Lin Hwai-min

Lin Hwai-min
Lin Hwai-min at the 2008 Taipei International Book Exhibition
Born	19 February 1947 (1947-02-19) (age 69) Xingang, Chiayi District, Tainan County, Taiwan
Residence	Bali District, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Nationality	Taiwanese
Alma mater	National Chengchi University University of Iowa
Occupation	Dancer, writer, choreographer
Known for	founder of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre
Partner(s)	Chiang Xun

Lin Hwai-min (Chinese: 林懷民; pinyin: Lín Huáimín; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Hôai-bîn; born 19 February 1947) is a Taiwanese dancer, writer, choreographer, and founder of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan.

Lin was born in Xingang, Chiayi. He came from an intellectual family. His great-grandfather was a poet and a businessman who founded a school during the Japanese colonial period. His grandfather was a doctor and his father, Lin Chin-sheng (), obtained a law degree from the Tokyo Imperial University. After Chiang Kai-shek established rule in Taiwan in 1949, Lin’s father held several important political positions, including the office of Chiayi County Magistrate from 1951 to 1954. His mother Lin Cheng Pen-pen graduated from the Tokyo Economics College. He is the oldest of five children.

Lin’s family enjoyed the arts. His father loved visual arts while his mother enjoyed classical music. Lin was exposed to different art forms and culture very early on in his childhood. He would go on to say that "My story has all along been a mixture of Taiwanese-Chinese, Western and Japanese influences - my parents were educated in Japan."

Lin attended Chun Wen Elementary School in Chiayi for one year before transferring to Taichung First High School. He next moved to Weido, a private Catholic Brothers’ boy school. His father encouraged him to take on law studies at the National Chengchi University but after a year, he switched majors to journalism. Graduating with a degree in journalism, Lin was drafted into the army with an office job in communications in Taipei.