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{{Short description|Individual Asian elephant}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}{{for|the composer|Lin Wang (composer)}}
{{other uses}}{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = 
| name             = Lin Wang
| image            = Image:Lin Wang and Sun.jpg
| image_size       = 200px
| alt              = 
| caption          = Lin Wang ''(left)'' and General [[Sun Li-jen]] ''(right)'', 1947
| native_name      = 林旺
| native_name_lang = zh
| nickname         = 
| birth_date       = {{birth-date|January 18, 1917}}
| birth_place      = [[British rule in Burma|British Burma]]
| death_date       = {{d-da|February 26, 2003|January 18, 1917}}
| death_place      = [[Taipei Zoo]], [[Taipei]], [[Taiwan]]
| allegiance       = {{flag|Republic of China (1912–1949)|name=Republic of China}}
| branch           = {{army|Republic of China (1912–1949)}}
| serviceyears     = 1943–52
| rank             = [[File:General Second Class rank insignia (ROC).jpg|50px]] [[General]]
| servicenumber    = 
| unit             = [[Chinese Expeditionary Force]]
| commands         = 
| battles          = [[Second Sino-Japanese War]]<br>[[World War II]]
*[[Burma Campaign]]
| battles_label    = 
| awards           = 
| memorials        = 
| spouse           = <!-- Add spouse if reliably sourced -->
| relations        = 
| laterwork        = 
| signature        = 
| signature_size   = 
| signature_alt    = 
| website          = 
| module           = 
}}
'''Lin Wang''' ({{zh|c=林旺|p=Lín Wàng|zhu=ㄌ一ㄣˊ ㄨㄤˋ}}; 1917&nbsp;– 26 February 2003) was an [[Asian elephant]] that served with the [[Chinese Expeditionary Force]] during the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] (1937–1945) and later relocated to [[Taiwan]] with the [[Kuomintang]] forces.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Diamond |first=Catherine |date=2021-06-01 |title=Tiger in the Garden, Elephant at the Gate: Three Zoonimal Narratives |url=https://www.airitilibrary.com/Article/Detail/00492949-202106-202202090004-202202090004-3-22 |journal=Tamkang Review |volume=51 |issue=2 |pages=3–22 |doi=10.6184/TKR.202106_51(2).0001}}</ref>{{Rp|page=15}} Lin Wang lived out most of his life in the [[Taipei Zoo]] and was the most famous animal of the zoo.<ref>{{Cite web |last=李 |first=永適 |date=2023-05-19 |title=大象的祕密 |url=https://hk.news.yahoo.com/%E5%A4%A7%E8%B1%A1%E7%9A%84%E7%A5%95%E5%AF%86-081012951.html |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Yahoo News |language=zh-Hant-HK |quote=自移入動物園的當天起，林旺就成為動物園最受歡迎的明星。}}</ref> Many adults and children alike affectionately called the bull elephant "Grandpa Lin Wang."<ref>{{Cite web |last=陳 |first=櫻琴 |date=2023-12-01 |title=《書痴成迷》大象林旺──那個時代最後的戰象 |url=https://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E9%99%B3%E6%AB%BB%E7%90%B4%E5%B0%88%E6%AC%84-%E6%9B%B8%E7%97%B4%E6%88%90%E8%BF%B7-%E5%A4%A7%E8%B1%A1%E6%9E%97%E6%97%BA-%E9%82%A3%E5%80%8B%E6%99%82%E4%BB%A3%E6%9C%80%E5%BE%8C%E7%9A%84%E6%88%B0%E8%B1%A1-005633256.html |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Yahoo News |language=zh-Hant-TW |quote=繪本從林旺的生平（？-2003），回顧動盪時代下的歷史，林旺原本是緬甸森林的工作象，後來成為戰象，大家都叫牠「林旺爺爺」，是台灣三代人共同的回憶。}}</ref>

==History==
===Sino-Japanese War===
After Japan [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|attacked Pearl Harbor]] in 1941, the [[Second Sino-Japanese War|Sino-Japanese War]], which began in 1937, became a part of the greater conflict of [[World War II]]. When the Japanese proceeded to attack British colonies in [[Burma]], Generalissimo [[Chiang Kai-shek]] formed the [[Chinese Expeditionary Force]] under the leadership of General [[Sun Li-jen]], to fight in the [[Burma Campaign]]. After a battle at a Japanese camp in 1943, Lin Wang, along with twelve other elephants, were captured by the Chinese. These elephants were used by the [[Imperial Japanese Army|Japanese army]] to transport supplies and pull artillery pieces. The Allied forces also used these elephants to do similar tasks. At this time, Lin Wang was named "Ah Mei" (阿美), meaning "The Beautiful".

In 1945, the Expeditionary Force was recalled to China. The elephants and their handlers marched along the [[Burma Road]], and six elephants died during the difficult trek. By the time they arrived in [[Guangdong]], the war had ended. However, the elephants' service with the army was not over. They participated in building some monuments for the martyrs of the war, and in the spring of 1946, they also performed for a circus to raise money for [[famine relief]] in [[Hunan]] province.

Later, four elephants in the group were sent to the zoos of [[Beijing]], [[Shanghai]], [[Nanjing]], and [[Changsha]]. The remaining three elephants, including Lin Wang, were relocated to a park in [[Guangzhou]].

