Yang Kui

Yang Kui (Chinese: 楊逵; pinyin: Yáng Kuí; Wade–Giles: Yang K'uei; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Iûⁿ Kùi; 18 October 1906 – 12 March 1985) or Yō Ki, originally named Yang Kui (楊貴), was a Taiwanese writer and social activist born in Tainan, Taiwan. He used pen names such as Yang-kuei (楊逵), Yang Chien-wen (楊建文), Lai Chien-erh (賴健兒), Lin Ssu-wen (林泗文), and Ito Ryo (伊東 亮). Raised in Japanese-language schools, Yang Kui went to the Japanese mainland, where he experienced both persecution and acceptance, especially by Japanese communists. Under these influences he became a proletarian novelist. After World War II, he was imprisoned by the Kuomintang government from 1949 to 1961. After being released from prison, he had to learn the Chinese language from his granddaughter Yang Tsui, as Japanese had been the common language of Taiwan until the time of his imprisonment. Yang Kuei actively participated in various social movements and organizations, including the Taiwan Peasants’ Association during the Japanese rule period, the Taiwanese Cultural Association, Taiwan Alliance for Literature and Arts, and the opposition movement after the arrival of the Nationalist government. In honor of Yang Kuei, the Yang Kui Literature Memorial Museum was established in Xinhua District, Tainan City. It officially opened on November 27, 2005, and features Yang Kuei's manuscripts, documents, such as the first edition of "The Newspaper Carrier" translated by Hu Feng (胡風) and published by Tung Hua Book Co. in 1947, and other artifacts.