Entree Kibbles: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall @ Taipei in Taiwan

Sunday, October 06, 2024

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall @ Taipei in Taiwan

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is no stranger to me but definitely a new attraction for my dad, who was making his very first trip to Taiwan via the tour package we signed up with Chan Brothers.

Entering from the side of the humongous memorial park. Good thing about being in a tour was that they would always choose the most time-efficient way to get to an attraction.

For us, it was a straight pathway towards the ground level of the memorial hall. Back in 2014, I actually alighted from the archway and walked all the way to the hall, which was close to 500 meters!

We were brought first to the permanent exhibition hall, which I didn't visit in 2014. Strange, was the hall under renovation then? Oh wait, I didn't even bother checking out the National Palace Museum.

Showcasing photographs and artifacts like jewelry, clothings and even cars used by Mr Chiang Kai-shek and his wife, the influential Soong Mei-ling, who was said to be a formidable first lady.

To the extent she was suspected to be the strings controlling Mr Chiang Kai-shek. With the help of our tour guide who pointed out hints like Madame Chiang Kai-shek was always, taken on photographs, to be standing in front of Mr Chiang Kai-shek and that wasn't the protocol back then for the spouses of leaders.

Whatever the case, you can't den the contribution that Mr Chiang Kai-shek and Madame Chiang Kai-shek had made towards Taiwan; for better or for worse.

An exact replica for the Office of President Chiang Kai-shek. According to the information panel, this was opened only in January 2015 and I guess it could be true that I didn't manage to check out in 2014 as it was undergoing renovations!

Another exhibition in the hall which was attracting a much bigger crowd; the Fantasy Animal Forest Higuchi Yuko Exhibition that had ended its run at this point of time.

Took the lift to the upper level of the memorial hall, which had this huge doorway that could accommodate a giant! And as you can see, the crowd had already congregated.

The 6.3-meter tall bronze statue of Mr Chiang Kai-shek. Built as a memorial which eventually turned out to be controversial in the present day, where Taiwan is known to be the most democratic country in Asia. Controversial as in the regime under Mr Chiang Kai-shek is known be authoritarianism.

Start of the hourly change of guard ceremony! This would be historic for my dad and I as the ceremony was said to have stopped from July 2024, "as part of a national effort to stop “worshipping authoritarianism”."

Guess those who were taking photographs and videos then would be thankful they were still able to catch the change of guard ceremony! To me, it wasn't that significant since I haven't even been to the change of guard ceremony for the istana in Singapore, where our President resides!

Leaving the hall. Anyway, this change of guard ceremony for the 70-meter high Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall might be reinstated in the future, depending on whether the political party, Kuomintang, can helm the government again.

Bird's eye view of the memorial park, which also consisted of the democracy boulevard, the liberty square, the partially blocked archway, and the striking looking national theatre and national concert hall.

Climbing down the 89 steps to the base of the memorial hall.

Frankly, it was such an impressive structure from near and afar.

Dad attempting to take photographs for me and even though I am quite camera shy; I had to indulge him since I inherit my love for photo-talking from him!

Leaving from the same Gate of Great Piety that we entered from.

How not to have photographs of my dad at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall!? For my dad's generation, Chiang Kai-shek is a formidable figure, especially in the early days when communism was heavily frowned upon by many capitalist governments.