War and Peace Memorial Park Theme Pavilion Introduction
In addition to the beautiful beach scenery, night market snacks, and historical sites, Qijin Second Road features a serene and elegant War and Peace Memorial Park that captures a forgotten chapter of history. During World War II and the Chinese Civil War, 60,000 young Taiwanese left home to serve; more than 30,000 Taiwanese soldiers died overseas, and 15,000 went missing. After the Republic of China took control of Taiwan, over 15,000 troops were dispatched 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 returning to Taiwan, while several hundred remained stranded in the mainland, some even captured and turned into soldiers of the People's Liberation Army. To commemorate this significant historical fact, the War and Peace Memorial Park was officially opened on May 20, 2009, thanks to the efforts of the Republic of China Veteran Associations and Mr. Xu Zhaorong, who dedicated his life to this cause. The park includes a memorial hall, exhibiting important historical documents and artifacts, with each piece of historical material telling the story of an era marked by political chaos, where Taiwanese people floated like rootless weeds, facing a tumultuous fate, forced into battle without knowing why they were fighting or for whom they would die. An image on the exterior wall of the theme hall represents a Taiwanese person in the military uniforms of the Japanese army, Nationalist army, and the People's Liberation Army, highlighting the sorrows and destinies of Taiwanese people at that time. The exterior of the hall features a monument, Echo Heart Square, a park, and an observation deck, as Qijin was the last port for Taiwanese soldiers serving in the Japanese army or Nationalist army to take a final glimpse before departure. Tragedies of the times may be forgiven but should not be forgotten. The blood and tears of Taiwanese soldiers may be heavy, but they serve as a profound reminder to the world of the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace.
