No matter for a foreigner or a Taiwanese, Democracy Memorial Hall is one of the must-go places during one’s very first time to Taipei. It is as huge as Daan Forest Park, as spectacular as Taipei 101 building, and as meaningful as National Palace Museum.
Few months ago, its name was just changed from Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Chiang was the chief commander who led the Chinese troops to the victory during the Second Sino-Japanese War but defeated by Mao who established People’s Republic of China in 1949. In the same year, Chiang retreated to Taiwan and started ruling this small island for one-quarter century. Some people took the memorial hall as a symbol of autocracy and strongly insisted changing its name, while some people regarded Chiang as a contributor who restored Taiwan from Japan and prevented it from being contaminated by communism. In 2007, President Chen Shui-bian announced its new name, National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall, and an argument arose on public medias criticizing that the naming process was too rough to convince people. Personally speaking, I agree the spirit of changing name to give this public district a new definition, just like la Concorde in Paris, which also has several old names.
Forget politics, it is significant for providing the residence a huge space for leisure on holidays and exercise in early mornings. Occasionally, crowds of people gather at the square for outdoor concerts and some festival events, for example, Taipei Lantern Festival.
Standing on the two sides of the square are National Theater and Concert Hall. They were built in typical Chinese palace style. The well-known Taiwanese modern dance group, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, often has performance there. On weekends, many young people group on the corridors dancing, springing, and sweating. I liked to spend hours watching their practices and appreciating their way to express youth.
Seeing the new decoration inside the memorial hall, various colorful kites flying around Chiang’s giant statue, I believe the hall is filled up with more memories of Taiwanese people.
Transportation
By MRT: Taking Xin-dian line (green line) and getting off at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall station
