Shen Guang-wun (Sim Kong Bun in Hoklo dialect)
Shen Guang-wun, with the Zih (courtesy name) of Wenkai and hao (pseudonym) of Si An, was a native of Yin County in Jhejiang Prov-ince (Ningbo). Shen was an official during the last years of the Ming Dynasty and reached the rank of Taipu Sih Shaocing (Deputy Direc-tor of the Pastoral and Horse Rearing Administration). As the region of Jhoushan fell to Cing forces, Shen followed Prince Lu of the Ming Dynasty to Siamen. His ship was blown off course by a typhoon, forcing him to land at Taiwan instead. Prince Jheng Cheng-gong, having received the news of Shen's arrival at Taiwan, presented Shen with land and holdings on the island. Shen later composed Taiwan Fu (Prose of Taiwan), which was deemed as a critical attack upon Prince Jheng Jing, an affront that nearly cost Shen his life. Shen thus took the tonsure and became a Buddhist monk, seeking refuge at Chaofong Monastery at Dagang Mountain. Shen later trav-eled to Shanhua Township and taught the Chinese language until his death. Shen lived in Taiwan for over three decades from the time of Dutch rule to the fall of the Jheng Dynasty in Taiwan. He recorded his experiences and events in many books such as Taiwan Yutu Kao (A Study of the Maps of Taiwan), Wenkai Shihwen Ji (An Anthology of Poetry by Wenkai), and Taiwan Fu (Prose of Taiwan), becoming known as the Father of Literature in the Eastern Seas. Lord Shen spent the rest of his life educating indigenous people in Shanhua. He is widely regarded as the Founding Father of Taiwanese Literature.
Chen Zih-yong
Chen Zih-yong was born in the 5th year of Cing Emperor Sianfong (1855) to a respected family at Beizaidian in Shanhua. Chen had a hao (pseudonym) of Mingciang and a birth name of Bozai. People thus called him Chen Zai-bo or Boshe. Chen was also the oldest son of Chen Guang-jhen a descendant of Prince Jheng Cheng-gong's general Chen Ci-long.The Japanese invaded Taiwan on the 21st year of Cing Emperor Guangsyu (1895). The Taiwanese gentry elites thus banded together to establish the Republic of Formosa, naming gov-ernor Tang Jing-song as the President of the Republic and General Liou Yong-fu as its military leader. General Liou appointed Chen Zih-yong as Liangtai (Commissioner of Army Provisions) and placed him in charge of recruiting, training, and supplying the Taiwanese army and volunteer militia. Chen also made a personal donation of 400,000 taels of silver towards the war effort.
On 3 June, 1895, the Japanese took Jilong and entered Taipei. President Tang Jing-song fled to Mainland China in secret. The Japa-nese army then turned southwards, reaching the northern banks of Zengwun River as they deployed their forces to surround Tainan. Knowing that all was lost, General Liou of the Republic also fled to Siamen. Battle of Tanpu at Shanhua was the final pitched battle of the Japanese invasion. The Taiwanese forces led by Chen were de-feated. Chen was ordered by this mother to flee to Siamen. After re-ceiving repeated pleas from his younger brother Chen Hong-ming and the seizure of his residence at Tainan, Chen Zih-yong finally de-cided to return to Beizaidian at Shanhua where he lived out his last days under Japanese surveillance and died without achieving his vengeance at the age of 54 years. Chen was laid to rest at Lingzailinpu of Shanhua. <Reference: Shanhua Jhen Jhih (Gazette of Shanhua Township)
Sun Jiang-huai
Sun Jiang-huai was born in the 40th year of the Japanese Emperor Mei-ji (1907) and had a varied personal experience working as a trader and notary. He was considered an archetypal citizen, and he is one of the few remaining centenarian notaries still alive today. Mr. Sun's advanced age has provided him with valuable historical mem-ories. In 2007, research assistant Lin Yu-ru, Dr.Wang Tai-sheng of the National Cheng Gong University College of Law, and Dr. Zeng Pin-cang who is currently an assistant professor at National Cheng Gong University conducted a series of interviews with Mr. Sun that lasted for half a year. Information gathered was then compiled and published in Daishu Bi, Shangren Fong: Baisuei renruei Sun Jianghuai Siansheng Fangwen Jilu (A Notary's Pen with a Flair of a Businessman: Interview Records with the Centenarian Mr. Sun Jiang-huai) in October, 2008.
Hu Long-bao
Hu Long-bao was born in 1910 and graduated from Kagi (Jiayi) Ag-ricultural and Forestry School. In 1946, Mr. Hu was successfully elected as a provisional congressman of Tainan County, which marked the beginning of his illustrious political career. The Guomin-dang County Headquarters was established in 1952, with Mr. Hu as the first Taiwanese serving as the County HQ director in the country. Mr. Hu will later serve as Tainan County Magistrate as well as the Executive General of the County Farmer's Association and Provincial Farmer's Association. Mr. Hu was the leader of the Hu Clan of Tainan County and the spiritual leader of the Shan (Mountain) Clan, acting as the mentor for a number of elite politicians in the subse-quent generations such as: Deputy Director-General of Executive Af-fairs Yang Bao-fa, legislator Gao Yu-ren, former legislators Guo Jyun-chih and Su Huo-deng, former county magistrate Li Ya-ciao, and national policy advisor Jhang Wun-sian.
