What is that tree? A pomelo? A mandarin orange?
As children, two brothers argued about a certain sapling in Kinmen’s historic Guqu community. The elder said it was a pomelo tree, while the younger insisted it was a mandarin orange tree. The answer turned out to be—grapefruit! This childhood memory is an ideal metaphor for the brothers today: Both are rooted in the soil of Kinmen, but each has his own identity.
Writer Yang Shu-ching (b. 1962) and painter Yang Shu-sen (b. 1958) were both children at the time of the artillery exchanges that continued through the years following the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis of 1958. They absorbed the resilience and sorrow of this battleground and it became the foundation of their later creative work.
A lifetime for one island
Yang Shu-ching, the younger brother, is one of Taiwan’s most important writers of literary reportage. For many years now, he has built his work around the history and people of Kinmen, gathering together the collective memories of this island. He is a major advocate of Kinmen studies,” and gives vivid literary shape to the island’s history.
Shu-ching was remarkable for his talent even as a youth, and his submissions to newspapers were so numerous that the papers’ owners grew concerned about the cost. His works were widely read in Kinmen, Taiwan, and overseas, and he won numerous literary prizes.
Pomelo and mandarin orange
The starting point of Shu-ching’s work was in fact his older brother, Yang Shu-sen. His first essay to be published was called “My Elder Brother,” and his brother finished it for him. His excitement at seeing his name for the first time in the Kinmen Daily News propelled him to continue writing.
In contrast to his younger brother’s early commitment to literature, Shu-sen’s path to painting was bumpier. As a youth he loved drawing, but for practical reasons he chose to study in a STEM department, and the long-term stress caused him to suffer from psychological problems. He went into isolation for many years.
After his recovery, Shu-sen held his first solo exhibition in a hospital. Originally the show was simply an opportunity to display his works, but the vitality exhibited in the paintings attracted attention. Meanwhile, Shu-ching was by Shu-sen’s side all the way, curating exhibitions, writing articles, and navigating for him as they built a deep and enduring friendship, like Theo and Vincent van Gogh.
Literary faith and art therapy
“Literature is my faith,” says Shu-ching. Though now in declining health, he still reads and writes daily. He shares his life and thoughts on literature through social media, attracting many followers.
Shu-sen, meanwhile, leads a slow-paced life on the North Coast, using driftwood as his canvas. Creating is his therapy and his way to find harmony with the world.
These brothers’ stories began in Kinmen and have spread across Taiwan. They have resonated with each other through their art and illuminated each other’s lives.
