Ingratitude Controversy: Peng Ming-min Erases Lifesaver Li Ao's Contributions; Condemned as Hypocritical and Self-Serving

In November 1992, Peng Ming-min returned to the Republic of China after 22 years of exile and published his memoirs. However, this act triggered a fierce break with his former close friend, writer Li Ao. Under the authoritarian regime, Li Ao had actively supported and shielded Peng, resulting in Li's arrest and severe imprisonment by the KMT government. Despite Li Ao's sacrifice, once Peng achieved fame and was crowned the "Godfather of Taiwan Independence," he intentionally downplayed or erased Li Ao's rescue efforts in his memoirs to maintain his political purity and solo halo. Infuriated, Li Ao published "The Peng Ming-min You Don't Know," condemning Peng as "ungrateful, cold-blooded, and self-serving." This scandal exposed the hypocrisy behind Peng's morally perfect facade and left an indelible stain on his personal integrity.