Head of the ophthalmology department at National Taiwan University Hospital, Hu Hsin-lin was arrested together with Dr. Hsu Chiang and other doctors as they were holding a meeting of department heads at the hospital. They were the first group of political prisoners to arrive at Green Island. After serving his ten-year sentence, Hu returned to his home town in Tainan, where he practiced, often getting visits from the police to check up on him. He was later invited to Japan to practice.
Playing piano in the photo at right is Hu’s wife Li Pi-chu, younger sister of Prof. Li Chen-yuan. After returning home, Dr. Hu fathered a son, Hu Nai-yuan (second from left), who later became a famous violinist. It is said that the Hu Nai-yuan’s first violin was one which Hu Hsin-lin (seen here playing the cello) had Green Island inmates make to order.
In his spare time while doctoring, Dr. Hu Hsin-lin used his perfect command of his mother tongue to write down terms card by card, and published his Dictionary of Practical Taiwanese, and Categorized Taiwanese Dictionary. (provided by Li Pi-chu, digital reproduction by Taiwan Art-in Design Company)
2011 Dialogue on Peace in Green Island 