The ‘Righteous Thief’ Liao Tianding, and How His Legacy is Shaping a New Generation of Taiwanese Resistance

East Asia columnist Liam Elliott Brady, currently on his year abroad in Taiwan, looks at the development of the Taiwanese legend Liao Tianding (1883-1909). From his death at the hands of Taiwan’s Japanese occupiers in 1909 to his deification in online gaming, Liao Tianding remains a potent symbol of Taiwanese independence. As popular discontent with the current Taiwanese president’s ‘soft China policy’ grows, the revival of Liao Tianding reflects a hallmark Taiwanese culture: the turn to folklore as a source of hope in an era defined by unprecedented uncertainty.