Chiang Peng-chien
Encyclopedia
Chiang Peng-chien was the co-founder and first chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party
. Chiang was elected a member of the Legislative Yuan
, the legislative body of the Republic of China
(Taiwan), in 1983 and became a member of the Control Yuan
in 1996.
, Taipei
, Taiwan. His father was a shoemaker
from Fujian
, China.
In 1955, Chiang entered the Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School
. He then got into the National Taiwan University
, majoring in law. After graduation, he passed the bar examination
in 1964. Chiang began practicing law after earning his master's degree
.
Chiang advocated for human rights. He founded the Taiwan Association of Human Rights. On the 1979 Human Rights Day
(December 10), members of the Formosa Magazine
and other Tangwai
pro-democracy advocates went on a demonstration
. Many of the participants were arrested by the Kuomintang government
and tried in military court. Chiang defended Lin Yi-hsiung
, one of the "Kaohsiung Eight."
in 1983. In September 1986, about 130 pro-democracy advocates, including Chiang, gathered at the Grand Hotel
in Taipei
to establish the Democratic Progressive Party
(DPP). On November 10, 1986, he was elected the first chairperson of the party.
In 1994, Chiang was a candidate for the DPP's nomination in the 1994 Taipei mayoral election. He competed against legislators Chen Shui-bian
and Frank Hsieh
and lost. In 1996, Chiang became a member of the Control Yuan
. He worked to prevent any activities associated with black gold
and actively investigated sensitive cases involved with former political oppression.
. His widow Peng Feng-mei donated his writings and books to the Academia Historia for display.
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
. Chiang was elected a member of the Legislative Yuan
Legislative Yuan
The Legislative Yuan is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China .The Legislative Yuan is one of the five branches of government stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of China, which follows Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People...
, the legislative body of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan), in 1983 and became a member of the Control Yuan
Control Yuan
The Control Yuan , one of the five branches of the Republic of China government in Taipei, is an investigatory agency that monitors the other branches of government...
in 1996.
Early life
Chiang Peng-chien was born April 25, 1940, in DadaochengDadaocheng
Dadaocheng , spelled Twatutia before Japanese rule, is an area in the Datong District, part of the Taipei Basin and a historic section of Taipei City. It was known as Daitotei by the Japanese and Tataocheng during the Kuomintang era...
, Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan. His father was a shoemaker
Shoemaking
Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand. Traditional handicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded in volume of shoes produced by industrial mass production of footwear, but not necessarily in quality, attention to detail, or...
from Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
, China.
In 1955, Chiang entered the Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School
Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School
Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School is a high school for boys, which is located in Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan. The school was established in 1898 during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, and was the Taipei First High School, the first public high school in Taiwanese history...
. He then got into the National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is a national co-educational university located in Taipei, Republic of China . In Taiwan, it is colloquially known as "Táidà" . Its main campus is set upon 1,086,167 square meters in Taipei's Da'an District. In addition, the university has 6 other campuses in Taiwan,...
, majoring in law. After graduation, he passed the bar examination
Bar examination
A bar examination is an examination conducted at regular intervals to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction.-Brazil:...
in 1964. Chiang began practicing law after earning his master's degree
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
.
Chiang advocated for human rights. He founded the Taiwan Association of Human Rights. On the 1979 Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day is celebrated annually across the world on 10 December.The date was chosen to honor the United NationsGeneral Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the first global enunciation of human rights...
(December 10), members of the Formosa Magazine
Formosa Magazine
Formosa Magazine was a magazine created by Tangwai individuals in Taiwan during the summer of 1979. It opposed the Kuomintang's political monopoly in the Republic of China government...
and other Tangwai
Tangwai
The Tangwai movement was a political movement in the Republic of China in the mid-1970s and early 1980s. Although the Kuomintang had allowed contested elections for a small number of seats in Legislative Yuan, opposition parties were still forbidden...
pro-democracy advocates went on a demonstration
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
. Many of the participants were arrested by the Kuomintang government
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
and tried in military court. Chiang defended Lin Yi-hsiung
Lin Yi-hsiung
Lin Yi-hsiung who sued the ruling KMT party for electoral fraud. Lin was elected a member of Taiwan Provincial Assembly in Guo's old electorate in 1977.-Lin Family Massacre:...
, one of the "Kaohsiung Eight."
Political career
Chiang became involved in politics and supported the Tangwai movement. He was elected a member of the Legislative YuanLegislative Yuan
The Legislative Yuan is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China .The Legislative Yuan is one of the five branches of government stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of China, which follows Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People...
in 1983. In September 1986, about 130 pro-democracy advocates, including Chiang, gathered at the Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel (Taipei City)
The Grand Hotel , is a landmark located at Yuanshan in Zhongshan District, Taipei, Republic of China . The hotel was established in May 1952 and the main building was completed on October 10, 1973...
in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
to establish the Democratic Progressive Party
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
(DPP). On November 10, 1986, he was elected the first chairperson of the party.
In 1994, Chiang was a candidate for the DPP's nomination in the 1994 Taipei mayoral election. He competed against legislators Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
and Frank Hsieh
Frank Hsieh
Frank Hsieh Chang-ting is a Taiwanese politician of the Democratic Progressive Party in the Republic of China. He was the mayor of Kaohsiung City until his appointment as President of the Executive Yuan by president Chen Shui-bian on February 1, 2005. He announced his resignation from the post of...
and lost. In 1996, Chiang became a member of the Control Yuan
Control Yuan
The Control Yuan , one of the five branches of the Republic of China government in Taipei, is an investigatory agency that monitors the other branches of government...
. He worked to prevent any activities associated with black gold
Black gold (politics)
Black gold is a term used in the Republic of China to refer to political corruption. The term refers to the obtaining of money through a dark, secretive, and corrupt method ....
and actively investigated sensitive cases involved with former political oppression.
Death and legacy
Chiang died in December 2000 of pancreatic cancerPancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
. His widow Peng Feng-mei donated his writings and books to the Academia Historia for display.