An epic spanning more than half a century of Taiwan's history,
this breathtaking historical novel traces the fortunes of the
Pengs, a family of Hakka Chinese settlers, across three
generations from the 1890s, just before Taiwan was ceded to
Japan as a result of the Sino-Japanese war, through World War
II. Li Qiao brilliantly re-creates the dramatic world of these
pioneers -- and the colonization of Taiwan itself -- exploring
their relationships with the aboriginal peoples of Taiwan and
their struggle to establish their own ethnic and political
identities. This carefully researched work of fiction draws upon
Li's own experiences and family history, as well as oral and
written histories of the era. Originally published in Chinese as
a trilogy, this newly translated edition is an abridgement for
English-speaking readers and marks the work's first appearance
in the English-speaking world. It was well-received in Taiwan as
an honest -- and influential -- recreation of Taiwan's history
before the relocation of the