Twelve years after his death, Yu Deng-fa (余登發), one of the nation's founding democratic fathers, continues to exert a strong influence over Taiwanese politics.
After the Cabinet's reshuffle was finalized and the new legislative session began earlier this month, the Yu clan of Kaohsiung County was the biggest winner.
Yu Cheng-hsien (
What's more, their mother Yu Chen yueh-ying (
"This level of success and the support for the Yus indicate the family's close ties with the DPP, especially with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁). But the reason the Yu family maintains such a mighty influence within political circles is directly attributable to democratic advocate Yu Deng-fa -- the late grandfather of Yu Cheng-hsien," said a presidential official, who declined to be named.
A democratic trailblazer who spent a lifetime fighting the KMT's authoritarian regime, Yu Deng-fa established the political opposition group the Black Faction some four decades ago.
"The tangwai [referring to opposition forces before the DPP was founded in 1987] never had the support of the grassroots. But the Black Faction [in Kaohsiung County] was an exception," the official recounted.
"What makes the Yu family stand out is its unique combination of bearing an anti-KMT spirit, but its appropriation of traditional KMT tactics of serving the locals by relying on vote captains during elections."
The senior Yu led a very thrifty life, living adjacent to a fish pond in Pagualiao (八卦寮) in Kaohsiung's Jenwu township.
"He spent his time farming and slept on a bamboo bed perched over a raft of books. When he was hungry, he ate fish caught in the pond. He donated all his money to support the pro-democracy movement," the official said.
Yu Deng-fa was elected commissioner of Kaohsiung County in 1960 as the first non-KMT county commissioner. The KMT, incredulous at his electoral victory, repeatedly tried to discredit him, charging him with corruption in relation to public construction projects.
In September 1963, with eight months left in his tenure, he was driven from office after being impeached by the Control Yuan on what supporters regarded as fabricated charges.
During the follower years, Yu remained out of the political spotlight, but contributed generously to pro-opposition forces.
In January 1979, Yu and his son Yu Juei-yen (
Street demonstrations began soon thereafter as political dissidents gathered in Kaohsiung's Chiaotou township (
As a result of his arrest, the respect of Kaohsiung County citizens for Yu grew.
To many in Kaohsiung County, Yu Deng-fa remains "the eternal commissioner." He is still looked upon as a legendary figure in the pro-democracy movement.
DPP Legislator Chang Chun-hung (張俊宏) said that the Chiaotou incident is of great significance to Taiwan's democratization because by cracking down on the demonstrators, the KMT awakened a nascent opposition force that it was never able to quell.
"To the KMT's surprise, its capture of Yu Deng-fa incited peoples' democratic awareness and consolidated the opposition forces," Chang added.
On Sept. 12 1989, the 88-year-old Yu was discovered dead at his Pagualia residence. He was lying on the floor with a wound to the back of his head. Investigators surmised that he might have fallen -- but supporters believe he was struck with a blunt object.
His family and friends believe his death was politically motivated.
Today, the Black Faction that Yu began remains the most powerful of the three leading factions in the county. The two others -- the Red Faction and the White Faction -- are KMT controlled.
Yu Cheng Yue-ying, the daughter-in-law of Yu Deng-fa, presided over Kaohsiung County for eight years and Yu Cheng-hsien succeeded her mother, serving Kaohsiung for eight years until last December.
The family is also wealthy. They own three schools in Kaohsiung and run a cable company.
"Although the family inherited the legacy left by Yu Deng-fa, what has allowed them to retain power for so long is not that they have any grand political vision. It is largely due to their thorough and high-quality service in local districts," the presidential official noted.
In recent years, however, the Yu clan has experienced difficulties.
Even before Yu Cheng Yue-ying retired as Kaohsiung commissioner, the siblings were in dispute over who should run to succeed her.
Other DPP factions have sought to topple the dynasty, believing that the Yu scions received too much in return for Yu Deng-fa's legacy.
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