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Shih Ming-teh 施明德 died on the morning of his 83rd birthday, January 15th, 2024. This Taiwan democracy champion spent a combined 25.5 years in Taiwanese prisons for “sedition;” what the one-party state called his activism. Shih would live to see Taiwan blossom into a free society, and received recognition for his role in the long, hard fight. But in the last decades of his life, Shih's reputation took a beating - leaving a stain on his legacy. Despite this, “Nori,” as he was called by friends and family, will always have a place in the pantheon of Taiwan democracy freedom fighters. Here’s his story:
Cover: Left, a photo of Shih Ming-teh 施明德 via DW Media.com, and right, "Most Wanted" posters offering generous awards for the capture of Shih, who in total, spent about 25.5 years in Taiwanese prisons for his activities advocating the abolition of martial law, freedom of the press, an upending on the ban on political parties, and a democratic Taiwan.
John has a book recommendation for those looking for a detailed account of the landmark 1979 Kaohsiung Incident:
The Kaohsiung Incident in Taiwan and Memoirs of a Foreign Big Beard by Bruce Jacobs.
Jeffrey Bruce Jacobs (1943–2019) was an eminent American-born Australian academic. He was a scholar of and a good friend to Taiwan, where he was known to some by the nickname Dà Húzi (Big Beard), hence the book title.
Below: Two "Wanted" posters from the late 1970s.
Below: A very famous photo of the so-called "Kaohsiung Eight." Shih Ming-teh is the 3rd defendant from the right (with mustache). If you look closely, you'll notice two famous women in the line-up, former VP Annette Lu, and former Kaohsiung mayor Chen Chu. The 1980 trial took place in a military court in Taipei, and Shih -- for the second time in his life -- was sentenced to life imprisonment for "seeking to overthrow the government." (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
Below: Shih, left, walks with Lin Yi-hsiung 林義雄, center, and Hsu Hsin-liang 許信良. Lin Yi-hsiung is the person mentioned in the podcast whose twin daughters and mother were murdered while he was on trial, in a still unsolved case. Wiki has this to say about the killings:
Below: Linda Gail Arrigo (艾琳達) b. 1949, is an American political activist, human rights activist, and academic researcher in Taiwan. She was married to Shih Ming-teh from 1978 to 1995. (Image via Wikimedia Commons)
Below: Shih leads the "Red Shirt Movement" in 2006. The group demanded then-president Chen Shui-bian step down due to allegations of corruption. Shih's turn against his former comrade (and lawyer during his Kaohsiung Incident trial) is considered by some as a "betrayal," and possibly linked to the KMT or the CCP. Shih spent the decades after 2006 further sullying his reputation (you can hear about it in our talk with his ex-wife Linda Arrigo). Image via Yahoo News.
Below: Shih in 2014. Arrigo's verdict on Shih matches the sentiments of many: he was a very flawed hero. "Nori" Shih died on his 83nd birthday, January 15, 2024. (Wikimedia Commons)
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Check our very first episode, the story of a very white man who showed up in London in 1703... and claimed to be from Formosa. Or try a foodie episode from Season 3. Or, for those who want some harder-core history, hear the tale of the Lockheed U-2 pilot Wang Hsi-chueh 王錫爵, who became famous for defecting to the PRC by hijacking China Airlines Flight 334 on May 3, 1986.
