臺灣文學虛擬博物館

Lin Haiyin (1918-2001) was Hakka from Miaoli County of northern Taiwan. She moved to Beijing with her family when she was young. The experiences of living in Beijing became the major source of the background for her novel My Memories of Old Beijing. Lin moved to Taiwan with her family in 1948. Between 1953 and 1963, she worked as the editor of the literary section of the United Daily News and was engaged in creating prose, novel, and children’s literature. In 1967, she established the literary periodical Belles-Lettres Monthly and, in the next year, founded the Belles-Lettres Publishing House. Lin devoted her life to editing, writing, and publishing. She supported a number of authors and played a significant role in promoting Taiwan’s modern literature. Memories of Peking: South Side Stories, Stories of Marriage, Green Seaweed and Salted Eggs, Common Holly are her popular and representative works. Her works explore the problems of love and marriage for women in a fast changing Chinese society, paying particular attention to psychological and physical restraints imposed upon women by patriarchy. Her prose after the 80s is of great value with its depiction of the transformation of Taiwan’s literary world. -- introduction by Fan Min-ju, translated by Fran Lee.

Born in Osaka, Japan.
Born Lin Han-yin.
Father lin Huan-wen (also Known as Bin-nan，1888-1931), a native of Toufen, Miaoli. Mather Lin-Huang Ai-zhen.

Lin went back to Taiwan with her parents.

Lin moved with her parents to Beijing.

Lin began classes at First affiliated Elementary School of Chan-dian Normal University.

The poem “To the Lady of Camellias” published on The World Illustrated [shijie huakan].

Father passed away.

Enrolled in Beiping World College of Journalism.

Lin became acquainted with Xia Cheng-ying.

Lin began working at World Daily as a full time journalist.