This book is a record by Fan Rongying, granddaughter of White Terror victim Tsai Tzai-
Hsiu, of her grandfather’s “leftist life”. It also chronicles her own reflections on and
reinterpretations of intergenerational life experiences in the face of family history and
intergenerational conflict.
The first section chronicles the life of Tsai Tzai-Hsiu. Born into a family of impoverished
tenant farmers, he found his intellectual awakening through participation in leftist
reading groups and languished as a political prisoner during the White Terror.
The second section centers on Fan Rongying’s “confession”, tracing her journey of
relentless questioning, writing, and combing through historical archives to uncover her
grandfather’s story and understand her family.
Born into the “natural independence generation,” the author navigates mutual
understanding and deep appreciation with her grandfather, a “believer in socialism,”
while also maintaining a balanced relationship with her mother. Her explorations of
these complex yet enduring bonds are the most moving aspect of this book.