Points, Lines and Surfaces of History - Cai Kunlin

I had the "honor" to share with middle school students how to read. Luckily no parents were present at the time, and I think they would be very upset when they heard what I shared.

Because I said at the time: Most of my current knowledge is first learned through reading comics, animations, playing video games, and listening to radio broadcasts, which then led me to look for extracurricular books to learn. I'm sure I'd learn better if school textbooks turned into comic video games.

This is indeed the case. For example, my knowledge of human blood circulation, T cells, and B cells is not obtained from middle school textbooks (because I am not studying science), but from the animation "Working Cells". When I was preparing for the physical fitness test two years ago, I also watched animations to review the book. Why? Because it is clear and easy to understand. The author of this comic, Akane Shimizu, was distressed when she saw her sister recite the function of cells when she was studying biology, so she thought of anthropomorphizing cells into stories so that her sister could study hard. [Note 1] So the content is very easy to absorb.

It can be seen that there is no conflict between reading manga/watching animation and learning.

As for the history of the Warring States Period in Japan, it was because of the computer game "Tai He Li Zhi Biography". Taihe refers to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who is an "inspirational" figure in the history of the Warring States Period, starting from a soldier and ending with a high-ranking official under the emperor. From this computer game, I know a lot of historical figures and historical stories, so it attracts me to read books. Later, it was extended from the Warring States Period to the entire history of Japan. During the process, I borrowed the novels of historical novel writers Sima Ryotaro, Chen Shunchen, Yamaoka Shohachi, and Yoshikawa Eiji to read them at home. I still remember when I was in college, I finished reading the entire set of 52 copies of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Crazy enough.

Even today, in the workplace, I still try to choose to read comics to introduce/explain new technologies and knowledge. Therefore, don't regard comic games as the enemy of learning, it will definitely lead to a decline in grades. Of course, addiction is another matter.

This time, it is related to comics. It is a set of four comics, which tells the story of a man who straddled the Japanese occupation era, white terror cloth, and changed camp justice - "The Child from Shimizu". The authors are You Peiyun and Zhou Jianxin. This child from Qingshui is the founder of "Prince" magazine and political victim Mr. Cai Kunlin.

There were a lot of books about white terror in the 1950s, but it was the first time I came across it as a cartoon. Perhaps the "Prince" magazine created by Mr. Cai is a Taiwanese children's magazine, so it uses comics.

I really like the author's thinking. The first is that the comics are written in three languages - Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese. When the character is in Japanese/Taiwanese, there will be a small Chinese translation in the dialog box [Pictures 5 and 6]. This is a change in the language of Taiwanese from the era of Japanese rule to when the government of the Republic of China came to Taiwan. And for people like me who have been learning Taiwanese, it's a good learning text because it can really be read.

The second is very particular about the color of the comics. For example, the second book tells that Mr. Cai Kunlin was politically persecuted and detained in Green Island for ten years. The color tone is mainly black, all of which are dark, so as to express the dark age [Figure 7]; In the "Prince" era, the tones changed and it felt a little more hopeful.

The biggest feeling is that the first three books always end with "sadness": the first book is about Mr. Cai's arrest; the second is about Mr. Cai returning home from Ludao, but learning that his father who loves him the most has already passed away. Died many years; the third volume is the final closing of Prince magazine. My understanding is that the nightmare of Green Island and the shattering of ideals are the end of a period and a new development in life. I believe this is also Mr. Cai Kunlin's view on life. After he left Green Island, there were people who understood his situation, and there were childhood sweethearts who had been waiting for him. Because of these nobles, he was able to create "Prince" magazine; even after "Prince" magazine graduated, he continued to work in society because of his ability, allowing him to take care of his family. Of course, the changing times and the people's pursuit of their own rights have rehabilitated Cai SAN. After retiring, he volunteered, telling people about the horrors of the white terror era.

History itself is made up of people: from a person (point), to a group of people (line), to an era (surface). Although Mr. Cai feels that his life is not worth mentioning in the book, because he has affected too many people. But through his story, we let us know how to face all the hardships, still keep the heart of a child, and hope for the future.

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[Note 1]: Why is the Japanese popular science animation "Cell at Work" such a sensation in China, Japan and Taiwan? ──Manga artist Akane Shimizu's "Drawing for My Sister" set off a boom unexpectedly
https://crossing.cw.com.tw/article/10576

"Children from Shimizu Son of Formosa 1: A Boy Who Loves Reading Books" (from blog) — https://www.books.com.tw/products/0010857008

"Son of Formosa 2: Ten Years of Green Island" (from the blog) - https://www.books.com.tw/products/0010861504

"Children from Shimizu Son of Formosa 3: The Age of Princes" (from blog) — https://www.books.com.tw/products/0010880380

"Children from Shimizu Son of Formosa 4: Become a Thousand Winds" (from blog) — https://www.books.com.tw/products/0010910442