Date: September 30, 2025

Publisher: Fujian Daily

Author: Wang Yifou (President of the National Society of Taiwan Studies, Professor)

Professor Wang Yifou, President of the National Society of Taiwan Studies, recently compiled historical materials related to Jinan University during the wartime period and the early post-war era. These materials cover academic activities and student experiences, offering new perspectives for the study of the university's history.

After visiting the Jinan University History Museum, Wang Yifou reviewed his personal collections and consulted academic resources from Fujian circles. The compiled materials reveal connections between Jinan University and individuals from Taiwan during its Fujian Jianyang period (during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression) and after its relocation back to Shanghai.

A key figure, Zhang Lian (original name Lin Lüzhu), enrolled in Jinan University in 1944. During his time at the university, he interacted with students from Taiwan, including Zheng Jingying from Changhua, Taiwan. In November 1946, 14 Taiwanese government-sponsored students sent by the Education Department of the Taiwan Provincial Administrative Executive Office enrolled at Jinan University. These students later became involved in social movements of the time.

Du Changgeng, one of the Taiwanese sponsored students, recalled participating in student activities and meeting Zhang Lian and Li Chunqing, who later served as Vice Chairman of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League. Du also mentioned that after being expelled from the university in 1947, he reconnected with Zhang Lian in Taipei. Another sponsored student, Xu Mengshan, later held a position in the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.

The compiled materials also include eight historical articles from the "Fujian Provincial CPPCC Historical Materials Consultation Guide" related to Jinan University's Jianyang period, covering campus life, student activities, and alumni records.

On the academic front, from 1942 to 1945, Professor Xu Jie of Jinan University's College of Liberal Arts edited the literary review "Wenyi Pingjie" in Jianyang. In 1945, he selected 35 articles from the publication and compiled them into the "Yizhi Collection," which discussed topics such as the vernacular language movement and the relationship between literature and politics.

Additionally, Professor Zhou Xianwen, who served as Dean of the College of Business at Jinan University, completed the initial manuscript of "Economic History of Taiwan" on October 25, 1945. After the war, he was invited to Taiwan to serve as Dean of the Provincial Business School.

Conclusion:

The compiled materials reflect the academic activities and cross-strait interactions during specific periods of Jinan University's history. Wang Yifou stated that these resources could provide valuable references for the university's history museum, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the institution's diverse historical aspects.