The Land & the People--the Republic of China

Book excerpt: Photographer Tim Harmon has spent the past five years photographing the Republic of China. His sensitive images capture the feelings of the land, its people in both work and play, and the spirit that inspires this country. The Chinese government has given Tim Harmon special access to previously unphotographed areas, cultures, landscapes, and islands in the Republic of China archipelago. You will view several aboriginal cultures living as they have for the past ten thousand years. The Republic of China has changed overnight from an agrarian to an industrial society, making it one of the economic miracles of this century. Both in photography and text this book reveals the dynamic of a changing culture while maintaining a traditional heritage. The introduction by Madame Chiang Kai-Shek traces the history of the Republic of China from its inception to the present day. As the matriarch of the country, she helped shape its forty-nine-year history. At age 94 she still embodies the moral values and principles that inspire this fledgling democracy. Included in the text are essays by Caspar Weinberger, former U.S. Secretary of Defense and current publisher of Forbes Magazine; C. F. Koo, Senior Adviser to the presidency of the Republic of China and chairman of the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce; Dr. Jason Hu, director general and spokesperson for the R.O.C.; and commentaries by a number of Chinese writers.