Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
important date of February 28, 1980, rogue Kuomintang assassins mur-
dered Lin's mother and twin daughters for attempting to divulge his
torture to Amnesty International. The murderers are still at large, and
the case has never been solved. The Lin Family Murders helped galva-
nize Taiwan's democratization movement and today remain potent
symbols of rule by the political party that once resorted to such brutality
to guarantee its power. Lin has now largely withdrawn from politics
and is widely revered throughout the island as a heroic elder statesman.
Lin Zexu (1785-1850): Imperial commissioner during the 1830s who
cracked down on opium trafficking in southern China; British reac-
tions to his policies led to the Opium War.
Liu Bang (247-195 B.C.): Founding emperor of Han dynasty; ordi-
nary commoner who alleviated most of the Qin's excesses and abuses.
Liu, Henry (Liu Yi-liang; 1932-1984): Chinese-American writer and
author of a Chinese-language biography critical of Taiwan president
Chiang Ching-kuo. Liu was murdered by Kuomintang assassins at
his home in California in 1984. His murder was a news sensation in
Taiwan and was widely regarded as one of the most brazen instances
of gangster-Kuomintang collusion in the Kuomintang's history.
Lu Xun (1881-1936): Prominent left-wing Chinese writer prolific
during the early decades of the twentieth century.
Macartney, Lord (1737-1806): Late eighteenth-century British diplo-
mat who attempted unsuccessfully to wring diplomatic concessions
from the Qianlong emperor.
Mao Zedong (1893-1976): Dominant personality and preeminent
leader of the Chinese Communist movement from the 1930s until his
death; before 1949 did much to liberate China from foreign domina-
tion and Nationalist tyranny, but afterward his influence in China
seems to have been largely negative.
Marco Polo (1254?-1324?): Venetian merchant who traveled to
Mongolia and China; claimed to be in Khubilai Khan's government.
Marshall, George C. (1880-1959): American diplomat who tried
unsuccessfully in 1946 and early 1947 to get the Chinese Communists
and Nationalists to come to a peace agreement.
