楊逵的一陽農園

楊逵（1906-1985），本名楊貴，1906年生於臺南新化，自1935年移居臺中以來，一生的大部分時間都在臺中度過，創作之文學作品，充滿對土地的熱情、弱勢者的關懷，以及左翼的人道主義思想。楊逵青年時代赴日本求學，參與勞工運動和政治運動；返臺後參與農民運動，認識妻葉陶女士，曾在臺中居住、生活和創作，遷居首陽農園、一陽農園、東海花園等地，作家陳映真曾以輓聯譽楊逵為「臺灣冰山底下最後的良知」。

●首陽農園的誕生與入田春彥
1937年，楊逵深受肺結核病痛之苦，經常喀血不止，生活窮困、身心疲憊，在朋友勸說下，決定租地種花，卻在各方債款催討下，生活告急、連租地訂金都拿不出來。此時的楊逵與入田春彥（1909-1938）結識，懷抱左翼思想的入田讀過《送報伕》，感佩楊逵，慨然濟助一百圓以供其還清債務、付清地租訂金；日後，入田春彥也成為楊逵的至交，「首陽農園」從而誕生。

首陽農園，楊逵租地於今日臺中市北區福龍街、篤行路交叉路口，位於當時臺中舊火葬場後方，又與豬圈相鄰，屍體與豬糞味令來訪者畏懼掩鼻，楊逵卻不以為意——因為入田的相助，使他宛若從灰燼中找到火苗。農園取名「首陽」，取材於中國商朝末年臣子伯夷、叔齊寧可餓死首陽山上的抵抗精神。然而促成首陽農園的推手入田並不幸運，1938年遭人舉報與楊逵過從甚密、思想左傾，將遭日本政府遣送回國。遣返前夕，入田吞食安眠藥自殺身亡，並由楊逵協助處理其喪事。

首陽農園誕生於日本統治臺灣最後十年，也是戰爭中動盪的飄搖島國。首陽農園也歷經幾次搬遷，1941年，農園搬遷至梅枝町十九番地（今原子街、五權路、成功路一帶），增為一千餘坪。楊逵在妻葉陶的支持下，雖肺病喀血不止、家中孩子相繼出生，楊逵種花、葉陶賣花，仍艱困的讓農園的土地長出美麗的花朵，也開始他一生中第二次的創作高峰。重要小說〈無醫村〉、〈泥娃娃〉、〈鵝媽媽出嫁〉等，並翻譯《三國志物語》、創作戲劇《怒吼吧！中國》，甚至在總督府動員作家創作「陽光健康」文學的戰爭年代，發表文學批評，力主一向堅持的「現實主義」文學主張，可說是首陽農園在稿紙上長出的花朵。

●二戰後的一陽農園與對「祖國夢」的失落

1945年8月15日，日本天皇的玉音放送從收音機中傳出，日本宣告投降，楊逵也聽到了。在1982年5月的一場分享中，楊逵這樣說：「......我立即把『首陽農場』的招牌卸下來，換上『一陽農園』，因為這一天我們看到『一陽來復』了（意即陰盡陽至，有新生之意）。小時候就堅持的『民族自決』與『解放我們的土地』的宿願，已於日本天皇在廣播中向全世界證實了。」

二戰後的楊逵開始了他對社會熱切的批判和行動，在朋友的資助下發行《一陽週報》，嚮往回歸中華民族統治的楊逵，在報內介紹中國文學作家作品、介紹三民主義學術思想。但沒多久，隨即而來的二二八事件、白色恐怖，即戳破了原來的「祖國夢」。一陽農園內也聚集許多時下青年議論時事政治，包括附近一中的學生，如知名臺中作家陳千武，也包括後來的民軍二七部隊部隊長鍾逸人等人也在其中。

1946年入夏，楊逵改租大同路存義巷12號（今北區三民路三段120巷，臺中科技大學對面），一間有庭院的木造日式平房，也另在臺中一中前方（南側），租地持續經營「一陽農園」。楊逵遷居此地，二戰後創辦「民眾出版社」、發行《文化交流》，掀起「臺灣文學」論戰，起草為之入獄綠島的《和平宣言》，甚至1947、1949兩次被政府逮捕入獄，都在此歷史空間發生，摯友入田春彥的骨灰也曾在此陪伴楊逵。

●和平宣言和入獄
1947年2月27日，臺北大稻埕天馬茶房前，國民政府查緝私菸的行動引發全臺動亂，是引發二戰後積累已久的本省人和外省人間之族群衝突導火線，各地人民紛起行動，佔領各政府單位、機構。臺中也不落人後，楊逵亦參與甚深。楊逵與友人於中央書局樓上成立「輿論調查所」，見證「市民大會」與「二七部隊」的成立，隨後入獄三個月。

