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The Taiwan Shinminpo News Special – Reopening Ceremony of the Taichung Railway Line in 1938
The Taiwan Shinminpo News Special – Reopening Ceremony of the Taichung Railway Line in 1938

Publication date: 1 Dec 2023
Author: Lee Yi-ling, Kawashima Naoko |Staff member of the Archives of Institute of Taiwan History

The Taiwan Shinminpo was the only newspaper published by Taiwanese during the Japanese colonial era, representing the voices of the Taiwanese people in contrast to the official stance of the Taiwan Nichinichi Shinpo. Its reports covered a wide range of topics, making it a rich source for diverse research subjects.

On July 14-15, 1938, Taiwan Shinminpo published a special issue for two consecutive days titled "Celebrating the Restoration of the Taichung Line," totaling four full pages. This commemorated the reopening of the Taichung railway line, which had been severed since the 1935 Hsinchu-Taichung earthquake. This earthquake caused numerous casualties and severed north-south transportation, significantly affecting local society and economy. Through archived newspapers, diaries, photos, old documents, and maps, this article revisits the scene of the 1935 earthquake, reviewing Taiwan's most severe natural disaster in history and the subsequent reconstruction efforts.

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V. Conclusion

Lin Xian-tang was not just the leader in a prominent family. He was also an intellectual who accepted traditional Chinese education and a conductor to lead Taiwan Nationalist movement. When Lin was traveling around the world, he observed different places and gained a lot of experience. He was well represented among the group of Taiwanese who were desperate to learn from other countries in order to pursue modernity. After Lin went back, he wrote down his travel experience and titled his serial essays as The Voyage around the World, which were published in Taiwan People Newspaper and New Taiwan People Newspaper. In short, things that Lin Xian-tang experienced provide readers a chance to imagine what it would be like in western society. What Lin mentioned can also be a mirror for Taiwan’s society.

‹ IV. Lin’s Footsteps in France up

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