National Taiwan University emeritus professor Hu Fu passed away in mid-September; he was 86. The liberal-minded scholar was best known for his research on the constitution of the Republic of China and, most importantly, for laying the foundations of the quantitative study of political science in Taiwan, a method he introduced from the US in 1970.

But Hu was no ordinary professor. Under the KMT’s one-party rule, he and three other intellectuals established the Taipei Society in 1989 and the organization was strongly critical of the government. Hu never bowed to pressure. He refused to toe the line and stood firm on his belief that the “spirit of the constitution of the Republic of China is a parliamentary system.” In fact, Hu played an important role in key moments in Taiwan’s democracy, including the lifting of the martial law and direct legislative elections in the early 1990s.

By all accounts, the widely respected intellectual set an unprecedented example in his research and teaching. His warmth, generosity, integrity and tolerance of differing views explain why he was fondly remembered by his students from across the political spectrum. They include former president Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang (KMT) and former vice president Annette Lu of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).