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This hymn is important in the Taiwan Independence Movement , usually named as the proposed National Anthem for a future Republic Of Taiwan . The first stanza is Secular . The second has strong Christian references (the poet being a Minister in the Presbyterian Church In Taiwan ) and is intended only for performance in Church settings or similarly appropriate environments.


ORIGINAL TEXT

The poem was originally written in Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī . It has subsequently been translated into other languages, such as Hakka (by another clergyman Hiû San-hiùng).
Thài-pêng-iûⁿ se-lâm hái-piⁿ, bí-lē-tó Tâi-oân chhùi-chhiⁿ.

Chá-chêng hō͘ gōa-pang thóng-tī, kiàn-kok taⁿ teh chhut-thâu-thiⁿ.

Kiōng-hô-kok hiàn-hoat ê ki-chhó͘, sù-cho̍k-kûn pêng-téng saⁿ hia̍p-chō͘.

Jîn-lūi bûn-hòa, sè-kài hô-pêng, kok-bîn hiòng-chêng kòng-hiàn châi-lêng.


Choè goân-thaû Siōng-tè chhòng-chō, bí-lē-tó Tâi-oân choè-hó.

Siúⁿ-sù hō͘ chó͘-sian khiā-khí, kiàn-kok taⁿ Siōng-chú liap-lí.

Chú Ki-tok kok-ka ê kun-ông, lí-sióng-pang bo̍k-phiau ê kià-bōng.

Lán beh kiàn-siat jîn-ài kong-gī, chó͘-kok moá-toē chhin-chhiūⁿ tī thiⁿ. (A-men.)



ENGLISH VERSION

(Translated by Boris and Clare Anderson)
Taiwan the Green

:By Pacific’s western shore,
:Beauteous isle, our green Taiwan.
:Once suffered under alien rule,
:Free at last to be its own.
:Here’s the basis of our nation:
:Four diverse groups in unity,
:Come to offer all their varied skills,
:For the good of all and a world at peace.


NON-METRICAL PARAPHRASE IN ENGLISH

:On the southwestern edge of the Pacific Ocean stands the lush Taiwan , the beautiful island (" Formosa ").
:Earlier it was ruled by Foreign Powers , but now it has achieved its Nationhood (" Chhut-thâu-thiⁿ ").
:The Republic being the basis of its Constitution , the Four Ethnic Groups are equal and co-operate with one another.
:Towards Humanity , Civilization , and Peace , the people will come forward to contribute their talents.

:In the beginning, God created the beautiful island of Taiwan, our favourite.
:God gave it to our ancestors to inhabit and still looks over our nation.
: Christ being the Lord of our nation, the ideal state is our hope and aim.
:We will work towards Love and Justice , so that our Motherland will become as Heaven On Earth . ( Amen .)


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