The period between January 1st and the lunar new year is generally a festive and joyous one, as people prepare for the coming Chinese New Year. On January 13th the happiness turned suddenly into grief and anguish at the untimely death of our beloved president, Mr. Chiang Ching-kuo. President Chiang's contributions were countless: journeying to the most remote parts of the island to meet with citizens; carrying out the Ten Key Development Projects, allowing the 19 million people on Taiwan to enjoy the greatest prosperity in Chinese history; promoting political democratization, lifting the Emergency Decree that had activated martial law; legalizing the establishment of new political parties. It is with a heavy heart that we offer our readers "He Made History: A Memorial Tribute to President Chiang Ching-kuo," hoping that it will give them a deeper understanding of this great man.
At eight o'clock on the evening of January 13th, Dr. Lee Teng-hui was sworn in as the nation's seventh president. "Mr. Lee Teng-hui: Scholar-President" introduces the R.O.C.'s new leader in some detail.
The coming lunar year is the Year of the Dragon; will the traditional Chinese enthusiasm for having a "dragon child" make itself felt again? How has the Chinese physique changed in the past ten or twenty years? Lin Tai-yi has retired after 23 years as editor-in-chief of the Chinese edition of Reader's Digest; what is this talented woman like? And what makes Heidelberg University unique? The answers are all in this issue.