Wang Jiou-ru
Wang Jiou-ru (1920-2013) was a native of Yanshan County of Hebei Province and graduated from Beiping Normal University. After the victory of the War of Resistance against Japan, Wang was trans-ferred with his unit to Shanhua and was assigned a teaching position at Shanhua Senior High School. Wang was an avid and practicing calligrapher, strictly adhering to his daily training routines for many decades. Wang gained recognition for the beauty of his Jheng (regular), Cao (grass / cursive), Li (clerical), and Jhuan (seal) scripts and winning many awards, including a prestigious one that marked him as a world-leading calligrapher. Wang was a humble and honorable Confucian gentleman, and spent his entire life pro-moting the beauty of Chinese calligraphy and giving instructions to students hailing from around the world. Wang also published books that include Jhongguo Wunzi Yuanliou Shih (A History of the Origins and Evolution of Chinese Words and Characters) and Jheng Cao Li Jhuan Hueitu Tangshih Sanbai Shou (An Illustrated Anthology of 300 Classical Tang Poetry written in Regular, Cursive, Clerical, and Seal Scripts.) These books are now regarded as standard academic and study texts in literature colleges and academies of Taiwan as well as perfect models of those studying the art of calligraphy.
Lin Geng-cing
Lin Geng-cing was born in 1923 and passed away in May, 2011. Mr. Lin was a member of a respected family in Shanhua and had exten-sive political experiences, having secured his positions as Shanhua Township public representative, deputy chairperson of the 6th Township Resident Representative Council, chairperson of the 7th and 8th Township Resident Representative Council, as well as a member of the 5th and 6th Taiwan Provincial Council by winning majority votes. Mr. Lin was well-loved by everyone in the region and readily provided assistance for the new generation of politicians. His deeds won him the support of the Provincial Governor. Mr. Sie Dong-min , former Provincial Governor, who also paid a personal visit to Mr. Lin as well. While serving as a provincial legislator, Mr. Lin was committed to securing the establishments of Shanhua Beer Brewery at Chenggong, construction of Mashan Bridge, public water systems in Shanhua District, meat product market, and the animal feed factory of Shanhua Farmer's Association, offering major con-tributions towards the development of Shanhua District.
Su Sian-da
Dr. Su Sian-da was born in Shanhua, Tainan in 1957 and is currently a Professor and Dean of the College of Music in the Taipei National University of the Arts, part-time professor of the Department of Mu-sic in National Taiwan Normal University, and the principal of the Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra. Dr. Su is a professional and perform-ing violinist. He began studying the piano when he was five years old, and his music mentors included Jheng Jhao-ming , Li Shu-de , and Chen Ciou-sheng .Dr. Su graduated from the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris (Normal University of Music of Paris) in France, re-ceiving a Diplôme supérieur de Concertiste de violon et Musique de chambre (Diploma for performing chamber music with the violin) in 1986. Due to his excellent performance when studying in Paris, Dr. Su acquired a position in the century-old Concerts Lamoureux Sym-phonic Orchestra in Paris and led the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris orchestra. Dr. Su was also the recipient of the Alfred Cortot fel-lowship on many occasions. The reserved and solid music perfor-mance of violinists H. Szeryng and G. Poulet are both heavily influ-enced by Dr. Su as well. In 1986, Dr. Su was invited to give a per-formance tour around the central and southern region of France in Chartre, Chamonix, Lyon, and other French cities. Upon completing his studies in France, Dr. Su returned to Taiwan where he worked in the professional music field for many years, making him one of the few musicians who achieved outstanding achievements in both stu-dent instruction and music performance. Dr. Su was invited four times for solo performances at the Music Festival at Jieshou Hall in the Office of the President. In 1995, he was selected as one of the ten outstanding youths of the Republic of China. In 1999, the CD album titled Taiwan Cing - Tairan Sin (Taiwanese Passion - Trans-cendent Soul) wins the best classical music album of 1999 Golden Melody Awards (GMA).
Despite having lived abroad for many years, Dr. Su is still mindful of the art and cultural activities of his homeland in Tainan. He has held a performance entitled 1/4 Century of Determination - 25th Anniversary Solo Performance of Dr. Su Sian-da's return to Taiwan, and participated in the Yoichi Hatta Memorial Musical, providing ac-claimed performances in both events. (Summarised from the college of music faculty introduction of the Taipei National University of the Arts.)
Huang Da-jhou
In 1994, Dr. Huang represented the Guomindang Party in the Taipei City Mayor elections but lost. He later served as the Minister of Re-search, Development and Evaluation Commission, Executive Yuan as well as the President of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee. After completing his term as the President of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, Dr. Huang returned to his hometown to reconnect with his profession in agricultural sciences and began managing straw-berry farms in Shanhua District. He experimented with elevated strawberry cultivation methods, which aimed at growing strawber-ry plants on racks so that farmers would not have to bend their backs or knees during harvesting. Dr. Huang is also currently a pro-fessor at Tokyo University. (Summarised from Wikipedia.) Born in 1936 at Shanhua Jie, Tainan Jhou (modern day Shanhua District of Tainan City), Dr. Huang was a Taiwanese politician of the Guomin-dang party. Graduated from the National Taiwan University and con-sidered a protégé of Li Dang-huei, Dr. Huang achieved a PhD in ag-riculture from Cornell University (1971). Dr. Huang's political career was often supported by Li Dang-huei, and served as the Secretary General of the Taiwan Provincial Government and Secretary General of the Taipei City Government. Dr. Huang served as the acting mayor of Taipei City in May, 1990, and became the official mayor of Taipei City in October of the same year.
City council member: Lin Jhih-jhan
Dr. Huang's current public post is that of a people's representative.