僥倖在二二八大逮捕中逃過一死的楊逵，仍不改其志，投入「臺灣文學論爭」，為寫作踏實臺灣人民生活的臺灣文學而辯護；更與許多文化批判意識的文學青年、運動青年為伍。1949年「四六事件」發生，白色恐怖開始，楊逵更早因於1948年撰寫《和平宣言》——主張民主自由的一紙宣言，卻成了叛亂罪狀，送往綠島勞動監禁，一去十餘年。楊逵日後曾戲稱，《和平宣言》六百餘字，換來十二年的牢飯，是「全世界最高的稿費」。1961年，楊逵回到臺中，從事在大度山上的人生最後職務——園丁。

1962年，楊逵貸款買下臺中市郊的大肚山上一塊丘陵地。當時仍是一座市郊偏遠，荒蕪的石頭山，楊逵在此經營「東海花園」（現臺中榮總對面、火葬場旁）。當時，沒有人相信可以在石頭山上種出花，然而這卻是他居住最久的土地，他躬耕勞作，每天搬比土還多的石頭澆水，自嘲天天將詩「用鋤頭寫在大地上」，但是貧脊的地還是難以養活一家七口，他自詡為東海花園園丁，艱難的開墾土地、賣花維生。楊妻葉陶亦於此時期辭世。

然而楊逵的作品，也在1960年代漸被看見，他以日治時期臺灣文學運動者的身姿，重返臺灣文壇，多家文學雜誌重刊昔日名作，《模範村》、《送報伕》、《鵝媽媽出嫁》等皆引發廣大迴響。東海花園也成為不分省籍的全臺文人，往來薈萃之地。1976年，國中國文教科書收錄《壓不扁的玫瑰花》（原日文題名為《春光關不住》），是日治時代臺灣文學作品編入國文教科書的第一篇。

至1985年逝世，楊逵是一位農場主人、東海花園的園丁，同時是一位社會運動者，一位在土地上筆耕的臺中作家。(2,000字完整版)



Yang Kui’s Yiyang Farm

Yang Kui, whose real name was Yang Guei, was born in Xinhua, Tainan in 1905. He spent most of his life in Taichung after moving here in 1935. His works of literature were full of enthusiasm for the land, love, and attention to the disadvantaged minority and left-wing humanitarian thinking. He went to Japan to study, and participated in labor and political movements when he was young. Returning to Taiwan, he took part in the peasant movement and met his wife Ms. Ye Tao. He used to live, work, and write in Taichung, and then he moved to the cultural landscapes of Shouyang Farm, Yiyang Farm and Donghai. He was also honored as “Taiwan's conscience”.

●The Birth of Shouyang Farm and Police Officer Nyuta Haruhiko
In 1937, Yang Kui was suffering from tuberculosis. He was subject to constant hemoptysis. Due to his poor living conditions and physical and mental exhaustion, with the encouragement of his friends, he decided to rent a piece of land to plant flowers. As many creditors frequently came to recover debts, he could not even afford the rent. At this point, Yang met Nyuta Haruhiko, a sergeant of the Taichung Police Department. Embracing left-wing thinking and having read “A Newsboy”, Officer Haruhiko admired Yang and generously helped him to pay off one hundred yen of debt as well as the rent. Nyuta Haruhiko also became Yang's closest foreign friend hence the birth of “Shouyang Farm.”


Shouyang Farm, where Yang Kui leased the land, is at the current intersection of Fulong Street and Duxing Road in North District, Taichung City, behind the then Taichung Crematorium. As it was adjacent to a pigsty, the corpses and stench made the visitors scared, and they were forced to hold their noses however, Yang Kui did not mind at all. With the help of Police Officer Haruhiko, it seemed to him that the farm was just like a flame in the burntout ashes. The farm was named “Shouyang”, drawn from China’s late Shang Dynasty courtiers Boyi and Shuqi who would rather die of starvation on Mount Shouyang than give up the spirit of resistance. However, Police Officer Haruhiko, the promoter of the establishment of Shouyang Farm, was unfortunately reported in 1938 as having been in close association with Yang Kui and his left-leaning associates, and was repatriated to Japan by the Japanese government. Haruhiko committed suicide by taking sleeping pills on the eve of his repatriation. As a result, Yang Kui incongruously and personally presided over the funeral of the colonial police officer.

Shouyang Farm was established in the final decade of the Japanese Colonial Era in Taiwan, which was a turbulent island nation during the war. Shouyang Farm underwent several relocations until 1941, when the Farm was relocated to No. 19, Umegae-cho (area around the current Yuanzi St., Wuquan Rd. and Chenggong Rd.), which increased to over 3,310 square meters. Supported by his wife Ye Tao, their children were born one after another in spite of his constant hemoptysis due to his lung disease. Despite facing many difficulties, Yang Kui planted flowers, which grew beautifully on the farmland, and Ye Tao sold them. He also reached his second peak of literary creation in his lifetime, writing his important novels “A Village Without Medical Care”, “The Doll of Clay”, “Mother Goose Gets Married”, and producing a translation of “Prose Work of Warriors of Fate” and his dramatic writing “Roar! China”. He even published literary criticism, and strongly advocated his persistent “realism” literary proposition during the war years when the Office of the Governor-General mobilized writers to write “Sunshine Health” literature. He might well be described as a flower sent forth from the manuscript pages of Shouyang Farm.

