The seven essays by Chun-chieh Huang, a professor of history at National Taiwan University and a research fellow at Academia Sinica, give a broad history of the evolution of the search for identity by Taiwan and its people. The period covered begins with the start of the Japanese occupation of the island and ends with the first years of the 21st century. During that long period, the world has seen two world wars and other dramatic changes, with deep repercussions and implications for Asia. The Chinese Communist Party took over the mainland and Japan surrendered Taiwan upon its defeat by allied forces at the end of World War II. The end of the Japanese occupation and arrival on the island of Nationalist forces began the transformation of Taiwan.

"In terms of culture and society, Taiwan must be regarded as a Chinese community par excellence," the author says. The transformation of Taiwanese society begins first in the cultural arena to remain true to the author's assertion that Taiwanese are Chinese because they are descendants of immigrants from Fujian and Guandong provinces. Taiwan was ceded to Japan in 1895 and the long decades of occupation gave residents on the island deep feelings of nostalgia for the motherland. Chun-chieh Huang extensively studies writings by intellectuals living under Japanese occupation to explain the cultural feelings of nostalgia. One such intellectual was Yeh Jung-chung who described the homesick feelings as a result of Japanese prejudice and oppression. Yeh said whenever the people protested, the Japanese threatened them "if you don't like being Japanese, you can just go back to China." Another writer, Wu Cho-liu, said, "Although the love of motherland, being invisible, is only an idea and impression, this love always subtly pulls at my heart like the force of gravity, as irresistible as the feeling of an orphan child …"

The Taiwanese nostalgia for "cultural China" can be said to have ended by 1950 after the Communist takeover of the mainland. The author says it was an irony because Taiwanese who longed for the homeland discovered that the motherland has sent them defeated Nationalist leaders and soldiers and a government that brought drastic changes on the island. Taiwanese feelings towards the motherland changed because of the corruption, discrimination and abuses of power by the new Nationalist government, the author says.

The period after 1950 was marked profoundly by land reform and development of agriculture and various industries. The complex interaction and conflict between agriculture and industry has been studied by eminent historians and sociologists as well as economists. The author says the force of industrialism prevailed over agriculture, as in many other societies. In the case of Taiwan, it has led to modernization, which is not yet completed. But before Taiwan was known for its economic miracle, living conditions for farmers were improved and farmers' social consciousness arose. Their relationship with landowners also improved. Here the author gives historical perspectives on the situation in rural areas, starting with changes and rules imposed by the Japanese occupation.

Confucianism played an important role in society. Scholars in Taiwan and China contributed a great part in interpreting Confucianism to adjust it to societal changes and modernization taking place in Taiwan. The author urges to return to the classic teachings of Confucius in order to help Taiwan in its pursuit of modernity. The period after the lifting of martial law by the KMT government in 1987 has led to the development of Taiwanese consciousness about who they are, which sometimes has assumed a form of protest. A new Taiwanese identity has emerged. "As the Japanese regime's oppression against the Taiwanese fostered Taiwanese unity, so today's oppression by the Communist regime against the 'entire Taiwanese people as enemy' will inevitably consolidate and foster the growth of 'New Taiwanese Consciousness,'" the author says.

Taiwan has been transformed into a modern society, and as the world enters the 21st century, the most pressing demand remains working out a sound basis for the Taiwan-mainland relationship, based on a mutual understanding of each side's historical experiences, the author says.

Chun-chieh Huang says both sides in the Taiwan Strait should communicate, not just between government officials, but also between the two peoples in order to arrive at a historical understanding of both parties.

"Lack of mutual historical understanding would prove disastrous as to endanger the existence of both sides," he says.