中正紀念堂 (Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall)

中正紀念堂 (Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall)
21 Zhongshan S. Road, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
886 (02) 2343-1100-3
Admission: FREE

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My mom accompanied me to CKSC Memorial Hall & at that time, the weather was unbearably HOT!  You can’t even open your eyes that well as the sun was shining soooo brightly.  We arrived at around ten thirty in the morning but found out that the Theater & Concert Hall where the restaurants & coffee shops were would open at around eleven thirty in the morning.

Mom sat around the corner, she was hiding in the shade! hahaha!  While I bravely embraced the sunny weather and took some pictures of the amazing CKSC Memorial Park.

Chiang-kai Shek was a leader who strived for modernizing the Republic of China.  When he died in 1975, the Taiwan nation grieved when they lost such a great leader.  The citizens proposed to establish a memorial hall for Chiang-kai Shek to show their utmost respect to the leader they missed.

In order to reach the statue, you will need to climb up 89-step stairs.  The number of steps signifies Chiang Kai-shek’s age when he died.

The bronze sculpture of Chiang Kai-shek dominates the main hall.  If you noticed, there are inscriptions on the wall behind the statue.  Those 3 words are the 3 principles of the people and of Chiang Kai-shek’s political thinking.

• Ethics – Principle of Minzu (the People’s Connection/Relation, Government of the People or Nationalism)
• Democracy – Principle of Minquan (the People’s Power of Government by the People)
• Science – Principle of Minsheng (the People’s Welfare/Livelihood or Government for the People)

There are also inscriptions on each side of the walls.  They say:

• the purpose of life is to improve the general life of humanity.
• the meaning of life is to create & sustain subsequent lives in the universe.

On the ground floor, you’ll find a museum dedicated to Chiang Kai-shek’s life.  It has paintings, medals, uniforms, manuscripts, etc.

The 250,000 sq. meter ground also includes the National Theater (where we had our brunch) & National Theater Hall w/c I found sooo astounding!

National Theater Hall

National Concert Hall

National Theater Hall even have a section where we can see what’s in store for the month.  They provide LCDs in the walkway and there’s a preview for every upcoming show!  Coolness.  Here’s one:

The rest of the pictures can be found here.