Highlight: Memorial Concert for the 35th Anniversary of Chen Wen-cheng’s (陳文成) Death

By Han Cheung / Staff reporter





On July 3, 1981, Chen Wen-cheng (陳文成), a 31-year-old associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University visiting his home country on vacation, was found dead on the campus of National Taiwan University.

The case remains unsolved today, but records unveiled in 2009 show that Chen was questioned by the Taiwan Garrison Command, a secret police body operated by the government, for more than 12 hours the day before his death — indicating that he was a possible victim of White Terror-era dissident suppression, as he was a supporter of Taiwanese democracy and reportedly made donations to the pro-democracy Formosa Magazine.

On Saturday, the Chen Wen-cheng Memorial Foundation is hosting a memorial concert for the 35th anniversary of his death, titled Melody of the Island Country (島國旋律), featuring Yi-Sound Chamber Ensemble (綺響室內樂團). Pieces range from Western classical to Taiwanese favorites such as the An-ping Capriccio (安平追想曲).

Portrait of Chen Wen-cheng and his family. Photo: Lin Cheng-fang, Taipei Times

■ The event will be held at Civil Service Development Institute’s Convention Hall, 30, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段30號) from 7:30pm to 10pm.

■ Tickets are NT$1,000, NT$2,000 and NT$10,000, and are available online at goo.gl/pUqe6v or at the door.