Chung Chao-cheng, 鈡肇政, the Hakka novelist hailed by media in Taiwan as “The Source of Taiwanese Literature” 台灣文學之母, died this last Saturday at the age of 96. Michael Berry’s History of Pain discusses Chung, principally for his addressing of the February 28 incident in his 1990s novel 怒濤 Angry Tide. But he had long since established himself as the most prolific author of roman fleuve in Taiwan, having completed four trilogies (濁流 Turbidity, 1961; 台灣人 Taiwanese People, 1974; 高山 Alpine; and Angry Tide). Several of his works of short fiction have been translated into English in Taiwan Literature: English Translation Series.
The most detailed English description of his career I can find online is from Taiwan’s Hakka Affairs Council website, and Focus Taiwan has a report on his passing.
Charles A. Laughlin
University of Virginia