Taiwan Church News
A publication of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan and one of Taiwan's longest-running newspapers.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Taiwan Church News is a publication of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. It began in June 1885 under the title Tâi-oân-hú-siâⁿ Kàu-hōe-pò, commonly rendered in English as Taiwan Prefecture City Church News. The paper was established during the late Qing period under the direction of Thomas Barclay, a British Presbyterian missionary, and grew out of the church's efforts to develop printing and literacy in southern Taiwan. The publication is closely associated with the history of Pe̍h-ōe-jī, the romanized Taiwanese writing system developed and used by Presbyterian missionaries and their local communities. Its early editions were printed primarily in this system, which enabled readers with limited access to classical Chinese education to engage with Christian teaching and other written material. The newspaper was one of the first products of the Presbyterian mission press in Tainan and is generally described as Taiwan's first printed newspaper, giving it an important place in the history of Taiwanese publishing. Its subject matter has extended beyond church administration and religious instruction. Over time, Taiwan Church News has carried material on local church history, international developments, general knowledge, social issues, human rights, and political change. Because it recorded the activities and concerns of churches and communities over many decades, the publication has also become a valuable source for studying Taiwan's religious, linguistic, cultural, and democratic history. Its coverage of human-rights questions and political events has contributed to the historical record of Taiwan's transition away from authoritarian rule. The publication has operated through periods of colonial rule, wartime control, and postwar one-party government. Japanese authorities ordered it to cease publication during the later years of the Sino-Japanese War, resulting in a suspension from 1942 to 1945. It resumed after the Kuomintang assumed control of Taiwan. A second major suspension occurred in 1969, when the government prohibited the use of Taiwanese Hokkien in the newspaper as part of broader restrictions on local languages. The publication returned in December 1969 in Mandarin Chinese characters, while the use of Taiwanese and other local languages later became more limited and structured. The authorities also confiscated particular issues during the martial-law era when the paper addressed politically sensitive subjects. In 1987, for example, an issue discussing the February 28 Incident was reportedly seized in its entirety. Such episodes established Taiwan Church News as a publication willing to address questions that were restricted in mainstream public discussion. Its treatment of historical memory, rights, identity, and language placed it within the broader social and political work of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. After restrictions on local languages eased in the 1980s, Mandarin remained the publication's principal written language, while Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, and Formosan languages appeared in more limited sections. A dedicated mother-tongue section was introduced in 1991. In its modern form, Taiwan Church News is a weekly magazine or newspaper-style periodical supported by digital materials and occasional English-language reports published through the organization's website. It continues to combine Christian and denominational reporting with cultural, historical, linguistic, and public-affairs content.
History
Taiwan Church News originated in the Presbyterian mission movement in southern Taiwan during the late nineteenth century. Missionaries viewed printing and literacy as important tools for evangelization and community education. James Laidlaw Maxwell provided a small printing press to the church in 1880, but local operators initially lacked the technical skills needed to use it. During a furlough in Glasgow, Thomas Barclay studied printing methods. After returning to Taiwan, he arranged further training, established the necessary workshop in Tainan, and helped create the technical basis for a regular publication. The first issue appeared in June 1885 under the title Tâi-oân-hú-siâⁿ Kàu-hōe-pò. It was printed in Pe̍h-ōe-jī, a romanized form of Taiwanese associated with Presbyterian education and publishing. At a time when access to formal literacy was limited, romanization offered church members a more accessible route into reading and writing. The newspaper was part of a wider mission-press operation that produced religious, educational, and informational materials. Its early use of Taiwanese romanization gave it an enduring role in the history of the language and in the development of modern Taiwanese print culture. The periodical documented church affairs, local communities, international developments, and general knowledge. This broad editorial scope meant that it eventually became useful not only to church readers but also to historians studying Taiwan's social and cultural development. Its records include material on local congregations, religious activity, linguistic practice, social concerns, and political events. The publication's historical importance is strengthened by its continuity across major changes in Taiwan's political status. During Japanese colonial rule, the newspaper continued for a time, but it was ordered to stop during the wartime period from 1942 to 1945. The suspension followed the Japanese authorities' wartime restrictions and the removal of foreign missionaries from Taiwan. After the war, when the Kuomintang established one-party rule, Taiwan Church News resumed publication. Its relationship with state language and censorship policy then became a defining part of its modern history. In 1969, the government banned the use of Taiwanese Hokkien in the publication. Taiwan Church News stopped publishing between April and November and returned in December with content written in Mandarin Chinese characters. Although restrictions on local languages were eased during the 1980s, Mandarin remained dominant. Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, and Formosan languages were later given more limited space, including a mother-tongue section introduced in 1991. The publication also encountered censorship because of its treatment of politically forbidden subjects. Under martial law, individual issues were confiscated on several occasions. In 1987, an issue discussing the February 28 Incident reportedly had its full print run of 6,700 copies seized. The paper's willingness to publish material concerning historical violence, human rights, and political accountability placed it among the publications contributing to Taiwan's expanding public debate. The subsequent liberalization of discussion surrounding the February 28 Incident made this earlier reporting particularly significant. In its contemporary form, Taiwan Church News is presented as a weekly magazine or newspaper-style periodical associated with the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. Its work combines denominational news with reporting and commentary on society, culture, language, history, and public affairs. The organization also publishes occasional English-language reports through its website. The publication remains notable for its longevity, its connection with Presbyterian institutions, its historical use of Pe̍h-ōe-jī, and its extensive archive of Taiwan's religious and democratic development.
