Taiwan Rewrites History Books
Lawrence Chung, The Straits Times (Singapore), 11 Nov. 2004
Taiwan is turning its back on its founding father Sun Yat-sen by relegating him to be part of ancient Chinese history instead of Taiwan's.
Beginning next year, high school students will have separate books for ancient China's history and the island's history.
And Dr Sun, leader of the 1911 revolution that overthrew the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and led to the founding of the Republic of China (ROC), is not found in Taiwan's history. Currently, schools use only one textbook for the 'national history of ROC'.
Taiwan, formally known as the ROC, split from the mainland in 1949 when nationalist troops lost a civil war to the communists and fled to the island.
Education Minister Tu Cheng-sheng on Tuesday said his staff had made a mistake in placing Dr Sun and the 1911 revolution in 'ancient' history, but he insisted that the late revolutionary and his exploits were part of mainland Chinese history as opposed to Taiwan's.
'The revolution and the establishment of the Republic took place in China,' he said.
Over the weekend, President Chen Shui-bian also took pains to separate the history of the island from that of China's.
'Some people fail to recognise that our national history is not Chinese history, and our national geography is not Chinese geography. They think our national geography should include China and Mongolian Republic, but China is just another country, so is Mongolia. They are not Taiwan,' he said.
The revised curriculum covers the primitive and aboriginal period, Japan's colonial rule between 1895 and 1945 and the authoritarian rule of the Kuomintang (KMT) government in Taiwan.
There is no mention of Taiwan under the rule of the Qing Dynasty from 1683 to 1895. The new textbook also left open the question of whether Japan was ordered to return the island to China after World War II by listing contradictory documents.
Analysts say it is part of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government's so-called de-sinicisation efforts to cut off Taiwan's historic links with China and to emphasise Taiwan's status as a sovereign and independent entity.
The ministry's move immediately drew fire from the opposition and historians.
'This is a serious distortion of history. What the Chen government does will only spark cross-strait war as the mainland will not sit by to let Chen Shui-bian push through his independence programme,' said Kuomintang (KMT) chairman Lien Chan.
KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung said: 'They are undertaking the path of Taiwan independence through education.'
But the Education Minister, a historian himself, dismissed the criticism, saying the revisions were based on facts, not political ideology.
Analysts say the curriculum change was not unexpected, given the string of actions taken by the DPP government to foster a Taiwan identity.
Beijing has warned that the 'creeping independence' moves would lead to a cross-strait war and the final destruction of Taiwan.
'President Chen has already proclaimed in his National Day address that Taiwan is Republic of China and Republic of China is Taiwan,' said political analyst Chiang Min-ching.
'The next step is saying Taiwan is not equal to the Republic of China...The final step would be declaring the Taiwan state.'
Taiwan is turning its back on its founding father Sun Yat-sen by relegating him to be part of ancient Chinese history instead of Taiwan's.
Beginning next year, high school students will have separate books for ancient China's history and the island's history.
And Dr Sun, leader of the 1911 revolution that overthrew the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and led to the founding of the Republic of China (ROC), is not found in Taiwan's history. Currently, schools use only one textbook for the 'national history of ROC'.
Taiwan, formally known as the ROC, split from the mainland in 1949 when nationalist troops lost a civil war to the communists and fled to the island.
Education Minister Tu Cheng-sheng on Tuesday said his staff had made a mistake in placing Dr Sun and the 1911 revolution in 'ancient' history, but he insisted that the late revolutionary and his exploits were part of mainland Chinese history as opposed to Taiwan's.
'The revolution and the establishment of the Republic took place in China,' he said.
Over the weekend, President Chen Shui-bian also took pains to separate the history of the island from that of China's.
'Some people fail to recognise that our national history is not Chinese history, and our national geography is not Chinese geography. They think our national geography should include China and Mongolian Republic, but China is just another country, so is Mongolia. They are not Taiwan,' he said.
The revised curriculum covers the primitive and aboriginal period, Japan's colonial rule between 1895 and 1945 and the authoritarian rule of the Kuomintang (KMT) government in Taiwan.
There is no mention of Taiwan under the rule of the Qing Dynasty from 1683 to 1895. The new textbook also left open the question of whether Japan was ordered to return the island to China after World War II by listing contradictory documents.
Analysts say it is part of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government's so-called de-sinicisation efforts to cut off Taiwan's historic links with China and to emphasise Taiwan's status as a sovereign and independent entity.
The ministry's move immediately drew fire from the opposition and historians.
'This is a serious distortion of history. What the Chen government does will only spark cross-strait war as the mainland will not sit by to let Chen Shui-bian push through his independence programme,' said Kuomintang (KMT) chairman Lien Chan.
KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung said: 'They are undertaking the path of Taiwan independence through education.'
But the Education Minister, a historian himself, dismissed the criticism, saying the revisions were based on facts, not political ideology.
Analysts say the curriculum change was not unexpected, given the string of actions taken by the DPP government to foster a Taiwan identity.
Beijing has warned that the 'creeping independence' moves would lead to a cross-strait war and the final destruction of Taiwan.
'President Chen has already proclaimed in his National Day address that Taiwan is Republic of China and Republic of China is Taiwan,' said political analyst Chiang Min-ching.
'The next step is saying Taiwan is not equal to the Republic of China...The final step would be declaring the Taiwan state.'