===In Taiwan===
[[Image:Lin Wang(cropped).jpg|frame|Lin Wang and his army comrades in Kaohsiung, Taiwan]]
In 1947, Sun Li-jen was sent to Taiwan to train new troops. He took the three elephants with him, though one sick elephant died during the trip across the [[Taiwan Strait|strait]]. The two remaining elephants were used to transport logs and accomplish other simple tasks near the army base in [[Fongshan]], [[Kaohsiung]]. In 1951 the other elephant died and Lin Wang became the only one left of the original thirteen elephants from the Burmese days.

In 1954, the army decided to give Lin Wang to Taipei Zoo at Yuanshan (圓山),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-02-01 |title=孫立人將軍屏東行館重現大象林旺和軍犬 旺旺迎春 |url=https://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E5%AD%AB%E7%AB%8B%E4%BA%BA%E5%B0%87%E8%BB%8D%E5%B1%8F%E6%9D%B1%E8%A1%8C%E9%A4%A8%E9%87%8D%E7%8F%BE%E5%A4%A7%E8%B1%A1%E6%9E%97%E6%97%BA%E5%92%8C%E8%BB%8D%E7%8A%AC-%E6%97%BA%E6%97%BA%E8%BF%8E%E6%98%A5-041256248.html |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Yahoo News |language=zh-Hant-TW |quote=1954年，孫將軍把「阿妹」送給圓山動物園，後以「林旺」這個名字家喻戶曉。}}</ref> where he met his lifelong mate Malan (馬蘭).<ref>{{Cite web |last=鍾 |first=志鵬 |date=2020-08-14 |title=老照片故事／73年前林旺叫「阿妹」 |url=https://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E8%80%81%E7%85%A7%E7%89%87%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B-73%E5%B9%B4%E5%89%8D%E6%9E%97%E6%97%BA%E5%8F%AB-%E9%98%BF%E5%A6%B9-115042358.html |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Yahoo News |language=zh-Hant-TW |quote=1954年秋天，孫立人將軍決定將「阿妹」送給位於圓山的動物園，改名「林旺」就是這個時候。}}</ref> At this time, Lin Wang was still named "Ah Mei" and the keeper of the zoo felt that the name was too feminine. Thus, his name was changed to "King of the Forest" (森林之王), abbreviated "Lín Wáng" (林王). However, a reporter misheard the name and published his name as Lín Wàng (林旺, different [[Chinese character|character]] and different [[tone (linguistics)|intonation]]), and this name stuck forever.<ref name="ttlinwang">{{cite news |author1=Han Cheung |title=Taiwan in Time: The beloved elephant's long journey home |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2025/04/06/2003834690 |access-date=6 April 2025 |work=Taipei Times |date=6 April 2025}}</ref>

Lin Wang became the most famous and popular animal in Taiwan, and in 1983 the zoo threw the first birthday party for his sixty-sixth birthday. Since then, his birthday was celebrated every year on the last Sunday of October at the zoo, attracting thousands of visitors, including visitations from Taipei mayors. In 1986, the zoo relocated from Yuanshan to [[Muzha District|Mucha]] and many Taipei citizens crowded along the streets to see the animals, particularly Lin Wang, move house.

In early 2003 Lin Wang suffered arthritis on his left hind leg. He started to lose appetite along with other complications. His condition deteriorated and he died on 26 February.

His memorial service, which lasted several weeks, was visited by tens of thousands of people, many of whom left cards and flowers for the elephant. Lin Wang was posthumously made a Honorary Taipei Citizen by Taipei mayor [[Ma Ying-jeou]].<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=17}} President [[Chen Shui-bian]] sent a [[wreath]],<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=17}} with a card addressing "to our forever friend, Lin Wang."

==Legacy==
[[File:林旺.jpg|thumb|200px|Specimen of Lin Wang, in Taipei Zoo]]
Compared to the average life expectancy of 70 for a typical Asian elephant, Lin Wang lived much longer, dying in his eighty-sixth year. He is the longest-living elephant in captivity, surpassing [[Lakshmikutty  (elephant)|Lakshmikutty ]] from India who reached the age of 84 before she died in 1997.

In addition to his service to the army, Lin Wang also became a cultural [[Cultural icon|icon]] and an inseparable part in the memories of many. His life mirrored important events in history, such as the wars in China and later the economic miracle of Taiwan, and three generations of people remember him fondly as a part of national identity. In 2004 Lin Wang was immortalised in a life-size specimen in Taipei Zoo credited to taxidermist, Lin-Wen Lung (林文龍).

== See also ==
*[[Chengalloor Dakshayani]]
* [[War elephant]]
* [[Timothy (tortoise)]]
* [[List of individual elephants]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215820/http://www.sinorama.com.tw/en/show_issue.php3?id=200349204065e.txt&page=1 Beloved elephant Lin Wang passes away], by Chang Meng-jui, translated by Jonathan Barnard, from Sino.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080308043819/http://www.tro-taiwan.roc.org.uk/dc/nsl032003l.htm Taipei's Elephant to be included in Guinness Book of Records], from the Central News Agency.

[[Category:Chinese Expeditionary Force]]
[[Category:1917 animal births]]
[[Category:2003 animal deaths]]
[[Category:Taipei Zoo]]
[[Category:War elephants]]
[[Category:Military animals of World War II]]
[[Category:Individual Asian elephants]]
[[Category:Elephants in China]]
[[Category:Individual taxidermy exhibits]]