Tang Ying-shen

Tang Ying-shen (; July 26, 1967 – May 15, 1987) was a Taiwanese Tsou aborigine who was convicted of murdering his employer's family in 1986 and executed by shooting a year later. At age 19, he was the youngest death row inmate in Taiwanese history. His case brought attention to the discrimination and racism Taiwanese aboriginals faced in society.

Early life and education Tang Ying-shen was born on July 26, 1967, in the small town of Wufeng (renamed Alishan in 1989), Chiayi, Taiwan. He was reportedly an excellent student, and had good grades. Tang attended Chiayi Teachers College, where he dropped out because he was unable to handle the harsh "military-style" discipline.

Career In January 1986, Tang moved to Taipei to find work. He eventually found a job at a laundry shop, where he worked up to 17 hours a day without a day off, and only had daily salary of NT$200. Tang's employer also mistreated him by confiscating his ID card and refusing to let him go home for the Chinese New Year, He often called Tang a huan-a, a derogatory Hokkien term for indigenous people.

Trial and execution Tang was sentenced to death on the first trial, however, the case attracted a lot of attention. More than 100 religious, civic, and cultural groups in Taiwan called for the government and President Chiang Ching-kuo to commute Tang's death sentence to life imprisonment.

However, Tang's death penalty was confirmed on May 9, 1987, and he was executed by shooting six days later on May 15. He refused anesthesia for the execution, saying that "I deserve this for what I did, so I must accept this pain".

Impact and legacy Tang's trial and execution brought light to the discrimination faced by the indigenous Taiwanese in society, which coincided with the lifting of martial law and increased discussion on human rights in Taiwan. The Wu Feng legend, about a Qing merchant who befriended and "civilized" aborigines, was also questioned for its racist implications. Wu Feng statues were demolished across the country, and Tang's hometown Wufeng, named after the merchant, was renamed to the current Alishan Township in 1989.