許清曉(Clement C.S.Hsu, MD): Hsu family’s annual reunion trip

Hawaii always reminds me of my first fleeting 8-hour stop-over visit while on my way from Taiwan to America in 1965, and the circumstances surrounding it.

By 1965, I had finished medical school, and two more years of required services in Taiwan before being allowed (by the government) to leave the island.

[I was an ROC Naval Medical Officer for 11 months.]

[Studying in the dorm, 1963, the last year of med. school. Driven and determined]

Those two years included one military service (one month in the army training and 11 months in the ROC navy as a medical officer), and another year in the National Taiwan University Hospital as a first year medical resident. I was the last of the three sons to leave the family; two brothers had left years earlier to the United States and to France. I could have stayed in Taiwan, be a filial son and accompany my parents, and build a nice lucrative practice. But I was eager to leave for America, for a better training in medicine and for an opportunity to be outstanding in medical research. And there was another compelling reason for me, i.e. to get away from the rule of Chiang Kai-shek’s authoritarian government that was totally corrupt, tyrannical and considered Taiwanese a second-rate citizen. My parents, hoping for a better life for their children, gave their blessings, probably not fully realizing that after my departure, there would be little chance for us to live together in Taiwan again. The next time I saw them in person was 1971 visit back home with my wife and two little boys (they stayed with my parents for nearly 6 months), and 1972-1973 when my mother came to the US for treatment of lymphoma that eventually took her life.

Here is some brief history of Taiwan. Taiwan had been a colony of Japan since the defeat of China in a Sino-Japanese war in 1895, according to the peace Treaty of Shimonoseki. After the 1945 Japanese defeat in the WWII, Japan gave up Taiwan according to the San Francisco Peace Treaty (1951-Sept-8). However, after the war, the commander of the US Army Forces of Far East, Douglas MacArthur, ordered Chiang to take a foothold in Taiwan in 1947. Chiang brought his ragtag soldiers that was so corrupt and utterly defeated by Mao’s communist army to the island and formed a government-in-exile, Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan, claiming the island to be a part of China and exercised the martial law for more than 35 years, the longest known in the world’s history. (In 1955, U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, co-author of the Peace Treaty, affirmed that the treaty ceded Taiwan to no one; that Japan "merely renounced sovereignty over Taiwan".) Instead of building up Taiwan, as Japan did during its colonial rule, Chiang Kai-shek and his Kuomingtang party (KMT) slaughtered tens of thousands of Taiwanese leaders and intellectuals (2-28 massacre in 1947), taming some subservient Taiwanese, manipulated and corrupted Taiwanese minds, and stole billions of money from Taiwan. KMT became the richest political party in the world with billions of dollars taken from Taiwanese, and continues to use it in various ways to suppress the democracy. (To be fair, CKS’s son Chiang Ching-kuo, after being the head of secret police for years and executed innumerable injustices and atrocities to Taiwanese, including murders of Taiwanese scholars, did build up Taiwan’s economy in 1980’s --not forgetting to enrich pockets of many high-level KMTs-- and declared he is also a Taiwanese. These changes were probably made partly under US pressure after his son, Chiang SW and the KMT’s powerful intelligence unit, together with some underground figures, masterminded the assassination of an author living in the US, California, Liu Yih-liang in 1984, who wrote CCK’s biography.)

[It was the high school when KMT started to have spy students infiltrating each class.]

Prior to the medical school, I attended Cheng-gong (meaning “success”) Middle School in Taipei, a stronghold of KMT party members. This middle school used to be the one for Taiwanese students during the Japanese rule. But after KMT takeover of Taiwan, teachers were replaced by hardcore KMT members (teaching ability varied immensely) and each of our senior high school classes had two party members infiltrating as students to watch over us! I saw the old wrinkled KMT membership card of one spy student myself, which was in his bag, (while we were fooling around during the class! I was an adolescent, semi-kid then). Then I realized what was the nature of those clones of “students” who joined our classes weeks after the school opened. This is a fairly long but interesting story that I should write about later. (The names of the two in our class were Cheng Gong, who later, is said to have become some professor in Hong-Kong, and Yiu Jinn-nien. Probably because of their party credentials, I noted that teachers were obviously afraid to antagonize those spy students.)

Current Taiwan “president” Ma Ing-Jeou, son of a hard-core KMT member and a Chiang-loyalist, was a spy student in Harvard watching over other Taiwanese students. He got elected in 2008 by cheating voters that he would protect Taiwan's sovereignty, and is now trying to sell out Taiwan to PRC! A person’s slimy personality formed during youth never changes.

