Born in Osaka, Japan, in 1918, Lin Hai-yin's father was a Hakka from Miaoli, her mother from Panchiao. She came to Taiwan with her parents at the age of three and two years later the family moved to Beijing, where they lived for 25 years. Lin only moved back to Taipei in 1948, with her husband, Hsia Cheng-ying, several years after the end of WWII. It was only then that the couple began to develop their careers as writers and literary publishers, renowned from Beijing to Taipei.

Known to Taiwanese writers simply as "Teacher Lin," Lin Hai-yin published three novels, four collections of short stories, 19 collections of essays and ten volumes of children's literary works. She is perhaps best remembered in both Taiwan and China for Stories of Old Peking, which was adapted into a motion picture in 1982. This classic work depicts life in Beijing in the 1930s, specifically the growth of traditional women, and established for Lin a treasured position in the Chinese literary world.

Other than writing, Lin Hai-yin also used her involvement in editing and publishing to guide and support newcomers on the literary scene and cultivate a fertile environment for literary development in Taiwan.

From 1953 to 1963, Lin Hai-yin edited the United Daily News Supplement, in which position she used her keen sense of quality composition to discover a group of young and talented Taiwanese writers. In this way, she was able to offer guidance to a number of later authors, including Lin Hwai-min, Huang Chun-ming, Chi Teng-sheng, Cheng Ching-wen and Chung Li-ho.

The author Huang Chun-ming reflects: "Teacher Lin was very important, she influenced my whole life." In the early 1960's Huang submitted a short story entitled "Cheng Tsai Falls off the Wagon" to the UDN Supplement. At that time Mandarin Chinese was the exclusive standard for written Chinese but Huang made a special request that the Taiwanese used in the title of his work not be changed. Lin Hai-yin quickly wrote him a long letter praising his writing, and thanks to this encouragement a new star of Taiwanese literature was born.

Author Peng Hsiao-yen is emphatic in her praise: "Without the unique insight of Lin Hai-yin at the UDN Supplement, the history of Taiwanese literature would be very different." In an age when anti-communist literature took pride of place, the Supplement helped launch a new era of art and culture supplements that focused on pure literature. For example, Chung Chao-cheng's first novel Lu Ping Flowers was serialized in the Supplement in 1960, the first time a novel by a Taiwan-born author was serialized in a Taiwanese newspaper. In August of the same year, works by Chung Li-ho were also published in the Supplement, including "Back from the Dead," "Rain" and the novel Lishan Farm.

In 1963, Lin Hai-yin resigned her position on the Supplement, after printing a new poem that was widely interpreted as critical of the government.

In the wake of this incident, Yu Chi-chung, publisher of the Cheng Hsin News (today's China Times) asked her to edit the paper's literary supplement, only to be turned down. In 1964, the Taiwan provincial government employed Lin Hai-yin as a literary editor for the children's publications produced by its department of education. One year later she resigned the post, after the US State Department invited her to participate in its "Understanding Taiwan" project. She visited the US for four months in her capacity as a female Taiwanese author.

After returning from the US, Lin decided to set up her own business and in 1967 she brought out the inaugural issue of the monthly journal Pure Literature. One year later the Pure Literature Publishing House was established. Although the journal was wound up in 1972 after financial difficulties, the publishing house operated for 27 years, bringing out over 400 books and forging a highly successful second career for Lin Hai-yin that only came to an end in 1995, when she was 77 years old.

Whether in terms of the quality of books produced or profits made, Lin was an extremely successful publisher. Pure Literature Publishing House published many books that enjoyed great popularity, including Books that Changed the World and The Amazing Results of Positive Thinking, translated by Peng Ko, the science fiction novel Land, by Chang Hsi-kuo, the Small Sun series by children's author Tzu Min and The Rolling Liao River by Chi Kang, all of which were best-sellers when they were first brought out.

Lin Hai-yin received numerous honors throughout her life, including a lifetime award from the World Chinese Writers' Association in 1998, presented by then-ROC President Lee Teng-hui. In May 2001, local literary circles organized a new book release promotion for a 12-volume set Collected Works of Lin Hai-yin, presided over by ROC President Chen Shui-bian. In mainland China, the Museum of Modern Chinese Literature in Beijing also held a large-scale seminar on Lin's works.

Lin Hai-yin's daughter, author Hsia Tsu-li, wrote her mother's biography. Hsia indicates that Lin read the book, entitled A Biography of Lin Hai-yin, before she passed away, and was delighted that all the things of value she had done in her life were included. At present Hsia Tsu-li is busy organizing the huge collection of photographs and letters her mother left behind and hopes that more people will research the life and works of Lin Hai-yin in Taiwan in years to come.

Writer Chang Chih-chang says of his mother-in-law: "There is a Western saying that the more perfume one sprays on a person the greater the likelihood one or two drops will fall on oneself. Those who knew my mother-in-law went away influenced by her. She was a joyous person, generous of nature, always willing to help others out."

Scholar Chi Pang-yuan insists that such a national literary treasure should not to be laid to rest. He points out that many seminars on Lin Hai-yin have been held in mainland China and suggests Taiwan should be more active in organizing academic conferences to discuss her contribution and many achievements. This is necessary to ensure that the example of Lin Hai-yin can be held up and emulated by generations yet to come.

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A memorial for Lin Hai-yin was held in the Taiwan Cement Building in Taipei on December 22. The atmosphere was one of warmth and thanks, as many older literary figures, such as Yu Kuang-chung, took the podium to share their memories of Lin. President Chen Shui-bian also paid his respects (courtesy of Central News Agency).

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Lin Hai-yin and her husband Hsia Cheng-ying, who wrote under the pen name "Ho Fan," were the perfect literary couple. Both her eldest son Hsia Lie and her second daughter Tsu-li have become talented writers in their own right. The picture shows Lin's three daughters. (courtesy of the Hsia family)