Chi Kang's given name is Chao Yueh- shan. During the war years in Manchuria he was known by his comrades-in-arms as Chen Kuang, in Tainan, where he now tends his children's hospital, everyone just calls him "Dr. Chao."
In 1949, when Manchuria again fell, Chi Kang, who had been educated at the Liaoning Medical College, followed the navy to Taiwan. He headed up the Department of Pediatrics at the #804 military hospital. After retiring, he opened his children's hospital, where he has been soothing both children and mothers with his patience and caring for over twenty years now.
Perhaps Dr. Chao's image is now clear. Although in 1970, when The Rolling Liao River was serialized, the main character shared the real Dr. Chao's formal name, still the reality of a busy office full of children and chattering mothers, and the presence of the slightly plump Dr. Chao, bears little resemblance to the novel's scenes of a valiant young doctor whose patients sit quietly impressed.
When the serialized version of the novel was compiled and published, it won the Sun Yat-sen Prize for Literature. As a result, Dr. Chao was besieged by reporters and readers, fascinated that this self- described "small-town doctor" and this author were one and the same man. Though Dr. Chao disclaims the appellation "author," saying that he merely wrote down what really took place, the sales of his book, still strong today, show that readers appreciate his work.
Greying and 67, with his office in Tainan, Dr. Chao is described by a relative as "a good type": a good father, good doctor, good husband. The love of his life is still the "unofficial but real" head of the hospital, Mrs. Chao. Mrs. Chao reminds one of the wise and gentle Chen Ching of the novel; indeed it is said that one of the main reasons for Dr. Chao's popularity is the thoughtfulness and kindness of his partner.
Thinking back over the years, Dr. Chao admits that even in his mind the people and events of the novel have become inextricably intertwined with those upon which they were based.
After the Japanese set up a puppet government in Manchuria in 1931, anti-Japanese feeling ran high. When full-scale war broke out in 1937, among those who formed resistance units were students of the Liaoning Medical College, including Chi Kang.
Because at the time the situation was not ripe for open revolt, says Chi, the students' main mission was to "sow seeds" of resistance. They worked incessantly printing leaflets of news, exhortation, and revolutionary theory.
Chi Kang says that the young are of course stirred by the thought of saving their country. But in his novel he also expresses some of the poignant aspects of the resistance: the doubts, fears, pressure, and the tragedy of lost youth. He recalls that the passion of patriotism quickly disappeared under such conditions, in which people were forced to turn off their emotions.
The worst time came when a Japanese crackdown in May of 1945 captured many resistance fighters, including Chi Kang. The prisoners suffered terrible tortures and Chi three times tried to kill himself in order to protect his colleagues. Naturally, this is a period which those who passed through are least willing to discuss.
Following the dropping of the atom bombs, the Japanese tried to move the prisoners to Chilin. En route, Chi Kang was rescued.
Unfortunately, after the Japanese surrendered, the Russians and Chinese Communists moved into Manchuria, which was again plunged into chaos. In the midst of the confusion, many opportunists laid claim to having been resistance fighters, until the situation became so muddled that doubt was cast even on legitimate claims of underground activity, and the real fighters finally gave up their claims and remained silent. This is one of the reasons Chi Kang's story begins "I am ashamed to complain. . ."
In the novel, Chi Kang (the character shares the author's name) returns to his hospital, hoping to put a good life back together. But he discovers upon returning that the beautiful nurse Wan Ju, whom he had set himself apart from because he did not see in her a suitable partner for a revolutionary, had become engaged to someone else. And his courageous and able colleague Shih Yen, from whom Chi Kang also set himself apart because of the dangers and obligations of his life in the resistance, had gone.
Because the characters in the novel are based on real people, readers are very curious about whatever happened to "Wan Ju," and "Shih Yen," and of course, whether or not Chen Ching is based on Mrs. Chao. In response to such curiosity, Chi Kang responds that he will only talk about "literature," not "history."
The inspiration to write the book came partly from the memories suggested to Dr. Chao during a year spent living and doing research at National Taiwan University, and it also came partly from the surfacing of a rumor, later proved to be false but which nonetheless caused Dr. Chao to lose a lot of sleep, that the real "Shih Yen" was in Hong Kong.
In 1962 Dr. Chao retired from the military to open his hospital. In 1965, he wrote every night for three hours, and gave his work to five old friends and their wives for reviewing and correcting. The work was finally completed in 1969.
The novel closes in 1948, as the character Chi Kang and his wife Chen Ching flee toward Nanking. Still, the story has not really ended--survivors and their children, however they may be separated by fate, meet every few years to renew their links.
Although some who passed through those desperate but meaningful years now lament that today's youngsters seem to have lost the camaraderie of their era, Dr. Chao doesn't agree. Each generation, he says, faces its own challenges. In a way, he suggests, his generation was fortunate to have had a clear, unambiguous goal. In the past couple of decades, on the other hand, many young people have had difficulty finding meaning in their lives.
