National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan pays tribute to Dr. George Mackay
2022 marks the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Dr. George Leslie Mackay in Taiwan, where he was the first Presbyterian missionary. During his time in the country, Mackay didn’t only spread the gospel, he also offered free medical services like dentistry to locals. To celebrate his life, the National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan held concerts in his honor on Sept. 17 and 18. FTV reporter Stephany Yang spoke to the organizers to find out more about the production.
To celebrate the life of Mackay, the National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan produced a musical titled "Mackay the Trekker — A Love Letter to Formosa." The story is narrated by three actors who play Mackay’s widow, daughter, and first disciple.
The performance combined traditional Beiguan music, which was popular in the 17th and mid-20th centuries, Taiwanese Opera, and modern day music, allowing the audience to better understand the story of Mackay through different generations of music. The story was also inspired by Mackay’s diary to bring to light the joys and hardships Mackay faced during his mission.
Hsu Hsiu-nien
Actor
The war had already started, and Mackay ran back to save a foreign soldier. It was a very touching story. Whether it was a Taiwanese or a foreigner, when he saw someone injured, he wanted to save them. During that scene, I almost burst into tears.
Cheng Hai-yun
Singer
My personal feeling for him is that his concern for people was as wide as Mount Guanyin. When I saw the mountain scene, it reminded me of Mackay’s heart and mind. He is currently in a cemetery in Tamsui, resting peacefully on our land. I am very moved by that, because he is not Taiwanese, but he did so much for this land.
Datian
Actor
Our modern life has become very easy. We can go anywhere, for example, by plane, and reach anywhere on earth in 24 hours or less. But during that era, people had to travel by boat to get here. I wonder how long it took to travel from Canada to Taiwan by boat. If it took a year and a half to arrive, there would definitely be times when the sea was rocky. I’m very moved that he was motivated by his beliefs to come here. Those beliefs will be passed down from generation to generation.
George Leslie Mackay was the first Presbyterian missionary in Northern Taiwan. During his time there he learned Taiwanese for his missionary work, and also contributed to the development of medical education in Taiwan. He traveled throughout the country, offering free dentistry services and spreading the gospel.
Lee Hsiao-ping
Director
We tell his story from every angle. Later in his life, before he turned 57, he contracted malaria that lasted for two years. He said that he had trouble acclimatizing. That’s what he wrote in his diary. Nevertheless he settled here and stayed. He never criticized the environment he found himself in, but instead said that if he had trouble adapting, it must have been a trial placed upon him by God.
Throughout his mission in Taiwan, Mackay established churches, hospitals, and educational institutions. He died in Taiwan in 1901, but his legacy is still honored and remembered today, 150 years later.
2022-09-20