Born in
Changtu County in 1920, Liang graduated from National Changchun University with a
Bachelor of Laws and earned his
Legum Doctor and
Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) from Japan's
Meiji University, after having studied at Changchun Law and Political University. In 1941, he became a prosecutor in
Changchun. In 1939, he was recruited by 羅大愚 into the underground Northeast anti-Japanese intelligence network then led by
Chi Shi-ying and
Lo Ta-yu, further expanding his involvement in clandestine resistance activities, feeding information within the Japanese-occupied territory to
Chongqing, the provincial capital of
Chiang Kai-shek's
Nationalist government. Liang was arrested and taken as a Japanese prisoner of war in 1944. He was released upon Japanese surrender in 1945. The experience left a tremendous impression on Liang, who would make the cause of human rights a motif of his life's work. Liang's defense of Lei angered Chiang, who strongly considered Liang's expulsion from the Kuomintang. Despite this threat, Liang later defended
Peng Ming-min, who stood accused of the same charges in 1964. After Chiang's death in 1975, Liang worked as a troubleshooter for the better part of a decade between Chiang's son,
Chiang Ching-kuo, and the
Tangwai movement as the government began to relax some controls on free speech and political dissent. Liang also took credit for persuading Chiang Ching-kuo to handle protests in a peaceful manner. Liang was one of the founding members of the
National Unification Council formed in 1990. In 1988, Liang Was elected as Vice President of the Legislative Yuan after defeating the
Tsotanhui Clique-backed hardline candidate
Chao Tzu-chi, elected as president two years later. He was involved in a fight on the floor of the parliament that same year. It began when
Democratic Progressive Party legislator
Chang Chun-hsiung hit Liang in the face, causing Liang to respond in kind. Liang was also injured by a glass thrown by
Ju Gau-jeng. In addition to his position as a legislator, Liang was also a senior advisor to President
Lee Teng-hui. After his retirement from politics, Liang became president of the Straits Peaceful Reunification Association. Personally, he continually pushed for
Chinese unification, opposed Lee's policy of
Taiwanization, Liang died of anaphylactic shock caused by pneumonia at Cathay General Hospital in Taipei on 27 August 2004, at the age of 84. ==References==