At present, the Taiwan's democracy is protected by the US Congress' Taiwan Relations Act(1979), and Six Assurances (1982)."

During the Middle School years, I was gradually awakened to the political oppression and injustices to Taiwanese by the corrupt KMT gangs, and was eager to be freed to either Japan or USA. My wish to leave Taiwan was firm, driven further by my wish to be a first rate medical researcher in the US.

Most of the Taiwanese immigrated to Taiwan from Southern parts of China 300-400 years ago and there were intermarriages with aborigines. Therefore, most Taiwanese were primarily the descendent of Southern Chinese, which by itself is quite mixed, including some Arabic blood. (My maternal grandmother's surname was Ding. Ding family's ancestral temple in a southern Chinese province is said to have Arabic writings on its front door!) But the DNA or the language/culture of the people does not decide their nationality. Otherwise, Singapore should be a part of China, and America would still be a part of Great Britain! It is the love of freedom, equality, democracy and justice that decides which nationality we would like to identify with. Now we are Taiwanese-Americans and stand fully for the Taiwan’s independence by referendum.

[In 1965, going abroad is an important, big adventure, a major undertaking in one's life. Relatives, friends came to the airport to send us off. ]

[From right, classmate Lee Chi-Shue(deceased), and Chang Chang-Shee couple (living in Portland), mom, and me]

[From left: mom, Su Shih-Min, me, Fu Yen-Jen, and Wang Shih-Tsong of high school (facing back, became an engineer). The one completely hiding behind him was Wang Jeng-Shiong I believe.]

[Yui-Li's family also came to send me off. Her second eldest brother Dr. Wu Jun-Shiong, eldest brother, me, her eldest sisters' family of four, her sister Jun-shiou, and eldest sister-in-law]

[Yui-Li's eldest sister, her husband surgeon Hsu Bao-li, and Chi-Ping and Chi-Shuan. Dr. Hsu, who was one of the only few surgeons holding up the Surgical Department of the National Taiwan University Hospital at the time when it was still a frail, young, training hosptial that was turned over to Taiwanese from Japanese professors. There are many elder surgeons in Taiwan or US, who were student-trainee of Dr. Hsu. He is 90 years old now, sufferred a stroke early this year, and is wheelchair-bound]

[With Uncle #3, who was living in Tokyo.]

[With Uncle #4 in front of Kabukiza]

[Me, in front of Akamon, or Red Gate, the symbol of Tokyo University]

[I believe this was the Tokyo University Hospital]

Now back to the original story, I left Taiwan on 1965-06-12, flew to Tokyo, and stayed for a week at Uncle #4’s apartment. He showed me around Tokyo, including my father’s alma mater, Waseda University, and visited Uncle #3. But actually, my mind was very tense since I left Taiwan, because of future uncertainties. I was hardly able to enjoy Tokyo that I heard and read so much about. When Uncle #4 sent me off at Haneda Airport on 06-25, he should be able to see me trembling from nervousness , of heading into a western world for the first time in my life to fight for my future. (It was the only time in my life that I was visibly shaking from tension.)

[Brother Chris, studying for PhD in Psychology in North Carolina]

I was to fly to North Carolina (I do not remember exactly which airport now), to meet with my brother Chris. The plane stopped at Hawaii, probably Honolulu, for 8 hours. I and 3 or 4 other travelers took a cab and went to a beach. I remember it was a wide beach with few people. It was beautiful, I suppose. I was not in a mood to appreciate anything, and did not even thought of taking a picture there. That was my first visit to Hawaii.

[Yui-Li left for the US about one month before me, to Summit, NJ. It was 40 minutes distance by bus from Jersey City Medical Center where I started working in the US. We were engaged by then. We were both lucky that we had some small income as an intern and a student nurse as soon as we arrive at US.]

Forty-six years later, 25 years in the US and then 18 years in Taiwan to serve in their medical community, and retired for 3 years, all 11 family members of mine gathered in Maui Westin Hotel. I and Yui-li, with my son Felix’ family of five, who lives across the street from our house, arrived at Kahului Airport on Maui on 7/23. Another son, Ben’s family of four, arrived earlier from Sacramento the same day.

