Creating a local hero from a missionary

In the latter half of the 19th century, thousands of young men came to Asia to seek their fortune, find adventure or to preach the word of God. Some of these intrepid figures ended up playing pivotal roles in the region's history. Among such figures as Richard Hart and Chinese Gordon is George Leslie Mackay who left his mark on Taiwan at his far-away outpost of Tamsui.

Taiwan, as it has sought to establish a stronger national identity over the last 10 years, has elevated Mackay to become a respected person of considerable importance to the nation. No doubt aiding his rise in status to historical icon is his missionary work for the Presbyterian Church, which has nurtured a number of leading Taiwanese political figures, not least former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝).

June 3 will mark the 100th anniversary of Mackay's death from throat cancer. Since May, various organizations have held activities to commemorate his life and work, ranging from academic seminars to church services. These events will culminate on June 2 in the opening of the an exhibition of Mackay's collection of Aboriginal artifacts from the Royal Ontario Museum at the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines (順益台灣原住民博物館). The artifacts are regarded as the finest such collection from pre-Japanese colonial period Taiwan.

Mackay's influence in northern Taiwan, while considerable during his lifetime, did not endure long after his death. The reason, according to Michael Stainton of York University, is that he was a distinctly odd fellow and had few of the dashing qualities that made his fellow Canadian, Norman Bethune, such a popular hero in China. Belonging to one of the most established missionary networks in Asia -- the Presbyterian Church -- Mackay was nonetheless not an establishment figure, and the church has avoided associating itself too closely with a man who had little patience for the church's attempts to control him.

Chen Chi-rong (陳志榮), chairman of the Department of Religion at Aletheia University (真理大學), said Mackay had a strong influence on his family's history, with many relatives of the Chen clan having played a part in the development of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. The land on which the university stands was originally bought by Mackay -- revealing his good eye for real estate, Chen commented -- and the original school house off the central courtyard is now a museum dedicated to Mackay.

Walking through the shaded courtyard, Chen spoke of Mackay as a kind of grandfather figure rather than a national icon. Mackay identified very closely with Taiwan, which led him, in contravention of the moral code of his time, to marry a "Chinese lady." On Dec. 17, 1877, Mackay wrote in a letter justifying his controversial marriage that, "as I from my heart believe that Chinese and Canadian's are exactly the same in the presence of our Lord I act accordingly." Such principled thinking has helped make Mackay a foreigner who can be safely venerated in Taiwan without evoking controversial memories of colonialism.

"He was very committed to this land, in a way that was different from that of other missionaries," said Chen.

Pastor Lin Chang-hua (林昌華), who is currently working on a bilingual edition of Mackay's diaries, agreed it was Mackay's degree of assimilation -- often to the outrage of his superiors -- which led to the missionary being embraced by the contemporary architects of a Taiwanese consciousness.