228 remembered

On February 28, 1947 an anti-government uprising against the Kuomintang (KMT) resulted in the massacre of 28,000 Taiwanese civilians. With a small population of only 6 million living in Taiwan at the time, most people had a family member or knew someone who was killed on that day. The massacre is officially referred to as the 228 "incident" but this minimizes this horrible event that has deeply effected the political history of Taiwan. The massacre began when the KMT confiscated contraband tobacco from a woman seller. They also took her life savings of the cigarettes. When she protested, the agents began to hit her and the surrounding bystanders protested. Violence erupted the next day.

One of the first (and most meaningful) places I visited in Taipei, was the 228 memorial. It was a humbling and inspiring place that truly seeks to honor the victims and family members of 228. There is a wall with a photo of each victim and a a place to write messages to those lost (photo). To consider 228 as an isolated event is misleading. It was only two years after 50 years of Japanese rule of Taiwan had ended. Originally the KMT was welcomed by most of the Taiwanese, but there were also many problems with the new government. There were new taxes for example, the price of rice rose 100X in a short period of time and economic mismanagement impacted small business owners. Moreover, for many individuals, who only knew a life in Japanese colonial rule, the transition posed many cultural challenges. For example, overnight, suddenly many Taiwanese who had only learned Japanese in school (like my parents), were forced to read and speak in Mandarin and they were now considered illiterate. I had a long talk with the tour guide who felt so adamant about giving me the most detailed and accurate remembrance of the impact of this transition from Japanese rule to KMT rule. It was so fascinating and I appreciated her so much. She shared with me that it wasn't until 1995 that people could speak openly about the event. It is now honored as Peace Memorial Day 和平紀念日.

The memorial has old video footage of the transition from Japanese to the KMT rule, numerous old documents, and chilling photos of the massacre. The surrounding peace park also pays tribute to the victims who lost their lives. There was also an incredibly exhibit on Human Rights around the world. I look forward to returning to the 228 memorial as I learn more about Taiwanese history.