I only had a faint impression of Hawaii being a group of islands. Now, by reviewing google info in the laptop I carried during the trip (the hotel provided free wireless connection for the customers), I had the chance to know them better. There are four groups of islands: Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and Big Island (also called Hawaii; “w” in the middle of a word is pronounced “v”), all formed by the volcanic activity. My sons arranged to visit Maui, and also chose the Hotel Westin to stay for one week. Obviously, all four islands are attractive to tourists, but Oahu, where Honolulu, Waikiki beach, Pearl Harbor were located, and where the 1954 Oscar-winning movie “From here to eternity” was filmed, was said to be “ugly” according to a local vendor because there are “buildings all over”. Other islands look more like a country side with natural beauty of mountains and oceans. Maui, viewed from the window of our hotel does look like a paradise, with azure sea, coconut trees, swimming pools, and blue sky. The whole island has only a few buildings that are taller than 3 stories. Kauai and Big Island are similar, probably.

[Maui is shaped like a man's head, neck and upper torso, facing down. Westin, Marriott and Hyatt Hotels are located in the Ka'anapali, the high forehead area.]

[The front side of Westin. We were unloading.]

[The big tree in front of the Westin.]

[Walking into the lobby of Westin, you see the water fall.]

[Elegant postures of flamingoes make people so relaxed.]

[Back yard side of the Westin in the evening, after we arrived.]

[The supper after the arrival was at the restaurant by the pool side.]

Despite both English and Hawaiian being the spoken languages, all streets and location names are in Hawaiian and were very difficult for us to pronounce or to remember. The ethnic composition is approximately 25% white, 39% Asian and 10% Hawaiian. Or, according to the ancestry, 13.6% Filipino, 12.6% Japanese, 9.0% Polynesian, 7.4% German, 5.2% Irish, and several others in lesser percentages.

[Coat of Arms of Kingdom of Hawaii, and the State flag--the only one with British flag being a part of it.]

Hawaii had a monarchy, House of Kamahemahe from 1811 till 1872 (instituted the constitutional form of government, western laws, freedom of religion, and allowed private land ownership for the first time), which was followed by House of Kalakaua till 1887. After this, was quite a confusion, with landing of US and British troops, establishment of constitution and Republic of Hawaii from 1894 till 1898, and finally, annexation by the US in 1898 as the Territory of Hawaii. In 1959, it joined the US as a state of Hawaii.

At the end of the monarchy there were some personalities we need to be familiar with. David La’mea Kamanakapu ‘u Mahilulani Lumialani Kalakaua (1836-1891)(upper left) . He was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Known as the Merrie Monarch, Kalukaua supported the revival of the vibrant Hula dance, which is so unique to Hawaii, and was banned in 1830. He reigned from 1874-1891. After him, there was a last Queen Liliuokakani’s (1838-1917) niece, Princes Ka’iulani, or Victoria Ka’iulani Kalaninuiahilapalapa Kawekiu I Lunililo Cleghorn (1875-1899)(upper right), who was heir to the throne and held the title of crown princess. Ka’iulani became known throughout the world for her intelligence, beauty and determination. After the monarchy was overthrown, she spearheaded the campaign to restore the Kingdom. She died at age 24, but left some beautiful melodies of Hawaii which we are now so familiar with.

Hawaii’s main industries are tourism, coffee, sugar, pineapple, livestock, etc. Its per capita income for the resident is about $30,000, and jobless rate in 2009 was 6.9%. Tourism is obviously the main source of income, 24.3% of Gross State Product in 1997.

The Time in Hawaii is 5 hours later than Dallas, i.e. 8 PM Hawaii time is 1 AM in Dallas (I did not adjust the time in my camera, therefore the date on the photo is 5 hours later than that of Dallas). We arrived at about 5 PM at Kahului Airport, and rented a car at the airport. This turned out to be the most important action to be taken by any tourist, because without a car, there is no way you can go to see national parks, any other scenic places, or shopping areas. Felix, who has been to another island before, had done map research and drove to the hotel and other places as if he had been living here. Actually some people mistook him as a local Hawaiian because of his tan and muscles! We met with Ben’s family and started one week of activities in the beach, dinners at various places, drove to IAO Valley and Haleakala National Park with dormant volcanoes, and snorkeled. Actually, seeing 5 grandkids playing around together and families looking happy, was the most satisfying for us.

[Next evening at the Hula Grill]

[Next morning, with a cup of Starbuck coffee, reading newspaper in front of the flamingo pond. But a bird on the tree left a dropping on my right shoulder!]

[While some took boat ride, we had a stroll at a nearby shopping area, Dragon Wall.]

[The following evening, by 5:30 PM, we went to the Lahaina Luau to have dinner and see a show. Quite an expensive dinner!]

[origami art with a leaf!]

[The view of hotels from Lahaina Luau with zoom shot]

[The dinner started with almost ceremonial pig roasted under heated sands]

[More than the good sceneries, more than the fine food and drink, more than the exotic Hawaiian Hula dance and its stories, we enjoyed the family get together the most!]