On August 15, 1945, the Japanese Emperor’s gyokuon-hōsō (radio broadcast announcing acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration and the end of the war) was broadcast, and the surrender of Japan was announced. Yang Kui heard it. In a sharing session in May 1982, Yang Kui said: “... I immediately removed the “Shouyang” sign and replaced it with “Yiyang Farm” because we saw Yiyang (implying a new life) coming on that day. The long-cherished wish of “national self-determination” and “liberation of our land” to which we adhered when we were young was verified by the Japanese Emperor in his broadcast to the world.



After World War II, Yang Kui started his fervent social criticism and action. He published “Yiyang Weekly” with the support of his friends, introducing the works of Chinese literary writers and the academic ideas of the Three People's Principles in the newspaper on account of a strong desire for a return to Chinese ethnic peoples’ rule. However, shortly afterwards, the ensuing February 28 Incident and the white terror destroyed the original “motherland dream”. Many young people often gathered at Yiyang Farm and discussed current affairs and politics, including the students of the nearby Taichung First Senior High School, such as the famous Taichung writer Chen Chien-wu and Chung Yi-jen, commander of the 27th Corps. With so many visitors, Yang Kui sometimes used flower pots as rice bowls to serve his wild vegetable porridge to his numerous guests. This legend was handed down as a favorite tale.

In the summer of 1946, Yang Kui rented and moved to No.12 Cunyi Ln., Datong Rd. (today’s Ln. 120, Sanmin Rd., Sec. 3, across the street from Taichung University of Science and Technology), a Japanese-style wooden bungalow with a courtyard, and additionally leased the land in front of Taichung First Senior High School (south side) to continue to run “Yiyang Farm”, where he moved and founded “Public Press” as well as publishing “Cultural Exchanges”, raising the “Taiwan Literature” polemic after the war, and drafting the “Declaration of Peace” for which he was jailed. He was even arrested and imprisoned by the government in 1947 and 1949, both of which happened in this historical space. Yang Kui was always accompanied by the ashes of his close friend Nyuta Haruhiko, which had not been sent back to Japan.

●Declaration of Peace and Imprisonment

On February 27, 1947, in front of the Tianma Tea House in Taipei's Dadaocheng area, the National Government's investigation of anti-illicit cigarettes caused turmoil throughout Taiwan, triggering the ethnic conflict that was deeply rooted after World War II in the deep rivalries between the local Taiwanese and those recently arrived from other provinces. People took action all over the island and occupied various government units and agencies. Taichung yielded to none Yang Kui was deeply involved. He and his friends set up a “Survey Agency of Public Opinion” upstairs in the Central Bookstore to witness the establishment of the “Municipal Assembly” and the “27th Corps”, and he was subsequently imprisoned.


Yang Kui, who luckily survived the February 28 arrests, did not change his mind. He devoted himself to the “Taiwan Literary Controversy” to defend Taiwanese literature which depicted the Taiwanese peoples’ steadfast daily life. He associated with many literary youths and those with a critical cultural consciousness. The “April 6 Incident” took place in 1949 and the White Terror began. Yang was earlier sent to the Green Island Labor Prison and was jailed for more than 10 years on account of his “Declaration of Peace” which he wrote in 1948, a declaration of democracy and freedom for which he was charged with rebellion. Yang Kui later joked that the 600-word “Declaration of Peace” in exchange for a 12-year prison could be said to be “the highest remuneration in the world”. In 1961, Yang Kui returned to Taichung where he started his last job as a gardener on Mount Dadu.

●Writer Who Writes on the Farmland - Tunghai Garden
In 1962, Yang Kui managed to secure a loan and bought a piece of hilly land on Mount Dadu in the suburb of Taichung. It was merely a remote and barren rocky hill in the suburbs. Yang Kui ran the “Tunghai Garden” there (today’s land opposite Taichung Veterans General Hospital, next to the crematorium). At that time, no one believed that flowers could be planted on the stony mountain. However, this was the land where he lived for a long time. He made every endeavor to remove the numerous stones on the farm and watered the barren land every day. He laughed that he wrote a poem every day in the soil with a hoe. Nonetheless, it was still difficult for him to support his family of seven on the poor land. The self-proclaimed gardener of Tunghai Garden diligently carried out the land reclamation and sold flowers for a living. Yang’s wife Ye Tao passed away during this period.

However, Yang Kui's works were gradually seen in the 1960s. Returning to the literary world of Taiwan as a Taiwanese literary activist during the Japanese colonial period, many literary magazines reprinted the old masterpieces, “Model Village”, “The Newsboy”, “Mother Goose Gets Married”, etc., all of which led to broad responses. Tunghai Garden also became the place for the literati to gather, regardless of their citizenship. In 1976, the “Unflattened Rose” was printed in the junior high school Chinese textbooks. Yang Kui was the first person from the Japanese era whose literary work was included in the Chinese textbooks.

By the time of his death in 1985, Yang Kui was a novelist, translator, social activist, political victim, and a farm owner and gardener of Tunghai Garden. Yang Kui's literature and thoughts made him not only a writer in Taichung, but also part of the intangible cultural heritage shared by the Taiwanese people.