Wild Lily student movement

Wild Lily student movement
Bubbha (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Title	Wild Lily student movement
Date	1990 March 16–22
Place	Taipei, Taiwan
Causes	Kaohsiung Incident aftermath, 1990 National Assembly election aftermath, demand for direct elections
Methods	Demonstrations, sit-ins, hunger strikes
Result	Acceleration of political reforms, resignation of President Lee Teng-hui's cabinet members

Wild Lily student movement

The Wild Lily student movement was a 1990 Taipei student-led protest centered on demands for democratic reform that drew participants from National Taiwan University, Taipei National University of the Arts, Tamkang University, Soochow University, and other campuses and civic groups, and immediately followed the 1990 National Assembly (Taiwan) election and the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre-era atmosphere in East Asia. Organizers cited precedents such as the Kaohsiung Incident activists and referenced opposition figures like Hsieh Hsiao-hua and Lin Yang-kang while coordinating with civic organizations including the Tangwai movement and the Democratic Progressive Party. The movement's location at Liberty Square (Taipei) placed it near institutions like the Presidential Office Building (Taiwan), the Legislative Yuan, and media outlets including United Daily News and China Times.

Background

In the late 1980s and 1990s Taiwanese political transition involved actors such as Chiang Ching-kuo, Lee Teng-hui, activists from the Wildrose Society-era, and veterans of the Kaohsiung Incident; the lifting of martial law in 1987 by Chiang Ching-kuo set the stage alongside the emergence of organizations like the Democratic Progressive Party and publications such as Formosa Magazine. The 1990 National Assembly (Taiwan) election produced contested mandates and provincial representation disputes that energized student activists from campuses including National Taiwan University, Tamkang University, and National Chengchi University, who drew inspiration from global events like the Velvet Revolution and the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre. Political figures such as Lien Chan and Shih Ming-teh were active in contemporaneous debates, and civil society groups like the China Youth Corps and the Taipei Society provided organizational context.

Timeline of protests

On 16 March 1990 students from National Taiwan University, Fu Jen Catholic University, Tamkang University, and Soochow University began a peaceful sit-in at Liberty Square (Taipei), rapidly growing as crowds from Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Tainan joined; the demonstration drew notable public figures including Lien Chan sympathizers and supporters formerly associated with the Tangwai movement. By 18 March the occupation included hunger strikers and delegations from provincial constituencies, with mediators from organizations such as the Democratic Progressive Party and former dissidents associated with the Kaohsiung Incident offering support. On 21–22 March negotiations involved representatives linked to the Presidential Office Building (Taiwan), officials from the Kuomintang, and civic leaders including prominent intellectuals previously published in Formosa Magazine; the mass assembly concluded after concessions and signals from national leaders such as Lee Teng-hui.

Demands and objectives

Students articulated concrete demands referencing institutions like the National Assembly (Taiwan) and the Legislative Yuan, calling for direct elections for the President of the Republic of China and reform of the National Assembly (Taiwan)'s term limits and representation; they invoked democratic benchmarks exemplified by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights-influenced rhetoric used by activists worldwide. Additional objectives called for legal protections reflected in instruments championed by parties such as the Democratic Progressive Party and proposals debated by civic associations including the Taipei Society and the China Youth Corps. The movement also sought amnesty and recognition for historical political incidents like the Kaohsiung Incident and engagement with figures such as Shih Ming-teh and Chen Shui-bian.

Government response and negotiations

The response involved negotiations among representatives connected to the Presidential Office Building (Taiwan), senior officials of the Kuomintang leadership, and intermediaries from the Democratic Progressive Party and civil society groups; President Lee Teng-hui signaled willingness to pursue reform while managing factional responses from leaders like Lien Chan and Lien Chan-aligned cadres. Cabinet-level discussions considered constitutional amendments affecting the National Assembly (Taiwan) and presidential election procedures, with legal advisers referencing precedents from the Constitution of the Republic of China and consultations involving scholars from National Chengchi University. The standoff ended through negotiated concessions, public statements by officials, and the withdrawal of protesters following commitments to timetable reforms.

Impact and legacy

The movement accelerated constitutional reform initiatives that led to changes in the National Assembly (Taiwan)'s role and the eventual direct election of the President of the Republic of China in 1996, influencing politicians such as Chen Shui-bian and reshaping party competition between the Kuomintang and the Democratic Progressive Party. It became a reference point for later civic actions involving universities like National Taiwan University and inspired commemorations by cultural institutions including the National Museum of Taiwan History and media retrospectives in outlets such as United Daily News and China Times. International observers compared its trajectory to movements like the Velvet Revolution and the People Power Revolution, while scholars from Academia Sinica and universities including National Chengchi University analyzed its effects on Taiwanization and political liberalization. The Wild Lily student movement remains cited in legislative debates within the Legislative Yuan and in biographies of leaders such as Lee Teng-hui and activists like Shih Ming-teh and Chen Shui-bian.

Category:Political movements in Taiwan Category:Student protests Category:1990 protests