Chi Kang recalls that in his youth everyone sought meaning through one word: "the masses." His own view of life today is that we must all live on many levels: individual, family, national, universal. . . and that finding one's place consists in balancing these different existences.
In the extraordinary circumstances of war, Chi Kang witnessed both the heights and depths of human behavior. He believes that one cannot use a single standard to judge everyone--that allowance must be made for circumstance. By judging those on a lower rung with sympathy, perhaps they can be helped to a higher standard.
With this attitude, its not surprising that Chi has many close and dedicated friends. As the founder of the Rotary Club of Tainan's south district he interacts with people from all walks of life, and always can see their good points, regardless of the background.
Naturally Dr. Chao is even more devoted to his family. He has three daughters: one studies Physics, one Forestry, and one, following in his footsteps, is in Pediatrics.
Dr. Chao continues to live a simple life. He gets up every morning at 5:30 and reads for two hours. His books are mostly treatises on thought and culture. He believes that if one really wants to save China, one must start from culture.
After reading, Dr. Chao goes for a stroll for an hour to get some exercise, then returns to his office to what is still his main work--what he describes as "selling my ears." Listening patiently to crying children and worried mothers, as well as to everything from opinions on affairs of state to the latest wedding, this is the Dr. Chao the people of Tainan know.
In the beginning of July, the "small town doctor" will come to Taipei to take part in a "Conference on Literature of the War of Resistance" sponsored by Wen Hsun magazine. He will comment on the paper "The Literary Movement in Manchuria during the Period of the War of Resistance," written by the American scholar Howard Goldblatt. Even more interesting to Chi Kang will be another paper to be presented at the Conference, "From Romance to Realism: On the Creative Form of The Unfinished Song and The Rolling Liao River." In addition, one of the two Japanese translators of Chi's novel will attend as a special observer.
Since there will be this conference, then Chi Kang might as well invite all his old comrades-in-arms to get together. Past events are now history. Now Chi Kang simply wants to be a good host, and to enjoy a pleasant drink with friends.
No, time cannot fade everything, but it can take a young man from a life of harsh wartime resistance, and turn him into a gentle, warm, and tolerant man.
[Picture Caption]
(Left) One can see from this picture of a young Chi Kang the obvious sty le possessed by "Elder Brother Chi." (photo courtesy of Chi Kang)
(Right) Students and staff of the Liaoning Medical College. Can you find Chi Kang? (photo courtesy of Chi Kang)
It was in this simple examination room, full of medical case histories and rough drafts, that The Rolling Liao River was written.
In 1935, the Soviet Union sold the China Eastern Railway to the puppet Manchurian government without ROC permission. This picture shows the Japanese Foreign Minister Hirota shaking hands with the Soviet Ambassador and a representative of the puppet government. (photo courtesy of the Kuomintang Historical Society)
(Left) Some wounded and injured wait for medical attention in Manchuria during the War of Resistance. (photo courtesy of the Kuomintang Historical Society)
(Right) A photo of the Marco Polo Bridge, scene of the raising of the curtain on the fullscale War of Resistance. (photo courtesy of the Kuomintang Historical Society)
Every morning at 5:30, one can find Chi Kang doing Tai Ch'i Chuan at the Yen-ping Ch'un-Wang T'se.
Doctor Chao uses two skilled hands to put his young patient at ease.
Time--it has taken the spirited and courageous young Chi Kang and matured him into the kind and warm Doctor Chao.
（Left） One can see from this picture of a young Chi Kang the obvious sty le possessed by "Elder Brother Chi." （photo courtesy of Chi Kang）
（Right） Students and staff of the Liaoning Medical College. Can you find Chi Kang? （photo courtesy of Chi Kang）
（Left） Some wounded and injured wait for medical attention in Manchuria during the War of Resistance. （photo courtesy of the Kuomintang Historical Society）
In 1935, the Soviet Union sold the China Eastern Railway to the puppet Manchurian government without ROC permission. This picture shows the Japanese Foreign Minister Hirota shaking hands with the Soviet Ambassador and a representative of the puppet government. （photo courtesy of the Kuomintang Historical Society）
（Right） A photo of the Marco Polo Bridge, scene of the raising of the curtain on the fullscale War of Resistance. （photo courtesy of the Kuomintang Historical Society）
Every morning at 5:30, one can find Chi Kang doing Tai Ch'i Chuan at the Yen-ping Ch'un-Wang T'se.
Doctor Chao uses two skilled hands to put his young patient at ease.
Time--it has taken the spirited and courageous young Chi Kang and matured him into the kind and warm Doctor Chao.
@List.jpg?w=522&h=410&mode=crop&format=webp&quality=80)
@List.jpg?w=522&h=410&mode=crop&format=webp&quality=80)