Broken Sea

Did the war left over from 1949 never end?
Explore the front lines of US-China rivalry and regional conflicts.
Thinking about Taiwan's most familiar stranger, experiencing a border of great shock.

"What if Taiwan doesn't want us and we don't want to be Chinese?"
Explore the complex and entangled history between seas and confront the islands' present.

The last time Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu were designated as part of the same country was perhaps due to chance and accident during war. However, since the beginning of the 20th century, this community composed of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu has begun to explore the possibility of "voluntary becoming a community" through different paths of thinking and action.

In the past, we said, "As Taiwanese, one must know Taiwanese affairs." Now, at the dawn of the new century, we are saying, "As Taiwanese, one must know Kinmen and Matsu affairs." —《Kinmen, Matsu, and Taiwan's War and Peace》

In 2022, the Kinmen and Matsu will lift the "wartime politics" for 30 years.
Is the old war really over? Is a new war about to begin?
How has the appearance of the archipelago shaped the "Taiwan" of today?

The Golden Horse spirit is ingrained into Taiwan's DNA. In Taiwan, the Golden Horse Awards are deeply ingrained in our lives, becoming a crucial spiritual symbol. The Golden Horse Awards are East Asia's most prestigious film awards; the Golden Horse Tunnel is a vital thoroughfare running through Taiwan; and the Golden Horse Hotel, nestled beside Xiziwan in Kaohsiung, is a reminder of the Golden Horse Awards—the one Taiwanese boys least want to win.

These words, embedded in important occasions and constructed in a way that "carries forward the spirit of the Kinmen and Matsu frontier," are often used to describe the past and present. Yet, we've rarely delved deeply into the meaning and history behind them. Why is "Kinmen" so important? To understand Taiwan's secret history, we must begin with the stories of Kinmen and Matsu.

A tangled, complex, and multifaceted border. Kinmen and Matsu are a complex and winding frontier, always difficult to interpret and filled with multiple meanings. Once a frontline anti-communist bastion, it served as a symbol of official morale-boosting in Taiwan. However, due to unique historical circumstances, it was once divided into two separate seas, separating Taiwan.

The fate of Kinmen and Matsu is deeply intertwined with war. From 1956 to 1992, shaped by a "wartime politics" system that blurred the lines between military and civilian life, even as Taiwan was experiencing its "economic miracle," Kinmen and Matsu relied on the "military-based economy" for survival, seemingly living in a time of critical commentary. However, when cross-strait thaws and the troops departed, residents worried about their livelihoods and the lack of recognition for their sacrifices in the new era of Taiwan. Today, Kinmen and Matsu are at the forefront of the dangers and pressures of the US-China rivalry and regional political instability. In 2022, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. While Taiwanese residents enthusiastically welcomed her and snapped photos of the historic moment, residents of Kinmen and Matsu heard the sounds of ROC fighter jets taking off and the possibility of renewed war.

Looking back from the border, we never really understand "Taiwan"
"The Broken Sea" is a new-era "Golden Horse Book" written over five years by two journalists from Taiwan and Penghu. By focusing on the perspectives of young people and recording the dialogues among the post-martial law era generations, they hope to use the Golden Horse stories to connect historical memories with fractured emotions and gain a deeper understanding of where we are.

Looking back from the border of history: Man-made military power cannot stop the surging flow of the sea, and islands will eventually meet again.
This book tells the story of Taiwan, a place that has always existed but has never been truly seen.

2022-11-01

聯經出版公司

256

9789570866001