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Editorial: Time to revise the history books

Yesterday was Retrocession Day. No special celebrations were held and once again people were left baffled about the real meaning of "retrocession."

Under the KMT's decades-long rule Oct. 25 was a holiday to commemorate a ceremony held on that day in 1945 in Taipei to mark the KMT government takeover of Taiwan. But for most people in Taiwan, the day does not carry any specific significance. About the only ones who really seem to care, especially since the DPP administration took the nation's helm, are pro-unification activists. These people, with their "greater China complex," have a fit every year when Oct. 25 rolls around. That is because they want to force their "greater China historical perspective" into the national memory.

But if Taiwan's retrocession is viewed from the Taiwanese historical perspective, the day for celebrations should be Aug. 15. That is the day in 1945 that Japanese Emperor Hirohito announced his country's unconditional surrender and released the Taiwanese people from war and colonial occupa-tion. Both North and South Korea commemorate this day.

Since such a wide gap has existed between various groups in Taiwan about just what is Retrocession Day and what is supposed to be celebrated, perhaps it would be better to do without any festivities.

Probably this is another kind of "Taiwanese sorrow," as former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) put it. Taiwan's national holidays have long been defined by the historical perspective of Greater China. If the people of Taiwan have no knowledge of their own history and the right to interpret that history is subject to others' control, is Taiwan really an independent sovereign state?

On Wednesday, National Palace Director Tu Cheng-sheng (杜正勝) said that Taiwan should construct its historical perspective base on the "Taiwan entity" itself -- within the basic framework of diverse foreign regimes in the 17th century. He said it is humiliating to consider Taiwan an "integral part of China since ancient times." Tu also said that Taiwan has a business nature and that Dutch rule brought it to the world, turning it from a primitive society into an international trade center. Taiwan's history, he said, should therefore be viewed from an East Asian or even global historical perspective. The people of Taiwan should never belittle themselves by seeking their position in China's history only.

Nevertheless, Tu noted that there's still a long way to go if the people wish to rebuild the history of the "Taiwan entity" through cultural education -- because of the different political stances that exist, not to mention that most people have not awoken yet. This is a long-term blind spot of the Taiwanese and not too many people dare touch upon the sensitive issue.

The remarks of Tu, a scholar of ancient Chinese history, are just like those of Lee, who has said the Tiaoyutai islands (釣魚台) belong to Japan. Those who embrace the "greater China" historical perspective certainly don't accept this idea.

But it's undeniable that the Taiwanese have a strong colonial mentality after centuries of foreign rule. Taiwan's society today is a divided one, as the right to speak about culture and the right to interpret history are now controlled by pro-China figures -- such as Lung Ying-tai (龍應台), director of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taipei -- who educate our children with their "greater-China" historical perspective.

The people of Taiwanese will be without hope if they don't think over the issue of how to write the history of the "Taiwan entity" on Oct. 25.
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