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Mr. Li Wan-ju, styled Meng-nan, was born on July 22, 1901, in Wubei Village, Kouhu Township, Yunlin County. His family was poor in his youth; his father died early, and he built his foundation in Chinese classics through self-study and hard work. In 1924, with financial help from relatives, friends, and fellow villagers, he went to Shanghai to pursue his studies, and in 1926 he proceeded to France, earning a degree from the Faculty of Letters of the University of Paris in 1932. Mr. Li Wan-ju was a pioneer and enlightener of Taiwan’s democratic movement. He advocated lifting the bans on political parties and the press, promoted judicial reform, and devoted himself unstintingly to democratic political reform. Throughout his life he pursued democracy and freedom for Taiwan, actively engaged in local politics, and his spirit in fighting for press freedom and political human rights is truly admirable. To further implement party politics and advance Taiwan’s democracy and freedom, in 1950 he joined Lei Chen and others to plan the formation of the China Democratic Party; although this failed under the harsh authoritarian rule of the then government, his example deserves the admiration of later generations. He died in 1966 from complications of diabetes at the age of 66. Mr. Li Wan-ju’s former residence, next to Tiaotian Temple in Wubei Village, Kouhu Township, Yunlin County, has—thanks to the active efforts of local residents—been renovated and converted into the Li Wan-ju Spirit Enlightenment Hall, now one of Kouhu Township’s important cultural landmarks.