What has former president Lee Teng-hui (
Lee Ching-yi (
Today, the 78-year-old former president and his wife Tseng Wen-hui (曾文惠) will appear together at a ceremony unveiling a new book, penned by the aide, entitled Lee Teng-hui in close up: Notes from a life in the mangrove forest (近寫李登輝-紅樹林生活筆記)."
Change of circumstance
The book chronicles the nation's only surviving former president's transition from the country's highest office to life as a private citizen.
"Working closely with former president Lee for 11 years has afforded me a rare opportunity to see his other side, one that is rarely shown to the public.
"During the past year especially, I have observed his transformation, seeing how he has adapted himself to his new status," Lee Ching-yi, now working at Lee's office at the Taiwan Research Institute (台綜院), a think tank founded by the former president, told the Taipei Times yesterday.
The Taiwan Research Institute lies in an extensive mangrove forest near Tamshui (
"I felt obliged to record and publish these observations in order to provide people a true grasp of the former president's real personality."
The aide said her reasons for writing the book were very simple: to chronicle Lee's life "as a regular person," rather than to address political issues.
But she conceded that it had been interesting to observe the enormous impact that Lee's words and deeds continue to have on Taiwanese society, despite his attempt to lead an ordinary life.
"The fact that Lee is always under the media spotlight proves that he ... still exerts tremendous influence in Taiwan as the country undergoes drastic political and economic changes," she said.
When asked how Lee reacts when media reports interpret his expressions of concern for the country's future development as "ambition" or "abuse of power," the aide says Lee is not the type of person to argue, or even defend himself. But as an aide, she said she found the criticism hurtful and unfair.
"What moves me most is his love for and sense of mission toward Taiwan. He is selfless and has devoted his life to benefit his countrymen to the greatest extent possible."
When Lee first left office, he pledged to preach the Christian gospel to Aborigines, take courses in biotechnology and get involved with international non-governmental organizations.
But what prompted him to re-enter the political stage, said the aide, was not a desire to consolidate his position in Taiwanese politics, but to protect the people from the negative effects of the shift in the political and economic landscape.
Still learning
In the book, she describes Lee's strong desire to learn. He has learned how to use mobile phones and often uses the Internet to stay informed. Although, for security reasons, he cannot attend classes on biotechnology, he reads avidly by himself and has a professor tutor him on a regular basis.
The 38-year-old aide has a bachelor's and a master's degree from the department of diplomacy at National Chengchi University. Two years after beginning a career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she was transferred to the Presidential Office to work for Lee.
Unlike most of Lee's aides, Lee Ching-yi has kept a low profile.
"We two did not know each other before [I started working for him], so I am very grateful for his willingness to accept me and to teach me. I have learned a lot from him," she added.
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