Yu Chi-chung grew up in Jiangsu, China. After studying history at Nanjing's National Central University, he went abroad to study at the London School of Economics. After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, Yu, like many other intellectuals, heeded the call to serve his country through military service. Pen in hand, he entered the fray. Chiang Ching-kuo, then political director of the China Youth Corps, raised him to the post of political director of the 203rd Division.

With the ensuing civil war, Yu and his family moved to Taiwan, a country in extreme poverty and still relatively unenlightened. Yu decided to play out his role as intellectual and social critic through establishing a newspaper. In October of 1950, the Chen Hsin Hsin Wen, a one-sheet mimeographed newspaper with a focus on financial news, made its debut.

Nine years later, on New Year's Day, 1960, the Chen Hsin Hsin Wen became the Chen Hsin Hsin Wen Pao. The paper grew larger in scope, and led a trend in Taiwan towards full-color printing. After another eight years, Chen Hsin Hsin Wen Pao once more changed its name to Chungkuo Shipao, known in English as the China Times. Successively, the Commercial Times, China Times Weekly, China Times Express, the China Times Publication Company, and an Internet version called China Times Interactive were launched. Attracting a broad public readership, these were the mainstays of the China Times empire.

When a literary man runs a newspaper, his principles come to the fore. Yu's abiding principles for the paper were freedom, democracy, and the love of country; enlightenment, reason, and the pursuit of advancement. Wang Tso-yung, former president of the Control Yuan and long-time China Times editor, feels that Yu had three overarching values: to safeguard social stability, ensure a democratic government, and protect the freedom of the press.

While the China Times exerted itself in critiquing the government for the sake of the public good, it never forgot to place itself in the shoes of those within government. For example, not long after moving to Taiwan, when Chiang Kai-shek was seeking a second term as president, the China Times (then Chen Hsin Hsin Wen) decided to support Chiang in the interests of maintaining a stable Taiwanese polity.

Because of Yu's clear status as a "friendly critic" of the government, the ruling party always treated Yu with great respect. Yu long held a seat on the KMT's Central Standing Committee. Many years ago while visiting family in mainland China, Yu was received as a VIP by Jiang Zemin. During their meeting, Yu forcefully expressed his position on the inappropriateness of the "one country, two systems" model, recommending instead a "China confederation" model. On the one hand, Yu felt, this would prevent too great a shock to Taiwan. On the other hand, this solution would be able to preserve the Chinese national identity. During Yu's recent illness, President Chen Shui-bian twice visited him, showing that Yu's influence has even transcended party lines.

In protecting freedom of the press and democracy in Taiwan, the China Times took up a sympathetic posture towards early opposition movements, most notably when, despite outside pressure, it printed word-for-word transcripts of the proceedings of the Formosa Incident trial. Yu ably remonstrated Chiang Ching-kuo by saying, "There should be no more bloodshed in Taiwanese society!" With this, Yu saved the life of Kaohsiung incident defendant Shih Ming-te and opened up a new path for Taiwanese democracy.

Yu was also admired for the way he helped talented younger individuals. The China Times Group, a pillar of public opinion, made a long-term effort to bring up talent in politics and economics. For example, those cultivated by the China Times include National Security Council deputy secretary general Antonio Chiang; legislators Sisy Chen, Wu Den-yi, and Apollo Chen; multimedia figure extraordinaire Chan Hung-chih; Commercial Times founder James Gin, and Journalist founders Chou Tien-jui, Wang Hsing-ching, and Wang Chien-chuang. Even after going their own way, they have retained the straight-talking traits characteristic of the China Times.

Aside from pioneering the public forum in politics and economics, the China Times also made significant achievements in the cultural arena. The China Times Book Review was the first of its kind in Taiwan, and stimulated the publishing industry. In recent years the China Times has cooperated with partners such as the National Palace Museum and National Museum of History in putting on exhibits of Impressionist paintings, a display on the amazing story of ancient Sanxingdui, and an exhibit on Napoleon. Such events have stirred up public interest and opened a door to the splendors of the world at large for the people of Taiwan.

Yu was also an avid basketball fan and in his sixtieth year served as chairman of the board of the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association. During his tenure he founded Asia's most prestigious basketball tournament, the Jones Cup, which succeeded in whipping Taiwan into a basketball frenzy. The Yu Chi-chung Era was truly a golden age for basketball in Taiwan.

Yu Chi-chung lived a vigorous life, and not until the age of 92 did he hand over the reins of the China Times Group, for which he served as CEO, to his son Albert Yu. Not long ago, when the China Times was under investigation for leaking secret documents in the Liu Kuan-chun case, Yu called a special meeting of the managers of the China Times and admonished them, "Take courage!"

Yu, the beloved newsman who worked with all his heart for the good of the country, the people, and freedom of the press, had one final wish. Movingly, even on his deathbed he clung to his hope of seeing peace across the Taiwan Strait. As Taiwan looks back and reflects on the present, it must commit to moving forward towards an ever more open, democratic, and harmonious future, and show itself worthy of an old newsman's earnest hopes.

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The sudden passing of Yu Chi-chung ended a remarkable life in the annals of Taiwanese journalism. The achievements of this scholar-turned-newsman will always be remembered. (courtesy of the China Times)