Chou Ting-shan
Chou Ting-shan, originally named Chou Huoshu, with courtesy name Ke Ya and pseudonym Yi Hou, was affectionately known as "Mr. Respite" or "an old man of respite". He was a significant writer who straddled the boundary between the old and new literature during the Japanese rule period. He hailed from Lukang Township in Changhua County, Taiwan.
Chou Ting-shan was born in Lukang Street, Changhua County, Taichū Prefecture, during the Japanese rule period in Taiwan. His early life was marked by modest means, and he worked as a carpenter and apprentice in a fabric store. However, due to his solid foundation of knowledge in classical Chinese literature and language, he was later employed as a teacher, forsaking his career in commerce. Throughout his life, he held various other positions, such as reporter, editor, head of the Civil Affairs Department in Huwei Township, and cataloger at Taichung Library.
Activities
In 1958, Chou Ting-shan founded the Respite Recitation Society in Lukang and served as its president. Most of the society's members were local residents of Lukang, establishing a strong bond with the community. In his later years, he taught Chinese in Lukang. Chou's literary works are mostly poetry, encompassing essays, prose, and novels, as well.In his spare time, he was active in the poetry scene in Taiwan and maintained connections with renowned northern poets such as Yu Youren, Chia Ching-teh, Chen Han-kuang, and so on. Even upon his return to his hometown, he continued to intermittently attend poetry gatherings such as the Fengyuan Fu Chun Poetry Society and the Taichung Yun Hsiang Poetry Society. Later, employed by Lukang Township Office, he taught Chinese at Chuan Chiao Hall and imparted his knowledge of calligraphy all over Lukang. In his late years, despite frequently suffering from illness as well as the pain of losing his acquaintances and even his own son, he remained dedicated to teaching.