A Virtual Tour of the Legislative Yuan

Produced by Taiwan.com.au Portal, based on information and photos provided by the Legislative Yuan.

The Legislative Yuan was established in Nanking in 1928, at the beginning of the Stage of Tutelary Government. In the 20 Year Tutelary period, the Legislative Yuan completed the preliminary draft of the Constitution of the Republic of China, laying the legal foundation for the later transition to the Stage of Constitutional Government.

In 1948, elections were held for the 760 members of the very first legislature of the Constitutional era. The first meeting of the 1st Session was formally convened on May 18, 1948.

The first Session of the Legislative Yuan under the Stage of Constitutional Government was convened in the National Assembly Hall in Nanking.

In 1949 the Legislative Yuan moved with the government to Taiwan. It onvened the 5th Session at the Chungshan Hall in Taipei on February 24, 1950. In 1958, the Yuan moved to its current site on Chungshan South Road. It has gradually expanded over the years to its present size.

Meetings were held in the Chungshan Hall in the early days after the ROC government moved to Taipei.

Here is a glimpse of the Legislative Yuan today.

In order to pass or amend legislation, a bill must be proposed. It may originate with the Executive Yuan, the Judicial Yuan, the Examination Yuan, the Control Yuan, or with legislators themselves.

After a bill is proposed, it is read and discussed in the Yuan meeting ("the first reading"). It is then passed along to the Yuan's committees for review, and sent on for a "second reading".

For the "third meeting", except in cases where parts of the proposed bill are found to be in conflict with the Constitution or other statues, this reading is only for final corrections of wording, not substance. According to the agenda rules of the Yuan, legislation and budget bills require three readings, while other types of resolutions require only two readings.

A bill that passes the third reading is then checked and printed and becomes a law. It is then passed on to the President. The President is required to promulgate the law within ten days after receiving it.

As mentioned before, a bill may originate with the various Yuans, or with legislators themselves.

In the past, bills were initiated by the executive branch (Executive Yuan). But in recent years there has been a trend toward individual legislators proposing bills themselves.

In order to truly represent the views of the people who choose them as representatives, legislators have to keep in touch with their constituenicies constantly. They also have to reflect and aggregate public opinion in order to properly set up national policies and oversee government admnistration.

There are many ways in which legislators can stay in touch with the people. For example, they sponsor and attend public hearings. They appoint experts and professionals for consultance. They also conduct research on all aspects of the society through the Legislative Yuan's Library and Data Center. It is important that legislators always keep their minds open and listen to whatever the people have to say.