2. Interviews and Publication
Under Dr. Chen’s arrangement, our team met Dr. Chuang Shu Chi for the first time at the Grand Hotel in Taipei. Her silver hair and warm demeanor instantly captivated us, and we decided to start our work the following Monday morning.
Every Monday morning thereafter, the four of us would take a taxi to Dr. Chuang’s home. I led the interviews and took notes, while the other three drew upon their student-era note-taking skills to meticulously record as much as possible. In the afternoons, back at Academia Sinica, my colleagues handed over their notes to me. I then spent the afternoon and evening compiling the manuscript, which was digitized by Lai Hui-Min the next day. By the time of our next interview, the previous session’s transcript was ready.
The interviews, conducted over a few months, lasted about two hours each session. They covered Dr. Chuang’s family background, training in Traditional Chinese Medicine, doctoral studies in Japan, and her lifelong dedication to medicine and public health. Towards the end, we expressed our wish to interview Dr. Chuang’s family members, to which she readily agreed.
When the interviews concluded and the manuscript was nearly finalized, I contacted Wang Rong-Wen, the head of Yuan-Liou Publishing. He was interested in publishing the book. However, after reviewing the draft, Dr. Chuang and her family seemed dissatisfied but did not voice specific objections, leaving the manuscript shelved.
Five years later, Dr. Chuang finally agreed to publication on the condition that records about her treatment of Japanese royalty and interviews with her children be removed.
3. Publication
The Memoir of Shu Chi Chuang was finally published in 2001. The book became a bestseller, earning a spot among China Times' “Top Ten Books” and receiving the “2001 Open Book Award” co-hosted by the Council for Cultural Affairs and China Times.
Years later, I met Dr. Chuang again at the award ceremony. Reflecting on the process of creating this book, I recalled her hospitality after each interview. She would personally prepare lunch for us or sometimes take us out to dine. During meals, she shared tips on healthful eating, such as the benefits of overlooked ingredients like pork tails and shrimp shells. She also demonstrated the Universal Stretching Exercise (towel exercise) and proper posture techniques, emphasizing the importance of a sitting upright. These lessons became lasting habits in my life.
By July 2004, Yuan-Liou informed me that the book had reached its eighth printing, selling over 15,000 copies.
Preface
◎Jin Funn Chuang, M.D.
Passing On My Mother's Love
My mother, Dr. Shu Chi Chuang, was born on November 26, 1920. As we approached the centennial of her birth, our family made a heartfelt decision to donate her belongings to the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica. This ensures their preservation and allows future generations to study and draw inspiration from her life journey, continuing her legacy of innovation. Alongside this, we revised and republished The Memoir of Chuang Shu Chi as a humble act to honor our mother.
Today, I have come to a deeper understanding of my mother’s journey through this world.
