- Taiwan the Formosa
"Taiwan the Formosa" (sometimes "Taiwan the Green";
pe̍h-ōe-jī : "Tâi-oân Chhùi-chhiⁿ"; Chinese: 台灣翠青) is apoem written (conceived in 1977; finalized in 1993) by Taiwanese poet and clergyman Tīⁿ Jî-gio̍k (John Jyi-giokk Ti'n, Er-Yu Cheng), set to music between 1988 and 1993 byneo-Romantic Taiwanese composerTyzen Hsiao . The text represents an early example of the popular verse that emerged from theTaiwanese literature movement in the 1970s and 80s. In 1994 Hsiao used thishymn to conclude his "1947 Overture" for soprano, choir and orchestra. [ [http://www.answers.com/topic/1947-overture 1947 Overture] ",Answers.com "] ."Taiwan the Formosa" has been popular with pro-democracy activists and has been adopted by the Taiwan independence movement as a proposed
national anthem for a futureRepublic of Taiwan . [Shih Hsiu-chuan [http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2006/05/18/2003308786 "Pro-independence supporters promote 'Taiwan the Green' for national anthem"] ",Taipei Times , 5/18/2006"] The first stanza issecular . The second has overtChristian references in keeping with the poet's vocation as a minister in thePresbyterian Church in Taiwan . The second verse is intended only for performance inchurch settings or similarly appropriate environments.Original text
The poem was originally written in Taiwanese
pe̍h-ōe-jī . It has subsequently been translated into other languages, such as Hakka (by another clergyman Hiû San-hiùng).:"Thài-pêng-iûⁿ se-lâm hái-piⁿ, bí-lē-tó Tâi-oân chhùi-chhiⁿ.":"Chá-chêng hō͘ gōa-pang thóng-tī, kiàn-kok taⁿ teh chhut-thâu-thiⁿ.":"Kiōng-hô-kok hiàn-hoat ê ki-chhó͘, sù-cho̍k-kûn pêng-téng saⁿ hia̍p-chō͘.":"Jîn-lūi bûn-hòa, sè-kài hô-pêng, kok-bîn hiòng-chêng kòng-hiàn châi-lêng.":"Choè goân-thaû Siōng-tè chhòng-chō, bí-lē-tó Tâi-oân choè-hó.":"Siúⁿ-sù hō͘ chó͘-sian khiā-khí, kiàn-kok taⁿ Siōng-chú liap-lí.":"Chú Ki-tok kok-ka ê kun-ông, lí-sióng-pang bo̍k-phiau ê kià-bōng.":"Lán beh kiàn-siat jîn-ài kong-gī, chó͘-kok moá-toē chhin-chhiūⁿ tī thiⁿ. (A-men.)"Listen
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title=Taiwan the Formosa
description=A version of "Taiwan the Formosa".
format=Ogg Chinese text
:太平洋西南海邊，美麗島台灣翠青。:早前受外邦統治，獨立今在出頭天。:共和國憲法的基礎，四族群平等相協助。:人類文化世界和平，國民向前貢獻才能。
English version
:By Pacific’s western shore, beauteous isle, our green Taiwan.:Once suffered under alien rule, free at last to be its own.:Here’s the basis of our nation: four diverse groups in unity,:come to offer all their varied skills, for the good of all and a world at peace.
Non-metrical paraphrase in English
:On the southwestern edge of the
Pacific Ocean stands the lushTaiwan , the beautiful island ("Formosa").:Earlier it was ruled by foreign powers, but now it has achieved its nationhood ("chhut-thâu-thiⁿ ").:Therepublic being the basis of itsconstitution , the four ethnic groups are equal and co-operate with one another.:Towards humanity,civilization , andpeace , the people will come forward to contribute their talents.:In the beginning,
God created the beautiful island of Taiwan, our favourite.:God gave it to our ancestors to inhabit and still looks over our nation.:Christ being the Lord of our nation, the ideal state is our hope and aim.:We will work towardslove andjustice , so that ourmotherland will become as heaven on earth. (Amen .)ee also
*
Proposed flag of Taiwan
*Taiwan independence
*Republic of Taiwan
*Taiwan localization
*Taiwanese literature movement
*National Anthem of the Republic of China References
External links
* [http://203.64.42.21/TG/imgak/thiaN.asp?id=1 Sheet music and mp3 audio files]
* [http://taiwanus.net/news/show.php?id=5829 "Sing our national anthem—Taiwan the Formosa"]
* [http://www.geocities.com/jensehw/index3.html Translations of "Taiwan the Formosa" in several languages]
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