Ninomiya Sontoku, also known as Ninomiya Kinjirō, was born in 1787. He was a role model who persuade students to study diligently during the Japanese era. When he was about ten years old, Ninomiya was forced to support his younger brother after his parents passed away. Ninomiya never stopped studying, and eventually helped his family to become rich. He was thus often portrayed as someone who strived to support his family while studying as hard as he could. Ninomiya ultimately became a renowned agricultural reform leader and philosopher, who proposed the Houtoku Theory. As a result, the image of Ninomiya can often be seen on school campuses in the form of statues, or he is discussed in education materials with the aim of encouraging piety, loyalty, diligence and sincerity. Ninomiya’s respected image and deeds struck a chord among Taiwanese students from poor farming families, and he left a profound impression in the hearts of those who received a Japanese education in Taiwan during this period of colonial rule.