Chao Tien-yi

Chao Tien-yi, a native of Taichung city, was a Taiwanese poet, critic, and professor, using the pen name Liu Wen-che. He held positions such as professor and acting department chair at the Philosophy Department of National Taiwan University. Chao actively participated in literary societies like the Li Poetry Society, serving as the chief editor for publications such as Li Poetry, Taiwan Literary Arts, Taiwan Veracity, and Man-tien-hsing. He received numerous awards, including the Oxford Award for Taiwan Writers.

Biography

During his secondary and high school years, Chao Tien-yi began reading poetry, classical Chinese novels, martial arts fiction, and contemporary Chinese literature. He wrote poetry extensively, studied the works of predecessors from the Japanese-ruled era and the early post-war period, and frequently engaged in literary discussions with friends like Pai Chiu. In 1962, Chao published his first poetry collection, A Visit to the Orchard, which featured works from his high school, university, and graduate school years.

Activities

In 1964, Chao Tien-yi co-founded the Li Poetry Society and participated in the editing of the Li Poetry. He also planned and edited anthologies like the Formosa Poetry Collection. Chao was a prolific poetry critic and authored several collections of critical essays, including Aesthetics and Criticism, The Naked King, Poetic and Aesthetic Sense, and Modern Aesthetics.
In 1974, the NTU Department of Philosophy Incident erupted, resulting in the dismissal of 12 full-time and part-time faculty members, including Chao Tien-yi. Subsequently, at the recommendation of his mentor Chi Pang-yuan, he joined the National Institute for Compilation and Translation and authored the book The Truth Behind the NTU Department of Philosophy Incident in 1979.
Chao Tien-yi served as the Chairman of the Taiwan Provincial Children's Literature Association, actively promoting the creation and exchange of children's literature in the country. Additionally, he wrote an article titled "The Development of the Taiwan Poetry Scene in the Past Twenty Years", providing an overview of the post-war two decades of development in the Taiwanese poetry scene.