Hiuˋ Gimˋ-lien

Qiu Jinlian (Hakka Chinese: Hiuˋ Gimˋ-lien; 1912–2015) was a Nihonga painter from Tongxiao, Miaoli County. She was one of the first female university students in Taiwan. To make it easier for his daughter to attend school, Chiu Guo-zhen advocated for the establishment of the Nanhe Branch of the Tongxiao Public School. At the time, due to the conservative attitudes in rural areas, Chiu Jin-lian was the only female student in her class. Chiu Guo-zhen was even mocked by locals for supporting his daughter’s education. Furthermore, through Kyu Harada, Chiu became acquainted with the "Three Youths of the Taiwan Exhibition"— Kuo Hsueh-hu, Chen Jin (painter), and Lin Yushan. She developed a particularly close sibling-like bond with Guo Xuehu. In 1934, Chiu Jin-lian graduated from Taipei Women's Higher Academy, becoming one of Taiwan's first female university graduates. Her close friend, Zhou Hongchou, lamented, "Jinlian! At home, we were cherished like incense burners, but after marriage, it's as if we've become like chicken droppings!" Shortly after their marriage, Lin Longsheng was drafted to serve in World War II as a military doctor in the Philippines. His plans to open a clinic in Miaoli were abandoned, and he sold the clinic land at a low price, leaving behind only tens of thousands of dollars before his departure. Initially, the couple exchanged letters; communication ceased after Lin was transferred to Manila. Left without word from her husband, Qiu Jinlian returned to her parents' home with their eldest son and an eight-month-old younger son.After the war, unlike other military doctors who returned home, Lin Longsheng did not come back, and it was presumed he had died in a foreign land. Qiu Jinlian encountered Yamauchi Sei, a retired officer in his seventies who had served in the First Sino-Japanese War. At the time, Yamauchi was preparing to return to Japan and was liquidating his assets. Upon learning of Qiu Jinlian's plight, he offered her and her children temporary residence in a Japanese-style dormitory.More than a year after the war had ended, and just days before Yamauchi was set to leave for Japan, Lin Longsheng miraculously returned. In response, Yamauchi gifted a portion of his land and housing to Lin Longsheng and Qiu Jinlian and assisted Lin in establishing Huairen Clinic in Tongxiao Town.

In 1977 Lin Longsheng died, and a few years later their eldest son died. Qiu Jinlian was left to rely on her second and youngest sons for companionship. In her later years, Qiu Jinlian faced financial difficulties and struggled to cover medical expenses for her son. She mortgaged her house for a loan of 6 million NTD and was unable to pay the interest, leaving her home at risk of being auctioned.Nevertheless, Qiu Jinlian maintained a positive outlook on life and frequently attended reunions with her classmates from the Third High School for Girls.

In 2015 she died at the age of 105.

Qiu Jinlian's color glue Bird-and-flower painting Yanlaihong (Amaranth), created in 1932, is now part of the collection at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Painted on Silk painting, the work is meticulously detailed in the gongbi style, emphasizing the natural posture of the Amaranthus tricolor's red and green branches and leaves. The light, shading, and tonal variations of the leaves are intricately depicted. This piece was selected for the Sixth Taiwan Fine Arts Exhibition. Another work, Allamanda, created in 1933, is now housed in the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, with the acquisition price reaching 3 million NTD. The Allamanda plant, also known as Allamanda cathartica, was an exotic species planted in the botanical garden opposite Taipei Women's Higher School. This subject stood in stark contrast to the native flora commonly depicted by male Taiwanese painters. The painting demonstrates Qiu's meticulous observation and strong skills in sketching from life. It was selected for the Seventh Taiwan Fine Arts Exhibition. Qiu Jinlian often signed her works with "Jinlian" and added a personal seal. In her later years, Qiu Jinlian remarked, "I never thought of becoming a painter."