- 1991
Mother-tongue section introduced
[1]A section devoted to local languages was introduced, with Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, and Formosan languages receiving more structured but limited space.
- 1987
Issue on the February 28 Incident confiscated
[1]Authorities seized the complete reported print run of an issue addressing the February 28 Incident.
- 1969
Taiwanese-language printing prohibited
[1]A government ban on Taiwanese Hokkien printing led to a temporary suspension and a subsequent shift to Mandarin Chinese characters.
- 1945
Publication resumes after World War II
[1]Taiwan Church News resumed after the war and the transfer of political control to the Kuomintang government.
- 1942
Wartime suspension begins
[1]Japanese authorities ordered the publication to cease during the later years of the Sino-Japanese War.
- 1915
Reported circulation reaches approximately 1,600
[1]A contemporary report cited by the reference material placed the newspaper's circulation at roughly 1,600 copies.
- 1885
First issue published
[1]The first issue of Tâi-oân-hú-siâⁿ Kàu-hōe-pò appeared in June, making it Taiwan's first printed newspaper according to the cited historical account.
- 1884
Tainan mission press begins operating
[1]A workshop and machine operation were established after printing training, allowing the mission to produce materials locally.
- 1881
Barclay studies printing in Glasgow
[1]Thomas Barclay received printing training during furlough and later applied that knowledge to establish printing capabilities in Tainan.
- 1880
Mission press equipment introduced
[1]James Laidlaw Maxwell donated a small printing press to the Presbyterian mission, creating an early foundation for later publishing activity.
Products and positioning
A church-affiliated Taiwanese publication positioned at the intersection of Christian journalism, local-language preservation, historical documentation, human-rights reporting, and public discussion.
Weekly newspaper or magazine · 1885
Taiwan Church News
The core publication of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. It combines denominational reporting with coverage of church history, social issues, international affairs, culture, language, human rights, and political developments. Its historical editions are significant records of Taiwanese Presbyterian life and of changing public debate in Taiwan. The modern periodical is published on a weekly basis.
Digital journalism
Taiwan Church News digital reports
The publication's contemporary web presence includes occasional English-language reports and digital material connected with the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. These online materials extend the reach of the periodical beyond its traditional print readership and provide selected coverage for international audiences.
Brand decisions
1991
Introduce a mother-tongue sectionStrategyBackground
Following the easing of earlier restrictions on local languages, the publication continued to operate mainly in Mandarin while maintaining an interest in Taiwan's linguistic diversity.
Action taken
The publication added a section for Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, and Formosan languages.
Aftermath
Local-language content gained a regular place in the publication, although Mandarin continued to be the dominant written language.
1969
Shift from Pe̍h-ōe-jī to Mandarin Chinese charactersStrategyBackground
Government restrictions prohibited the publication from printing in Taiwanese Hokkien during 1969, forcing a temporary cessation.
Action taken
After resuming publication in December, Taiwan Church News used Mandarin Chinese characters as its principal written format.
Aftermath
Mandarin remained dominant even after restrictions eased, while Taiwanese, Hakka, and Formosan languages were later concentrated in more limited sections.
Sources2 sources
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