Wang Hsing-ching

In an RTHK TV program "Merry Book Worm" in October 2003, (愈讀愈快樂 (www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/tv/bookworm/20031026.html inactive as of 2008-05-07), 5 Oct 04.) Wang shared his opinions on how to choose suitable books for ourselves. He raised questions on how topics of certain discourses are set, why the topics are written the way they are, and how the written formats differ from author to author, and suggested that these are the aspects we have to think about when we choose books to read. Also, Wang stressed that it is necessary for every author to get the basic and wide-ranging knowledge on different areas before having any discussion or analysis. With his literature commentaries in Magical Eyes (魔幻之眼), Nanfang Shuo attempts to give his readers a brief overview on his recommended books to help them choose readings.

In another interview from Central News Agency (news.pchome.com.tw/life/can/20030408/index-20030408165736010244.html inactive as of 2008-05-07) in Taiwan, Wang pointed out that readers are not encouraged to spend too much time on books which are too difficult to be digested or too easy to read. In the interview, Wang encouraged readers to find the books which would motivate them and those which can give them new perspectives. Applying Wang's views on reading, journalism, and news reports, readers should focus their attention on news of particular interest to them, ones which they feel comfortable to read and criticize. Moreover, Wang believes that readers are responsible for the verification of reports.

Wang has never been shy expressing his critical opinions on current affairs. In the summer of 2004, he attended a forum in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center concerning the political issues in Taiwan and the relation across the Taiwan Strait after the Presidential election. He suggested that the two shores of the Strait should make positive interactions in order to solve the rational problems.

Wang earned his undergraduate degree in the School for Forestry and Resource Conservation, from National Taiwan University and a doctorate degree in Chinese Culture University. The Senkaku (Diaoyutai) Island incident made Wang reach an epiphany to become a journalist. During that period, Wang abandoned his overseas study plan and stayed in Taiwan, starting his career. His first journalist job was at the Taiwanese newspaper National Evening News (Chinese: 民族晚報). In the 1970s, Wang was a reporter for the Taiwan Times, and afterwards worked as a writer, vice general editor, and general editor in The China Times (中國時報). Although he never received technical university training in journalism, he has more than twenty years of experience in the mass media as a news commentator.

Wang Hsing-ching (simplified Chinese: 王杏庆; traditional Chinese: 王杏慶; pinyin: Wáng Xìngqìng; born 1946), who has a pseudonym of Nanfang Shuo (南方朔, Nánfāng Shuò), is a journalist, political commentator, and cultural critic. Currently, he is the chief editor and writer of The Journalist magazine (新新聞週刊), with commentaries on current issues in major newspapers. He co-founded The Journalist when he was in his 40s. His writings, including Western ideas analysis, social phenomena criticism, and literature comments, are all regarded as very influential. Crediting his intellectual contribution to the society, he is known as "the most industrious private scholar in Taiwan".