Wu Mi-cha
{{Short description|Taiwanese historian}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Wu Mi-cha
| native_name = {{nobold|吳密察}}
| image = Wu Mi-cha 2017.jpg
| caption = Wu in 2017
| nationality = Republic of China
| office = Director of the National Palace Museum
| predecessor = Chen Chi-nan
Lee Ching-hui (acting)
| successor = Hsiao Tsung-huang
| term_start = 15 February 2019
| term_end = 31 January 2023
| office1 = Director of Academia Historica
| deputy1 =
| term_start1 = 20 May 2016
| term_end1 = 13 February 2019
| predecessor1 = {{ill|Lu Fang-shang|zh|呂芳上}}
| successor1 = Ho Chih-lin (acting)
{{ill|Chen Yi-shen|zh|陳儀深}}
| office2 = Director of the National Museum of Taiwan History
| term_start2 = March 2007
| term_end2 = 1 August 2008
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 = {{ill|Lu Li-cheng|zh|呂理政}}
| office3 = Vice Chairman of the Council for Cultural Affairs
| minister3 = {{ill|Tchen Yu-chiou|zh|陳郁秀}}
| term_start3 = 5 February 2001
| term_end3 = 20 May 2004
| predecessor3 = Luo Wen-jia
| successor3 = Wu Chin-fa
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1956|3|22}}
| birth_place = Beimen, Tainan, Taiwan
| party = Democratic Progressive Party {{small|(since 2002)}}
| spouse =
| children =
| signature =
| module = {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes
|s = {{linktext|吴|密|察}}
|t = {{linktext|吳|密|察}}
|p = Wú Mìchá
|poj=Ngô͘ Bi̍t-chhat
|w =
}}
| education = National Taiwan University (BA)
University of Tokyo (PhD)
}}
Wu Mi-cha ({{zh|c=吳密察|poj=Ngô͘ Bi̍t-chhat}}; born 22 March 1956) is a Taiwanese historian. He was the vice chairman of the Council for Cultural Affairs from 2001 to 2004, after which he became director of the National Museum of Taiwan History. In May 2016, Wu was appointed head of Academia Historica, serving until February 2019, when he was named Director of the National Palace Museum. He stepped down from the NPM in January 2023.
Education
Wu studied history at National Taiwan University (NTU) and later joined the faculty after completing his Ph.D. at the University of Tokyo.{{cite news |title=Talk By Wu Mi-Cha |url=https://china.usc.edu/calendar/talk-wu-mi-cha |access-date=14 February 2019 |publisher=University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism |date=January 2010}} He specialized in the history of Taiwan.{{cite news |last1=Chu |first1=Monique |title=New Zealander donates account of 228 |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2000/02/27/0000025746 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=27 February 2000}}{{cite news |last1=Chu |first1=Monique |title=NZ manuscript tells about 228 |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2000/02/28/0000025867/2 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=28 February 2000}}
Career
By 2001, Wu joined the Executive Yuan as vice chairman of the Council of Cultural Affairs (CCA).{{cite news |last1=Yeh |first1=Lindy |title=The mystique of med school |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/08/13/0000098329/2 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=13 August 2001}} While working at the CCA, he remained on the NTU faculty.{{cite news |last1=Chu |first1=Monique |title=Koizumi visit to shrine gets late response |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/08/15/0000098613 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=15 August 2001}}{{cite news |last1=Yeh |first1=Lindy |title=Association celebrates local culture |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/10/17/0000107480/2 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=17 October 2001}} In 2002, Wu and the CCA established a task force to investigate missing artifacts held by the National Taiwan Museum.{{cite news |last1=Huang |first1=Sandy |title=Legislator says staff stole museum relics |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2002/02/27/0000125571 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=27 February 2002}} Wu joined the Democratic Progressive Party in July of that year.{{cite news |last1=Lin |first1=Miao-jung |title=MAC official's DPP ties run deep |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2002/07/18/0000148695 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=18 July 2002}}{{cite news |last1=Lin |first1=Miao-jung |last2=Chu |first2=Monique |title=Government officials migrate to DPP |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2002/07/22/0000149222 |work=Taipei Times |access-date=13 February 2019 |date=22 July 2002}}{{cite news |last1=Lin |first1=Mei-chun |title=Top officials to join DPP in ceremony |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2002/07/29/0000158144 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=29 July 2002}} In his CCA capacity, Wu acted as council spokesman and addressed several groups,{{cite news |last1=Phipps |first1=Gavin |title=From station to station |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2002/12/07/0000186297 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=7 December 2002}} among them the European Union Study Association–Taiwan and Ketagalan Academy.{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Yun-ping |title=Forum focuses on cultural industry |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2003/03/27/0000199646 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=27 March 2003}}{{cite news |last1=Lin |first1=Mei-chun |title=Ketagalan Academy president calls for opposition to stop attacking institution |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2003/04/15/0000202135 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=15 April 2003}} In September 2003, Wu announced that the CCA had drafted the National Languages Development Law, ensuring that Taiwan would not have an official language, in turn allowing local governments to choose a suitable language for communication.{{cite news |last1=Huang |first1=Jewel |title=Council says country to have no official language |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2003/09/23/2003068879 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=23 September 2003}}{{cite news |title=Editorial: Ensuring linguistic diversity |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2003/09/25/2003069193 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=25 September 2003}} Wu was supportive of Taichung mayor Jason Hu's unsuccessful attempt to bring a branch of the Guggenheim Museum to the city.{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Vico |title=Taichung the new Bilbao? |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2003/10/04/2003070398 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=4 October 2003}} In April 2004, Wu visited Europe as CCA vice chair to discuss storage of historical documents.{{cite news |title=Team visits Vatican |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2004/04/20/2003137361 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=20 April 2004}}
