Chung Li-Ho, a legendary Taiwanese literary writer

The statue of Chung, Li-Ho

Chung, Li-Ho (鍾理和, 1915-60), was one of the representative Hakka writers of Taiwanese literature in the post-war era. His great work was inspired by his legendary life and surrounding people.


Chung was born in a landlord family in Pingtung, then migrated to Meinong with his family that owned a farm under Mountain Li (笠山), where he has known his soulmate, his Muse and his children's mom, Chung, Tai-Mei (鍾台妹) who was the worker on his farm. Their relationship was regarded as taboo due to the class difference and their same surname. Then they eloped to Northern China for escaping the conservative community and Japanese ruling for pursuing the dream in the mainland.

As a family migrated from the Japanese colony, their life in China was not easy at all. They were neither accepted nor fairly treated by Chinese. Even after Japan was defeated in the World War II, they were regarded as slaves who lost their country. He had no choice but returned to Taiwan after his mainland dream has fallen. His work "The torture of white potato (白薯的悲哀), " reflected his confused identity.

Leaving discriminated environment for the hometown, he was unable to settle down due to tuberculosis infection. He was forced to separate with his family and sent to the nurse room in Taipei where he has lost six ribs to keep him alive. He could not do anything but took rest and observed surrounding people, especially farmers after he went back to Mountain Li. The stories of how the unremarkable tenants bravely faced the challenges in their lives have become the materials of his works such as "A-Yuan (阿遠)" and  "Old Wood-Cutters(老樵夫).

After winning the second prize for Zhonghua Literature by his novel "The Farm under Li-Mountain (笠山農場)", he has known other Taiwanese writers and started to communicate with them by nail mails. These friends not only motivated him in his last years but also offered great help after he passes away at age 46 because of tuberculosis.

The movie "My Native Land"

In memory of his brilliant performance in literature, his old friends, who are prominent literary figures in Taiwan, combining the assistance from the public, have unveiled the first citizen writer memorial hall in Taiwan that is situated under Mountain Li, his homeland.

Chung Li-Ho Memorial Hall

In addition to introducing his legendary lifetime, Chung Li-Ho Memorial Hall has collected and shown his handwriting scripts to commemorate the fabulous writer.

The exhibition space in the memorial hall

Chung's literature has spread by many ways. His articles are collected and published while his life has been filmed as "My Native Land (原鄉人)" by the director Li, Hsing, with the hottest movie stars playing the roles of Mr and Mrs Chung in 1980. Moreover, the outstanding musician Lin, Sheng Xiang (林生祥), who comes from the same village with Chung, has released an album "The Land is my Study (大地書房)" that rephrases Chung's ideas by music.

The cover of the album "The Land is my Study"

Furthermore, followed Chung's concerns to the land, Chung Li-Ho Cultural and Educational Foundation had been established in 1989. Since 1996 every summer a literature camp named by Chung is held under Mountain Li, reminding the public Chung's contribution to literature.

Chung Li-Ho Memorial Hall
Address: No.95, Chaoyuan, Meinong Dist., Kaohsiung City 843, Taiwan (Map)
Opening time: 9 AM to 5 PM every Tuesday to Sunday