• Introduction
  • Growth process
  • Ideas and Insistences
  • Frustrations
  • Old age
  • Chronology
• Contributions
  • Works
  • Social movement
• Life details
  • Associates
    • Inviting Yang Jian
    • Interviewing Yang Cui
  • Reports
• Visits
  • Itinerary
  • Surrounding
    • International artistic street
    • Tunghai University
    • Tunghai district
• Rescuing Tunghai Garden
  • Local discription
    • Land information
    • Government expression
  • Action
    • Yang Kui Literature Memorial Museum
    • Yang Kui's Literary Road
    • Investigate
    • Petition Signing
    • Filming
    • Facebook Page
  • Plan introduction
  • Our action
  • Related essay
  • Related videos
• Bibliography
• Q&A

• Introduction
• Narrative
• Impressions
• Bibliography

Growth process

Yang Kui had been in bad shape since he was little. Therefore, he often got sick. When he went to the public school in at the age of 9, he was mocked as an “opium addict” for his poor health.When he was studying at the public school, an anti-Japan colonial rule incident took place in Yang Kui 's hometown. Thousands of people died during the battle. This incident is considered the greatest armed anti-Japan activity launched by Taiwanese. Yang Kui witnessed the Japanese tanks and army passed right in front of his home. From then on, his young mind started to acknowledge the cruelty of the colonial ruler. This event played an important role in his career and thoughts afterwards.

After Yang Kui grew up, he read the book “Taiwanese Bandits Record,” which was written by Japansese. Seeing the ways that Japanese used to defame Taiwanese history, Yang Kui was very shocked. He once said,” the reason why I determined to work on literature is that I want to amend the history which has been distorted. Naturally, the bitter life of Taiwanese people and the cruelty of colonial authority become my topic I am concerned most.”

Influenced by the cultural lecture of Taiwanese student union, Yang Kui made up his mind to quit school in Taiwan. He then brought 60 dollars he merely had to study in Japan for the purpose of broadening his horizon and refusing to accept the marriage arranged by his parents. During his time in Japan, he entered a special department of literature and art in the night school of Tokyo University. Due to the poor economic condition, he could only get part-time jobs to complete his academic degree. He did various jobs at that time and these experiences became his writing inspirations afterwards.

He recorded his bitter living condition in his first novel “Newspaper Sender.” His thoughts were largely influenced by the left-wing concepts during that period of time. This book then won the second prize (there was no first prize that year) of “Literary Criticism” in Tokyo. It was the first time Taiwanese author was selected into Japanese central literary circle.

At this stage of his life, Yang Kui participated in the labor movements in Tokyo and student movements. He also joined demonstrations aiming. This is the first step for him to become a social activist.