War and Peace Memorial Park Theme Pavilion Introduction
In Qijin, in addition to beautiful beaches, night market snacks, and historical landmarks, there is a tranquil and elegant War and Peace Memorial Park on Qijin Second Road, which depicts a lost and forgotten history. During World War II and the Chinese Civil War, 60,000 Taiwanese young people left their homes to join the war, over 30,000 Taiwanese soldiers died overseas, and 15,000 went missing; after the Republic of China took over Taiwan, more than 15,000 troops were sent to mainland China to participate in the Chinese Civil War and the Korean War, with estimated casualties exceeding 10,000, and only a few hundred successfully returned to Taiwan, while several hundred were stranded in mainland China, and some were captured and turned into People's Liberation Army soldiers. To commemorate this significant historical fact, the War and Peace Memorial Park was finally completed and opened on May 20, 2009, thanks to the efforts of the Republic of China Original Military Veterans Association and Mr. Xu Zhaorong, who dedicated his life to this cause. The park features a memorial hall that displays various important historical documents, images, and artifacts. Each piece of historical material tells the story of that chaotic political era, revealing how Taiwanese people were like rootless drifters, experiencing adverse fates and left unheard, with the conscripted Taiwanese youth unaware of why they fought or for whom they died. A mural on the outer wall of the theme hall depicts a Taiwanese individual in the military uniforms of the Japanese army, the Nationalist army, and the People's Liberation Army, which highlights the sorrow and fate of Taiwanese people at that time. Outside the hall, there are monuments, an Echoing Heart Square, a park, and a lookout tower, as Qijin was the last port where Taiwanese soldiers of the Japanese army or the Nationalist army took their final glance before departing. Tragic eras can be forgiven but not forgotten; perhaps the blood and tears of Taiwanese soldiers are heavy, but they profoundly remind the world of the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace.
