The Activist on the Buffalo –Jian Ji and the Centennial of the Fongshan Peasants Union
Introduction
In the 1920s, a group of young people dedicated themselves to protecting Taiwan's rural villages and supporting the livelihoods of impoverished tenant farmers. Among them, Jian Ji (1903–1951)—known as "the revolutionary with a violin" was deeply respected by farmers and admired by intellectuals. However, his actions also aroused suspicion from those in power, resulting in his stigmatization.
In 1925, Jian Ji helped Kaohsiung farmers establish the " Fongshan Peasants Union," evolving from its predecessor, the " Fongshan Tenant Farmers Union," was the earliest farmers' movement organization in Taiwan. Jian Ji and a generation of aspiring youth traveled throughout Taiwan's rural areas, triggering wave after wave of social movements.
This special exhibition aims to restore the deserved respect for Jian Ji and the pioneers who participated in the farmers' movement. Through their achievements, we look back at how these individuals advocated for local communities, bravely resisted oppression, and even during times of change, were willing to sacrifice their freedom and lives to uphold humanitarian ideals and compassion.
A｜The Power of Family, Nurturing Seeds of Change
Jian Ji dedicated his entire life to Taiwan's farmers.
Born in 1903 in the rural area of Xinjia, Fongshan, he led the masses to fight for their rights and social justice. Despite oppression from different regimes, he never wavered in his convictions, even sacrificing his life for the cause. This left-wing giant, nearly forgotten by history, came from a common poor farming family. Through education, he transformed his life and built a modest but stable life for his family. His wife Chen He (1904-1990) and their five children, with gentle yet unwavering strength, quietly supported and wrote chapters of Taiwan's farmers' movement history through their simple lifestyle.
B｜The Bitter Truth Behind Sugar
After Japan took control of Taiwan in 1895, they improved both the quality and quantity of sugar production through modern sugar manufacturing technology. Taiwan’s modernized sugar factories not only made Japan self-sufficient in sugar, but by the late 1930s, Japan's sugar exports briefly ranked among the top three in the world. This success was built on a system that allowed sugar factories to obtain stable sugarcane supplies while forcing cane farmers to become dependent on the factories, creating an unfair class relationship.In 1925, Jian Ji led the Fongshan Peasants Union to enlighten sugarcane farmers and resist sugar capitalists. This torch of sugarcane farmers' struggle was lit by Jian Ji in Fongshan and quickly spread throughout Taiwan. The rise of the farmers' movement was related to various disputes between tenant farmers and landlords at that time, and was also driven by the social movement trends of the era, especially the activities related to the Taiwan Cultural Association, which indirectly spurred farmers' to resist.
C｜Cycling Through the Fog of History
During the Taisho democracy era, labor-capital disputes and landlord-tenant conflicts increased dramatically in mainland Japan. In the early Showa period, the Japanese military gradually rose to power while party politics declined. During Japan's first general election in 1928, due to blatant party interference, the post-election government launched a massive arrest of communists, banned the Labor-Farmer Party, and suppressed leftist activities. The global economic depression of the 1930s severely impacted Japanese capitalism, leading to economic deterioration and revealing Japan's militaristic ambitions for aggression. After 1931, Japan triggered a series of incidents in China including the September 18 Incident, January 28 Incident, and Marco Polo Bridge Incident. Under the "1936 Crisis Theory," Taiwan became Japan's southward expansion base. Through these political and economic upheavals, Taiwan's social movements gradually waned. After World War II, Taiwan once again faced the severe challenges of dramatic changes in a new era. In these two waves of tremendous change, Jian Ji and his companions all became victims of their time.