A premier and his economic miracle
Of the “three giants of finance,” during Taiwan’s early stages of economic development, Yin Chung-jung died in 1963 and Yen Chia-kan retired due to illness in 1986. But it was K.T. Li who had the most lasting influence on and made the greatest contribution to Taiwan’s economy. In the subsequent generation, Sun Yun-suan (1913–2006), Chao Yao-dong and others built on the legacy of the three giants, and facilitated Taiwan’s transformation from an agricultural to an industrial society and the shift from traditional industries to high-tech fields.
As public figures of great stature, both K.T. Li and Sun Yun-suan worked selflessly for the good of the country. For most of their lives, neither owned property, and lived instead in government housing for two to three decades, toiling in the public interest.
The Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum, which opened on October 30, 2014, is located in Taipei’s Zhongzheng District at Lane 6, Chongqing South Road Section 2, near the Taipei Botanical Garden. It was Sun’s official residence while he served as premier. Constructed between 1904 and 1905, it originally served as a residence for officials from the Japanese-era Bank of Taiwan (the forerunner of today’s state-owned Bank of Taiwan). In the postwar era, it continued to house bank officials until 1978.
As premier, Sun first lived in a Japanese-era official residence on Section 2 of Jinan Road where he had been living since his days as president of the Taiwan Power Company. The widening of Jinan Road, however, reduced the size of house’s courtyard, and the tight living quarters had always made it inconvenient to host visitors. President Chiang Ching-kuo repeatedly urged a reshuffling of official residences, and in 1980 Sun moved into the new compound, which measures more than 2800 square meters. He remained there for 26 years until his death in February 2006.
When Sun moved in, however, he found that nearly half the structure had been damaged by termites. That portion was torn down and replaced with a Western-style structure, which was combined with the undamaged portion of the Japanese-style building, resulting in today’s East-meets-West appearance. Because of its historical and cultural significance, the residence, after Sun’s death, was quickly designated as one of Taipei’s historic sites and refurbished.
Cai Yijun, director of the Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum, enthusiastically explains that the memorial includes both the Western and the Japanese-style structures. The former focuses on Sun’s life as a public servant, the latter his private life. The reception area in the Western-style structure is the only part of the building that retains its original appearance.
In the Western-style exhibition hall, there is a small-scale replica of an obelisk with an inscription by President Chiang Kai-shek that reads “Spread light across the land.” The actual monument, which stands on the boundary between Nantou and Hualien Counties, commemorates the construction in the early 1950s of high-voltage lines to feed hydroelectric power across the mountains from Eastern Taiwan, under Sun’s leadership as chief engineer at the Taiwan Power Company. But this was far from being Sun’s only accomplishment.
Born in Penglai, Shandong Province, Sun graduated from the Harbin Institute of Technology. Just after the war, at the beginning of his time at Taipower, he gathered around him hundreds of specialists and through tireless efforts restored 80% of the nation’s electrical infrastructure, which had been destroyed during the war, in a five-month period—a powerful rebuke to Japanese taunts that Taiwan would return to the “dark ages” within three months.
The passage leading to the Japanese-style residence is adorned with family pictures, including photos of Sun dancing with his wife, Yu Hui-hsuen, laughing with his kids in the courtyard, and reading with his grandchildren while lying on the floor. Along both walls of the hallway run railings that his son had installed to help Sun learn to walk again after he suffered a stroke and was confined to a wheelchair.
The space displays Sun’s original diary and an installation that allows visitors to flip through a digitized version. It includes a passage by Chiang Ching-kuo that still moves people to tears. “To me, you are more than a brother,” it reads. “Once I found out you had had a stroke, I came to see you 28 times.”
In photos, Sun takes on the stern, determined appearance of “the eternal premier” (a nickname by which he was known), but love letters to his wife show a more delicate side. “My most beloved companion,” he begins with his typical form of address. “People say that love can be as deep as the ocean, but my love for you is deeper even than the deepest parts of the Pacific, the deepest of all oceans.”
With the melodies of Chopin floating through the exhibition hall, one can imagine the charming spectacle of Sun and his wife dancing lightly to the strains of music.
Under the skilled hands of an architect, the old chauffeur’s quarters have been remodeled to serve as a small new exhibition space containing cultural and artistic products. The exterior has been fitted with plate glass that reflects the greenery of the garden. In order not to interfere with the visual integrity of the main building, part of the new exhibition space has been moved underground. It provides a venue for, among other things, lectures, meetings, and cultural activities, such as the regular meetings of the TSMC Literary Salon, cosponsored by the TSMC Education and Culture Foundation and the United Daily News. By honoring his lofty ideals, the memorial hopes to blend the old and the new, operate as a sustainable enterprise, and introduce the public to the immortal spirit of Sun Yun-suan.
Strolling through south Taipei, we can experience the past through the architecture and atmosphere of residences from bygone days.
K.T. Li’s residence is well preserved. The decorations in the living room, the furnishings in the study, the bedrooms, and even the plants in the the courtyard are just as they were in Li’s lifetime.
K.T. Li’s residence is well preserved. The decorations in the living room, the furnishings in the study, the bedrooms, and even the plants in the the courtyard are just as they were in Li’s lifetime.
K.T. Li fashioned a primitive pedometer using just Chinese chess pieces and walnuts, an example of his life’s stoic simplicity
K.T. Li, thorough in all things, elaborates on his economic concepts through charts and data. His persistence allowed him to achieve great things as a public servant. (courtesy of K.T. Li’s Residence)
K.T. Li’s calendar, of the type he used for years, sits on the front of his desk. The last entry is from May 20, 2001, the day Li collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.
Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum
Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum
Sun Yun-suan inspects the progress of a construction project. (courtesy of the Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum)
Sun and his wife, Yu Hui-hsuen, at home in their twilight years. (courtesy of the Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum)
The exhibition hall features an obelisk with an inscription by Chiang Kai-shek reading “spread light across the land.” It reflects Sun Yun-suan’s success in the arduous task of building an east–west power transmission line across Taiwan’s high mountains while he was chief engineer of the Taiwan Power Company.
Sun Yun-suan’s original diary is on display in the museum. The passages provide a blueprint for Taiwan’s economic development.
K.T. Li (left) and Sun Yun-suan (right) advocated for the founding of the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park—now known as the Hsinchu Science Park—and formulated early national policy for Taiwan’s technology sector. Both are figures of national stature and unquestioned integrity who worked tirelessly to promote the national interest. (courtesy of the Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum)
The museum’s newest exhibition space provides a venue for lectures, meetings, and cultural activities. By honoring his lofty ideals, the memorial hopes to carry on the immortal spirit of Sun Yun-suan. (courtesy of the Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum)