Nagasaki: Japan-Born Great Figure in Taiwan History Honored at New Shrine in His Home Town

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:35 JST, May 4, 2024

HIRADO, Nagasaki — A rebuilt shrine dedicated to Zheng Chenggong (1624-62), who is revered as a hero in Taiwan for his role in liberating the island from Dutch rule in the 17th century, was recently completed in his birthplace of Hirado, Nagasaki Prefecture.

Zheng was born to a Hirado-based Chinese merchant and a Japanese woman. His father took him to China when he was 7 years old. Part of Zheng’s family home is one of the remembrances of his life that remain in Hirado.

Zheng fought against the Manchurian led Qing Dynasty in an effort to restore the dying Ming Dynasty and used conquered Taiwan as a base for the fight.

A shrine was built in cooperation with Taiwan in 1962 near his residence, but its condition deteriorated over time. The new shrine has been built at his very birthplace. The statue of Zheng and other items were moved from the old facility to the new one.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of Zheng’s birth, and the local community plans to hold an event in July and invited his descendants from Taiwan. A symposium with experts from Japan and Taiwan will also be held in August.