August 25, 2015
No. 170
Retired Professors Shau-Jin Chang and Ying-Ying Chang, parents of the late Chinese-American author Iris Chang, are visiting Taiwan between August 24 and 29 to attend commemorative activities for the 70th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance against Japan at the invitation of the Republic of China government.
During their trip, Mr. and Mrs. Chang will receive a posthumous tribute from President Ma Ying-jeou on behalf of their daughter and visit exhibitions related to the 70th anniversary, including the Truth of the Second Sino-Japanese War exhibit at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei and the From War to Peace: Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of Victory in the War of Resistance against Japan and Taiwan’s Retrocession exhibit at Academia Historica. Excursions to the Taiwan POW Memorial Park in Jinguashi, Taipei Qin Dao Hall, Taipei 101, and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park have been arranged for them.
Iris Chang was a distinguished author whose works focused on the topics of World War II and Chinese-Americans. Her major works include Thread of the Silkworm, The Chinese in America, and The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II, which gained wide acclaim from all walks of life.
Iris Chang collected historical materials and conducted in-depth interviews with survivors of the Japanese atrocities to produce The Rape of Nanking—the first book written in English to depict the incident. On the New York Times Bestsellers List for Nonfiction for 10 weeks, this work underwent 16 printings and sold over 500,000 copies. The book took the world by storm, serving as an open testament to the role of the ROC in the war. Her contributions are especially worthy of commemoration and respect in the context of the 70th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance against Japan. (E)