Yao Chia-wen (Chinese: 姚嘉文; pinyin: Yáo Jiāwén; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Iâu Ka-bûn; born 15 June 1938) is a Taiwanese politician and an important figure in Taiwan's democratization movement.
In 1979, he was imprisoned due to his involvement in the Formosa Incident and authored his representative work Taiwan Story of Seven Colors (臺灣七色記) while incarcerated.
Yao co-founded the "Legal Advice Center for Citizens" (平民法律服務中心) in 1972 after attending the University of California at Berkeley as a visiting scholar.
In 1975, together with Lin Yi-hsiung (林義雄), he defended Kuo Yu-hsin (郭雨新) in a lawsuit, earning the title "Guardian of Justice Outside the Party".
He also participated in the National Assembly election, which was suspended due to the termination of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the United States.
[8] Yau Jia-wen's literary works primarily consist of novels, with his magnum opus Taiwan Story of Seven Colors (臺灣七色記) of three million characters[9] being an extensive historical novel spanning seven books and fourteen volumes, along with an additional volume titled Prequel (前記).
The narrative covers the years 383 AD to 1984, using the migration of Taiwanese people across the Taiwan Strait as a backdrop, telling the story of resistance against oppression and the pursuit of democracy and independence.
[10] He has also authored more than twenty works in the fields of law, politics, history, and literature, including historical novels such as Jenchihkuan of Wushe (霧社人止關) and Mission No.