor, submit ourselves to the Lord and dedicate ourselves to "spreading the sweetness of true Christianity" all about us.

Buy from Amazon @ J. Hudson Taylor: A Man In Christ (Missionary Life Stories)p>

Soul Mountain - Gao

Soul Mountain by Gao Xingjiang -5/5

"Soul Mountain" is a panoramic mosaic of a quickly vanishing China. A nostalgic search for an inferred Mountain leads the author into a search of reality, of who he is and what has shaped his country. It's a jagged tale of startling incoherence that binds one to it until the last page. Along the road "you", "I" and "she" meet interesting people and examine interesting themes, which consistently diverge from one another. It starts with "you" in a dirty bus stop and ends with "I" comprehending and understanding nothing. A truly fascinating tale of humanity and the forces that shape people and their times, a worthy winner of the Nobel and a wonderful read for the brave at heart.

The novel is a nostalgic monument to ancient themes in a modern time. He paints verbal pictures of ancient traditions and places that rest on the mind and leave a warm, comforting feeling within the depths of the reader. His portrayal of ancient and unforgotten traditions and practices that survived the cultural revolution resonate through the mind and leave a trace of envy and a sense of "I wish I could see it too" attitude. It's a novel in which the author tries not to forget his roots nor from where he came but also tries to grasp reality and the meaning of life, love and theology.

Gao takes on the task of examining reality leaving the reader unsure of what is and isn't real. The author asserts that "it is impossible to disentangle imagination from experience" and elsewhere asks "where is the boundary between memory and wishful thinking? How can the two be separated? Which of the two is more real and how can this be determined?" Even the main characters in the plot are not real but mere reflections of each other "you" is the reflection "I" created, and "she" was created by "you" and "he" is the back of "you".

Other expressions of reality are found throughout the narrative. The author talks about "reality existing through experience" and emphasizes "personal experience" but then infers that "reality cannot be verified and does not need to be." The author makes a startling conclusion that "reality is myself, and that reality is the perception of this instant and it can't be related to another person." In the end any reality that is portrayed is "distorted" since the author "had been unable to portray real life." The reader is never sure where they are or what is true or false yet certain that they are hearing something.

But the novel, as I assume the author did, loses love. "She" says "love is an illusion which people conjure up to delude themselves. You don't believe in the existence of something called love; it is either the man possessing the woman or the woman possessing the man."

A novel of such magnitude cannot leave out an examination of religion and God. "Soul Mountain" attempts to trace religion from the "a vestige of early human civilization; the worship of fire" through to the authors conclusion when "I" sees a "small green frog" and "knows this is God." But "I" honestly admits that he doesn't "know if God, and the Devil in fact exist but both were invoked by you who are the embodiment of both my good fortune and my misfortune." Gao admits later on (in reference to folk songs) that "what should be revered isn't revered and instead all sorts of things are worshipped."

In this examination of faith he confronts the reality that the Chinese "government doesn't allow of superstitious practices." In spite of these inhibitions he takes his reader into the realm of ancient religious traditions that are still invisible to the western eye.

This is a monumental search for the self, humanity, history, culture and identity. It is cast against the morass of the vast expanse of China. Eventually "the act of searching itself turns into a sort of goal, and the object of the search is irrelevant" and the "true traveler is without goal, it is the absence of goals which creates the ultimate traveler." Gao is the ultimate traveler but I am left to think that Gao's own search has led him to the vacuous belief that "life is joyous, death is joyous, it is nothing more than your memories." If this is what life is, then I too would "wail" with Gao and (in the words of the author) it would be the "wail of accumulated sadness being released."

Buy from Amazon @ Soul Mountain