Su Beng
Encyclopedia
Su Beng, also known as Shih Ming ' onMouseout='HidePop("16695")' href="/topics/Hoklo">Hoklo
Taiwanese: Sú-bêng), whose given name is Shih Chao-hui , is a Taiwanese
dissident and political activist.
district of Taipei
, Taiwan
. After graduating from Waseda University
in Tokyo
, Japan
with a degree in political science and economics in 1942, he left for China
where he worked undercover with the Chinese Communists (1942–1949). For years, he averted the Chinese Communists’ bids for him to join the party. Finally he escaped from Qingdao
, China to Taiwan, just as the Chinese Nationalist Kuomintang
soldiers were retreating to Taiwan.
Having returned to Taiwan for about a year, he established the Taiwan Independence Armed Corps in 1950 which plotted for the assassination of Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek. When the Taiwan Independence Armed Corps’ stash of weapons were discovered hidden on land owned by Su Beng’s grandmother in 1951, Su Beng was forced to go into hiding.
After several months on the run, he finally fled to Japan in May 1952 by stowing away in boat exporting bananas. He served four months of detention for attempting to illegally enter the country, but when the Kuomintang
reported him missing and wanted for his involvement in the plot to assassinate Chiang Kai Shek, the Japanese government granted him political asylum. Later on in 1954, Su Beng opened up a noodle shop restaurant named 新珍味 (Hoklo (Taiwanese): sin-tin-bi, Mandarin: xīn zhēn wei), which translates as New Gourmet, in Ikebukuro
, Japan. Su Beng used the restaurant/residence as a base to continue his work with the underground Taiwan Independence movement. It was also here that he trained burgeoning Taiwan Independence
activists and began writing Taiwan’s 400 Year History. The Japanese version of Taiwan’s 400 Year History was first published in 1962, the Chinese language version was published in 1980 and an abridged English version was published in 1986.
In 1993 Su Beng returned to reside in Taipei, Taiwan. The following year, April 1994, he began the Taiwan Independence Action motorcade, which he conceived as a way to raise the Taiwanese people’s consciousness. The motorcade makes its rounds from Taipei county to Taipei city, every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, delivering messages calling for Taiwan’s independence and the normalization of Taiwan as a country.
Labeled a radical, violent militant, and communist, he has been dubbed the “Che Guevara
of Taiwan”; there have been several tall tales about Su Beng’s controversial life decisions, one of which includes electing to have a vasectomy
when he was in his twenties while working undercover for the Communists in China.
in 1962. In choosing his pen name, he wanted to express his motivation for writing Taiwan’s 400 Year History. Su Beng believes that once the Taiwanese people understand their unique history, they will be able to know who they are, what they want for themselves and their nation. The two characters which make up his name are 史 (Hoklo: sú, Mandarin: shĭ)- history and 明 (Hoklo: bêng, Mandarin: míng)-clear. Taken together, these two characters mean, “history clearly”, “to know history clearly.”
Hoklo
Hoklo can mean the following:* The Hoklo people, a geographically widespread cultural-linguistic group originating in southeast China , also called Hokkien.* Min Nan, the Chinese language group spoken by the Hoklo....
Taiwanese: Sú-bêng), whose given name is Shih Chao-hui , is a Taiwanese
Taiwanese people
Taiwanese people may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or Taiwan Area which have been governed by the Republic of China since 1945...
dissident and political activist.
Overview
Su Beng was born November 9, 1918 in the ShilinShilin
Shilin District is a district of Taipei. The name "Shilin" was derived from Pattsiran, the Ketagalan word for "hot springs". It was then transliterated into Chinese as "八芝蘭" Bāzhīlán, and finally re-analyzed as "scholars as many as the trees in the woods" .-History:Shilin is foremost a residential...
district of Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. After graduating from Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with a degree in political science and economics in 1942, he left for China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
where he worked undercover with the Chinese Communists (1942–1949). For years, he averted the Chinese Communists’ bids for him to join the party. Finally he escaped from Qingdao
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
, China to Taiwan, just as the Chinese Nationalist Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
soldiers were retreating to Taiwan.
Having returned to Taiwan for about a year, he established the Taiwan Independence Armed Corps in 1950 which plotted for the assassination of Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek. When the Taiwan Independence Armed Corps’ stash of weapons were discovered hidden on land owned by Su Beng’s grandmother in 1951, Su Beng was forced to go into hiding.
After several months on the run, he finally fled to Japan in May 1952 by stowing away in boat exporting bananas. He served four months of detention for attempting to illegally enter the country, but when the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
reported him missing and wanted for his involvement in the plot to assassinate Chiang Kai Shek, the Japanese government granted him political asylum. Later on in 1954, Su Beng opened up a noodle shop restaurant named 新珍味 (Hoklo (Taiwanese): sin-tin-bi, Mandarin: xīn zhēn wei), which translates as New Gourmet, in Ikebukuro
Ikebukuro
is a commercial and entertainment district in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. Toshima ward offices, Ikebukuro station, and several shops, restaurants, and enormous department stores are located within city limits....
, Japan. Su Beng used the restaurant/residence as a base to continue his work with the underground Taiwan Independence movement. It was also here that he trained burgeoning Taiwan Independence
Taiwan independence
Taiwan independence is a political movement whose goals are primarily to formally establish the Republic of Taiwan by renaming or replacing the Republic of China , form a Taiwanese national identity, reject unification and One country, two systems with the People's Republic of China and a Chinese...
activists and began writing Taiwan’s 400 Year History. The Japanese version of Taiwan’s 400 Year History was first published in 1962, the Chinese language version was published in 1980 and an abridged English version was published in 1986.
In 1993 Su Beng returned to reside in Taipei, Taiwan. The following year, April 1994, he began the Taiwan Independence Action motorcade, which he conceived as a way to raise the Taiwanese people’s consciousness. The motorcade makes its rounds from Taipei county to Taipei city, every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, delivering messages calling for Taiwan’s independence and the normalization of Taiwan as a country.
Labeled a radical, violent militant, and communist, he has been dubbed the “Che Guevara
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
of Taiwan”; there have been several tall tales about Su Beng’s controversial life decisions, one of which includes electing to have a vasectomy
Vasectomy
Vasectomy is a surgical procedure for male sterilization and/or permanent birth control. During the procedure, the vasa deferentia of a man are severed, and then tied/sealed in a manner such to prevent sperm from entering into the seminal stream...
when he was in his twenties while working undercover for the Communists in China.
Pen name
He first used Su Beng as his pen name for Taiwan’s 400 Year HistoryModern History of Taiwanese in 400 Years
Modern History of Taiwanese in 400 Years , is a history book about Taiwan, written by Shi-Min, also known as Su Beng. . The original title literally means: History to be clarified of Taiwan Independence Movement....
in 1962. In choosing his pen name, he wanted to express his motivation for writing Taiwan’s 400 Year History. Su Beng believes that once the Taiwanese people understand their unique history, they will be able to know who they are, what they want for themselves and their nation. The two characters which make up his name are 史 (Hoklo: sú, Mandarin: shĭ)- history and 明 (Hoklo: bêng, Mandarin: míng)-clear. Taken together, these two characters mean, “history clearly”, “to know history clearly.”