Hei-yuan Chiu, a pioneering Taiwanese sociologist, was born in Sichuan during World
War II and moved to Taiwan at the age of three. In the 1960s, he was both a part of the
first generation that built the academic foundations of sociology in Taiwan and a key
participant in the nation’s democratic transition and social reforms.
His daughter, writer Hsiao-wei Chiu, came of age in the 1990s observing his public
presence—standing with student leaders of the Wild Lily Student Movement, writing
for newspapers, and, later on, advocating for Taiwan Public Television and educational
reform. His striking white hair, frequently captured in protest photographs, became a
symbol of resilience in times of struggle.
In this work, Hsiao-wei reflects on her father’s lifelong commitment to fieldwork and
activism, uncovering his untold stories alongside the unfinished narratives of Taiwan’s
not-so-distant past.