2002/10/01 Jim Cheng
Comment on“Superiority of Taiwanese Race viewed from Japan”

Dear Nagayama San:

First, I should apologize if I have spelled your last name wrongly. That spelling is the best I can come up with in my less than perfect Japanese. Second, English is the only means I have now for communication. I have no software for, nor I know how to use software to write in, Japanese. Third, I thank you for all those articles that you have been writing on Taiwanese behalf. It is so heart-warming to realize that we have such a truthful Japanese friend. (If I may, I must also point out that I see many other Japanese who have been voicing frequently in this E-magazine showing their moral support for the Taiwanese cause. Thanks million)

I wish to make a little comment on the“Superiority of Taiwanese Race viewed from Japan”that you posted recently in the E-magazine. I wouldn't agree any more with your right-to-the-point comments describing the general character of Taiwanese. However, I will be a little bit critical on this Taiwanese race, i.e., they are too timid to face the reality. They are also too quick to rush into the compromise, to save their skin-deep faces, to stupidly interpret for others, and to show off a seemingly“big-heart”pretense to seek others' nods, to name but a few.

My major comment at this time is on the Taiwanese race that you mentioned:“... Being the same Chinese race, why Taiwanese have such different characters from Chinese...” If I am correct, this“the same race”issue is　an inference on the ulture and languages, but not on the genetics or more commonly known as“the blood line.” Recent studies on DNA, HLA, and molecular biology have indicated that the sameness issue is inconsistent with what we know. The same genetic origin for Minnan and Hakka speakers of Taiwan who were born before 1945 and their bona fide descendants, for example, readily distinguish them from those of China who had probably had the distinct racial origins (Takagi, K. Hakka, A Foreigner within China, Kodansha, Gendai Shin-sho, 1991). These Taiwanese are definitely distinct from the North Han Chinese. As far as I am concerned, the Minnan and Hakka languages and cultures are secondarily acquired characters, which have the far lesser importance than the primary or ancestral inheritance.

The urgent matter for now is to let Taiwanese know the past glorious history that Taiwan had contributed to the world 6,000 to 5,000 years ago. The Austronesian languages (both the Proto-Austronesian and Austronesian languages) that were evolved, nurtured and differentiated in, and dispersed from, Taiwan, once covered the opposite edges of Pacific and Indian Oceans, and south to New Zealand. Along with languages, these Taiwanese ancestors were responsible for transferring agriculture, pottery industry (Lapita pottery not including ornaments), seafaring technology etc to the area. The noted scholar Prof. Jared Diamond (a distinguished physiologist and linguist, and a long time member of the National Academy of Science, USA) praised this particular accomplishment as“Taiwan’s gift to the world.” This is the honor that all Taiwanese (or I prefer to call the“Austronesian　Formosans”) must realize and remember.

Are Koxinga's occupation in 1662 and the following Manchurian rule till 1895 critical for the Austronesian Formosan replacement by the Chinese Han? Biologically, genetically, and other factors-wise, the total replacement of the well-established inhabitant by a new invader race is rare at best, especially if it is to be accomplished in less than 400 years, in instance of Taiwan. Even Chinese hearsay street anecdotal claims of “the brave Chinese risked ‘their feeble butts' to wade through Taiwan Strait and to further cross the fearsome‘O-Tsui-Kau or the western branch of the Kuroshio’ several thousands years ago”is but a Chinese fiction. The feasibility of such a Chinese daredevil act certainly won't stand to be scrutinized by a scientific analysis exemplified eloquently by Izawa Motohiko in his “Yamadai-koku,”“Is Minamoto Yoshitsune the bona fide Genghis Kan?” and many others of historical‘detective’authorships. I am particularly impressed by Izawa's scientific (oceanography) analyses in order to locate the lost Yamadai-koku site by reconstructing the journey on record from Korea to Japan by Chinese Ambassador troupe.

With this note, I, again, thank you for all encouraging words on behalf of Taiwanese.