Born, raised, and educated in Taiwan. I write about current Taiwan issues and events as well as the Taiwanese blogosphere.
Latest posts by I-fan Lin
Voices from the Victims of Naphtha Cracker Pollution in Taiwan
A recent study found that residents in the area of a petrochemical processing plant have increased exposure to several toxic air pollutants, including carcinogens.
10 Young Artists from Hong Kong
Tian-Shuai Yang introduced 10 young artists [zh] from Hong Kong in the House News. The writer explained that Hong Kong's artworks are of great potential because for foreign collectors, the water-color and colonial imageries is exotic while for the local collectors, they like the colloquial elements such as the street...
Taiwan: Protest Against Legislation on Marriage Equality
The Legislative Yuan in Taiwan passed the first reading of the “marriage equality“ bill [zh] on Oct 25, 2013. On Nov 30, more than 300000 people protested against this bill, in particular against the proposal on same-sex marriage. J. Michael Cole, a Taipei-based freelance journalist, described what he observed in...
Taiwan: Virgin Mary With an Aboriginal Face Tattoo
It is not difficult to find a tattoo figure of Blessed Virgin Mary, but a statue of Blessed Virgin Mary with facial tattoo is rarely seen.
Taiwan: National Day in Protest Mood
There were three protests on the National Day against the 4th nuclear power plant, the unfair referendum law, and the untransparent process of the service trade agreement with China.
PHOTO: Thousands Occupy Taiwan's Ministry of Interior and Paint Their Protest
More than twenty thousand people occupied the entrance of the president office on August 18, 2013 against the Land Expropriation Act and forced expropriation. Later at night, five thousand protesters entered the Ministry of the Interior and started their sit-in protest [zh]. They painted inside the building on the struggle between...
Taiwan: Online Dictionary for Aboriginal Peoples
The first online dictionary of the native language used by the aboriginal peoples [zh] in Taiwan had its debut on August 5, 2013. The first stage of this online dictionary includes the native language of the the Bunun people, the Tao people, the Truku people, the Saisiyat people, the Thao...
Referendum on Taiwan's Fourth Nuclear Plant Suspended
The suspension is a temporary victory for Taiwan's anti-nuclear activists, who oppose the fourth nuclear power plant.
Nuclear Opponents in Taiwan Work to Change ‘Unfair’ Referendum Law
Taiwan's referendum rules, which require 50 percent of voters to participate, favors the minority groups who boycott the vote.
Taiwan: Flash Protests Against Land Expropriation
The dispute over land expropriation in Miaoli County has lit a fire for a series of flash protests targeting the President and the Premier for their indifference to citizens’ suffering. Several policemen from a “special district branch” were reported to check protesters’ I.D. and take away those who refused to...
Taiwanese Professor Arrested in Protest Against Forced Demolitions
Taiwanese professor Hsu Shih-Jung was yelling "Today you demolished Taipu, tomorrow we demolished the government" when he was dragged away by police.
Fishermen Organize First Migrant Workers’ Union in Taiwan
The first migrant workers' union was formed on May 25, 2013 in Taiwan to improve foreign fishermen's working conditions.
East Asia's Appetite for Eels Pushing Species to the Brink
During Japan's sweltering midsummer it's traditional to eat a plate of golden-brown broiled unagi kabayaki, or broiled eel. But the tradition is now at risk. Skyrocketing demand for glass eels, once considered a high-brow delicacy, is pushing Japanese fishermen to exhaust the population and causing prices to soar.
Taiwan Denies Entry to Anti-Nuke Visitor Ahead of Protest
A German man who marched in an anti-nuclear protest two years ago in Taiwan was detained at Taiwan's international airport and denied entry [zh] into the country on March 8, 2013, a day before protesters planned to hold a large-scale anti-nuclear demonstration there.
Taiwanese Writer Finds Poetry in Laid-off Workers’ Railway Protest
Laid-off factory workers facing a lawsuit from the Taiwanese government over unpaid debt protested February 5 by lying across the tracks at a Taipei train station, bring traffic to standstill. The demonstration inspired a Taiwanese writer-animator to create an illustration and a poem dedicated to the group.
Taiwan's Nuclear-free New Year's Wish
The new year celebration was very special this year as popular singers, environmental and youth activists worked together to present a nuclear-free homeland as Taiwanese people's common wish for 2013.
Campaign Against Pro-China Media Monopoly in Taiwan Turns Global
The Taiwanese government's lack of response to the street protests against the monopoly of a pro-China media group in the country, has triggered a series of online protests across the world.
Laid-off Workers Turn from Victims to Debtors in Taiwan
Taiwan's Council of Labour Affairs (CLA), a government body in charge of protecting labour rights, wants to sue workers who were laid-off by private factories sixteen years ago. The council seeks money from the Legislative Yuan to bring legal action against more than 2,000 workers, who they say never returned the 'loan' the government offered as compensation for being laid off.
Taiwan: Indigenous Amis Musical Performed at National Theater
Indigenous culture has become more and more important in the Taiwanese performing arts scene. The recent Amis musical, “La Michael”, has entered the National Theater, a primary national performing arts venue in Taiwan and a landmark at the center of the Taipei city.
Taiwan: Corporate Lawsuit Threatens Academic Freedom
Dr. Ben-Jei Tsuang, an environmental engineer and professor, is the latest victim of a defamation lawsuit brought on by a big corporation, the Formosa Plastic Group, for his research. Dr. Tsuang's defense believes the lawsuit is 'intended to censor, intimidate, and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defense." Many legal experts suggest that Taiwan's current criminal defamation law is in violation of international covenants.
Taiwan: Threat of Media Monopoly and Power Abuse
Taiwanese civil society is worried that the acquisition of cable TV services by Want Want China Times would result in political censorship, in particular on mainland China news. A recent staged scandal against a scholar leading the campaign against the acquisition has shown the public the devastating effect of media monopoly and abusive use of media power.