He left the CCA in 2004, and returned to National Taiwan University.{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Rich |title=Choice of book gift may give clues to Lien's intentions |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/04/26/2003252029 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=26 April 2005}} Wu subsequent endeavors included a set of bilingual comic books on Taiwan's history, published in 2005,{{cite news |title=Bilingual comics tell nation's history |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/06/11/2003258826 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=11 June 2005}} and a documentary on Lee Teng-hui's leadership during the democratization of Taiwan, released in 2006.{{cite news |last1=Huang |first1=Jewel |title=Film highlights Lee Teng-hui's role in democratization |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2006/07/11/2003318231 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=11 July 2006}} Wu's other publications include Liu Yung-fu in the Yiwei Battle,{{cite news |author1=Han Cheung |title=As the last resistance fell |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2016/06/19/2003648948 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=19 June 2016}} contributions to The Expedition to Formosa,{{cite news |author1=Han Cheung |title=Taiwan in Time: Sovereignty in question |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2016/05/08/2003645758 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=8 May 2016}} and International View of the 228 Incident.{{cite news |last1=Shih |first1=Hsiao-kuang |last2=Chung |first2=Jake |title=Deep-blue group exhibits data to 'exonerate' KMT |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2018/02/25/2003688216 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=25 February 2018}} By 2007, Wu had become the director of the National Museum of Taiwan History, which was scheduled to open the next year.{{cite news |last1=Bartholomew |first1=Ian |title=Museum offers historical tours of Tainan |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2007/10/03/2003381577 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=3 October 2007}}{{cite news |last1=Hsu |first1=Jenny W. |title=Taiwan signs museum exchange |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/10/20/2003383967 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=20 October 2007}} Previously, in 2004, Wu had contributed records of Taiwan's opium production during the Japanese era to the museum.{{cite news |last1=Huang |first1=Jewel |title=A museum for everybody requires everybody's help |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2004/02/11/2003098293 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=11 February 2004}}
In 2016, Wu was appointed director of Academia Historica and to the board of the {{ill|Memorial Foundation of 228|zh|二二八事件紀念基金會}}.{{cite news |last1=Tseng |first1=Wei-chen |title=Next Academia Historica head appointed |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/05/16/2003646384 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=16 May 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Hsin-fang |last2=Chung |first2=Jake |title=228 Massacre Anniversary: Foundation locked in power struggle |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/09/24/2003655825 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=24 September 2016}} In August 2016, Wu stated that Academia Historica would be enforcing access restrictions to documents within its archives codified by Freedom of Government Information Act.{{cite news |last1=Tseng |first1=Wei-chen |last2=Hetherington |first2=William |title=Academia Historica to halt document access to Chinese |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/08/01/2003652233 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=1 August 2016}} As the institute's director, Wu worked with the Tsai Ing-wen presidential administration to compile records of persecution, namely relating to the 228 incident of 1947.{{cite news |title=228 evidence indicts Chiang: academic |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/02/25/2003665668 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=25 February 2017}} By June 2017, the Academia Historica under Wu's leadership had released 260,000 documents for publication online.{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Hsin-fang |title=Tsai recommits to transitional justice |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/06/25/2003673259 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=25 June 2017}} Wu has continually advocated for the declassification and publication of documents from several periods of the history of the Republic of China during his time with the Memorial Foundation of 228 and Academia Historica.{{cite news |last1=Chung |first1=Li-hua |last2=Hetherington |first2=William |title=KMT refuse Academia Historica publishing rights |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/12/20/2003661574 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=20 December 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Chung |first1=Li-hua |last2=Chung |first2=Jake |title=Foundation bemoans reluctance to declassify 228 files |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/02/26/2003665736 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=26 February 2017}}{{cite news |last1=Su |first1=Yung-yao |last2=Hetherington |first2=William |title=Transitional Justice Act: INTERVIEW: Wu says act can collect 'hidden' records, increase trust |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/12/10/2003683738 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=10 December 2017}} In February 2019, Wu was appointed as Director of the National Palace Museum.{{cite news |last1=Ku |first1=Chuan |last2=Kao |first2=Evelyn |title=National Palace Museum, marine agency get new leaders |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/201902130010 |access-date=13 February 2019 |agency=Central News Agency |date=13 February 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Huang |first1=Tzu-ti |title=Taiwan's Academia Historica head tapped as new National Palace Museum Director |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3637135 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=Taiwan News |date=13 February 2019}} Wu was replaced by Hsiao Tsung-huang in January 2023.{{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Chau-yu |last2=Lo |first2=James |last3=Shih |first3=Hsiu-chuan |title=Premier-designate names more Cabinet appointments |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202301280015 |access-date=28 January 2023 |agency=Central News Agency}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{commons category|Wu Mi-cha}}
{{Directors of National Palace Museum}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wu, Mi-cha}}
Category:National Taiwan University alumni
Category:Academic staff of the National Taiwan University
Category:21st-century Taiwanese historians
Category:20th-century Taiwanese historians
Category:Democratic Progressive Party (Taiwan) politicians
Category:Government ministers of Taiwan
Category:Directors of National Palace Museum