台北二二八紀念館 Taipei 228 Memorial Museum

台北二二八紀念館 Taipei 228 Memorial Museum
#3 Ketagalan Blvd., Taipei, Taiwan
886 (02) 23897228
Entrance: 20NT

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台北二二八紀念館 Taipei 228 Memorial Museum was built to remember the historical tragedy that happened on February 28, 1947.  It was established to educate the people about the massacre that happened on that day, and to allow the people to be conscious of Taiwan’s history thus helping us heal old wounds and look forward to a brighter future.

I’ll try my best to share with you what I learned about how the 2-28 massacre contributed to Taiwan’s transformation from dicatorship to democracy.  The experience was just heartwarming.  I’m close to tears already just remembering my visit there.  I can feel the love of country the people of Taiwan have just by browsing through the museum pieces.

Taiwan was a Japanese colony for 50 years.  The Japanese government had established financial systems, constructed infrastructures that resulted in Taiwanese modernization.  After the 2nd World War, people from Mainland China regarded Taiwan’s identification with Japan as a form of slavery.  That misinterpretation caused friction and set the stage for cultural conflict preceding the 2-28 massacre.

After Japan surrendered in 1945, Taiwan welcomed the Chinese government with great enthusiasm not knowing that their expectation of a better new era would be the start of a tragic period.

Taiwan experienced all sorts of hardships after the arrival of the Nationalist government: political corruption, increase in crime rate, living standards where lowered.  The growing resentment erupted when a 40-y/o woman was arrested over selling cigarettes illegally.  The woman knelt and begged for mercy as it was her only means to make a living.  But the agent didn’t care and beat up the woman on her head using his pistol, leaving the woman bloody & unconscious.

Today, Taiwan had already walked out of this tragedy & martial law.  As countless lives were lost, democracy came with cost.  The museaum’s Hall of remembrance honors lives that were lost durning 2-28.

I’m pretty sure most of us who visited the å°åŒ—二二八紀念館 Taipei 228 Memorial Museum learned a lot about the history and felt the extraordinary love of country by its people.  I can’t help but leave a message on their cork board showing how much I appreciated the purpose of putting up the place & how I felt their history.

You can find the rest of the pictures here.