A five-volume compilation of Taiwan New People’s News was released Jan. 18 by National Museum of Taiwan History in Tainan City, offering a snapshot of everyday life and current affairs during the Japanese colonial period (1895-1945).
Containing daily editions published between 1932 and 1933, as well as 1939 and 1940, the compilation is the first hard copy of the newspaper already available to the public in digital form at National Museum of Taiwan Literature in Tainan City and a newspaper archive in Taichung City. The latter was founded by the late Yang Chao-chia, a senior official in the Taiwan Provincial Government and ROC presidential adviser.
NMTH Director Lu Li-cheng said as the newspaper was the only form of media representing the true voice of the Taiwan people during Japan’s 50-year rule, the compilation sheds light upon momentous events during this turbulent time and tracks the rise of social movements on the island.
Echoing Lu’s remarks, NMTL Director Chen Yi-yuan said the compilation also reflects the growing popularity of the local media industry. “The change in publication frequency from monthly to biweekly, every 10 days, weekly and daily illustrates the public’s thirst for the latest information.”
Founded in Tokyo 94 years ago, the newspaper was first named The Formosa Youth with its text in Chinese and Japanese. It was retitled as Taiwan People’s News the next year and only the Chinese version was sold in Japan.
According to Lu, the popularity of the newspaper saw it published locally in 1927, with the name changed to Taiwan New People’s News three years later by Lin Hsien-tang, the new owner and a pre-eminent member of the nonviolent opposition to the Japanese rule.
“Although the newspaper was closed by the Japanese government before the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War [1937-1945], the compilation stands as a salient reminder of the contributions of those who came before in setting Taiwan on the path toward democracy,” Lu said.
