Chiang Kai-shek statues
Encyclopedia
A Chiang Kai-shek statue (蔣公銅像) are statue
s of the late Republic of China
(ROC) President
Chiang Kai-shek
. They are found almost everywhere in Taiwan
, from parks to schools to military bases, and are usually made of an bronze
alloy
, although it varies from location to location.
and the Kuomintang
(KMT). Once controlling all of China, he lost Mainland China to the Chinese Communists following the temporary cessation of the Chinese Civil War
. He retreated to Taiwan with the ROC government and vowed to one day re-take the Mainland.
In February 2007, the Republic of China
government, under the Taiwan independence-minded DPP Chen Shui-bian
administration, decided to remove these statues from military premises. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party
claimed that they represented Chiang Kai-shek's authoritarian rule and were not in-line with a representative democracy
. Opposition party Kuomintang
(KMT), on the other hand, opposed the removal of the statues, claiming that the DPP was attempting to cut off Taiwan's Chinese heritage, and distort history. On 2007-03-10, the KMT expelled Defense Minister Lee Jye
from the party for removing the statues as ordered by the government. The party cited that Lee's actions damaged the party's image. Lee has said that he regretted the party's decision for expulsion, but that he had no plans to join the DPP. The removal of the second biggest seated bronze statue from the city of Kaohsiung
's Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center prompted clashes between protestors who are against the removal, and the police, who were sent to secure the site while the city workers dismantled the statue.
The Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center statue was later transported to
Cihu, Daxi
in Taoyuan County. Originally, the statue was supposed to be split into 8 parts, but the Daxi government received 200 dismantled parts. It is yet to be seen if the statue can be put back together. The local Daxi government has gladly accepted all Chiang Kai-shek statues in recent years. A special park, located at 24.8415°N 121.2940°E, and known among expat residents as the 'Garden of the Generalissimos', is their final resting place.
On 2007-03-15, the mayor of Daxi, Su Wen-sheng, left for Xikou, Zhejiang
, in the People's Republic of China
, to ask the mayor of Xikou if he would accept the statue. As of 2007-03-15, the deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office
of Zhejiang Province, Shao Jiangwei, had stated that the offer is being considered.
Although there is much news about the removal of Chiang statues, the actual number has been only limited to a handful, considering the amount erected. A few high profile statues have been removed, such as the one located at the Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center. However, there are still many Chiang statues remaining in Taiwan, where they continue to watch over public squares, schools, and parks.
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
s of the late Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(ROC) President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
. They are found almost everywhere in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, from parks to schools to military bases, and are usually made of an bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
, although it varies from location to location.
History
President Chiang Kai-shek led the Republic of ChinaRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
and the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
(KMT). Once controlling all of China, he lost Mainland China to the Chinese Communists following the temporary cessation of the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
. He retreated to Taiwan with the ROC government and vowed to one day re-take the Mainland.
Partial removal
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
government, under the Taiwan independence-minded DPP Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
administration, decided to remove these statues from military premises. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
claimed that they represented Chiang Kai-shek's authoritarian rule and were not in-line with a representative democracy
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
. Opposition party Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
(KMT), on the other hand, opposed the removal of the statues, claiming that the DPP was attempting to cut off Taiwan's Chinese heritage, and distort history. On 2007-03-10, the KMT expelled Defense Minister Lee Jye
Lee Jye
Lee Jye is a former defense minister of the Republic of China .-Biography:He was born in Tianjin on June 6, 1940, and fled to Taiwan with family at the end of the Chinese Civil War....
from the party for removing the statues as ordered by the government. The party cited that Lee's actions damaged the party's image. Lee has said that he regretted the party's decision for expulsion, but that he had no plans to join the DPP. The removal of the second biggest seated bronze statue from the city of Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
's Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center prompted clashes between protestors who are against the removal, and the police, who were sent to secure the site while the city workers dismantled the statue.
The Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center statue was later transported to
Cihu, Daxi
Dasi, Taoyuan
Dasi , is an urban township in eastern Taoyuan County of Taiwan.-History:During the early years of Han Chinese settlement in Taipei Basin, the Atayal people that originally inhabited the basin gradually moved upstream along Dahan River , which they called Takoham in their native language...
in Taoyuan County. Originally, the statue was supposed to be split into 8 parts, but the Daxi government received 200 dismantled parts. It is yet to be seen if the statue can be put back together. The local Daxi government has gladly accepted all Chiang Kai-shek statues in recent years. A special park, located at 24.8415°N 121.2940°E, and known among expat residents as the 'Garden of the Generalissimos', is their final resting place.
On 2007-03-15, the mayor of Daxi, Su Wen-sheng, left for Xikou, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
, in the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, to ask the mayor of Xikou if he would accept the statue. As of 2007-03-15, the deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office
Taiwan Affairs Office
The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council is an administrative agency under the State Council of the People's Republic of China. It is responsible for setting and implementing guidelines and policies related to Taiwan, as stipulated by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and...
of Zhejiang Province, Shao Jiangwei, had stated that the offer is being considered.
Although there is much news about the removal of Chiang statues, the actual number has been only limited to a handful, considering the amount erected. A few high profile statues have been removed, such as the one located at the Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center. However, there are still many Chiang statues remaining in Taiwan, where they continue to watch over public squares, schools, and parks.
See also
- National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
- Chiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
- Chiang Kai-shek Memorial SongChiang Kai-shek Memorial SongThe Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Song was written to commemorate the late President Chiang Kai-shek of the Republic of China. There are two songs, the second song was written by Hwang Yau-tai or Huang Youdi, Huang Yu-ti in 1975, who later also wrote Chiang Ching-kuo Memorial Song in 1988...
- Sun Yat-senSun Yat-senSun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
- List of statues of Lenin
- List of statues of Stalin