Shoes, Graves, and Fingerprints: Henry Lee in Taiwan – Part 1
To mark the recent passing of Henry C. Lee (李昌鈺), one of the world’s most famous forensic scientists, we examine his extraordinary life. In Part 1, we’re in impoverished postwar Taiwan. Lee is the eleventh of thirteen children. That, and his father dying on “China’s Titanic,” means it’s a childhood marked by tragedy and hardship. Lee walked barefoot to school to save his shoes. We follow his police training and work, service on Kinmen, a visa-overstay romance, and an unlikely detour running a tiny newspaper in Borneo.
Part 2 follows Lee to the United States, where he rises to international fame through major criminal cases and where his golden reputation is somewhat tarnished by controversy.
Cover image left: One of Lee's many books on his cases and methods. Right: Lee signing copies in Changhua in 2007.
From Changhua County Govt. website (translated) - published March 30, 2026:
"Dr. Henry C. Lee (李昌鈺), an internationally recognized forensic scientist and former commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Safety, has died. Law enforcement agencies worldwide have expressed condolences following the loss of the man often described as a "modern-day Sherlock Holmes."
Changhua County Police Bureau Chief Chen Shih-huang (陳世煌) stated that Lee was not only a world-class expert but also maintained deep roots in Changhua. Lee attended Changhua Junior High School in 1950, a period he often cited as foundational to his disciplined and resilient character. From his beginnings as a student in Taiwan to becoming the first Chinese-American to lead a state-level police agency in the United States, Lee’s career was defined by his personal motto: "Make the impossible possible."
In 2007, Lee returned to the Changhua County Police Bureau for a keynote lecture and book signing. Local officials noted that the event was filled to capacity and his signed calligraphies remain displayed in police offices as a source of professional inspiration. Chief Chen emphasized that the bureau will continue to uphold Lee’s commitment to objective, professional investigation in its pursuit of public justice."
The book we mainly drew on was Lee's 2014 autobiography (in Chinese) 化不可能為可能：李昌鈺的鑑識人生 (Make the Impossible, Possible).
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