War and Peace Memorial Park Introduction
The Ironman Station is transformed into a war memorial park. Dawo Mountain in Beigan, Matsu, was originally a military stronghold, and in 2003, the Matsu National Scenic Area Administration began planning it as a War and Peace Memorial Park. The completion of the 08 post marked the conclusion of this planning, transforming it into Taiwan's first war memorial park based on the concepts of military and peace. The park is vast and magnificent, covering an area of approximately 38.8 hectares, primarily comprising posts 06, 08, and 12, forming the prototype of Taiwan's first war park with themes of "War and Peace" and "Emotion and Memory." Due to the need for strategic secrecy, the posts are commonly referred to by numbers. The 06 and 08 posts adjacent to the War and Peace Memorial Park are built among rocky cliffs, with the main outdoor exhibition concentrated at the 08 post, while the 12 post is situated between Luoshan and Banshan. **Post 06**: Located on Danao Mountain in Beigan, Post 06 offers a distant view of Dakou, Gading, and Shiyu. It features a small tunnel with an ammunition depot and numerous firing ports, each providing a stunning view and an immersive experience of military life at the time. The tunnel is notably damp, with small ditches along the steps and corners draining water outside, illustrating the harsh living conditions that soldiers faced while remaining vigilant. Inside the tunnel, there are machine gun ports, main gun ports, side gun ports, an ammunition depot, a company commander’s room, a counseling room, a Zhongshan room, and soldiers' quarters, making it an important operational post for defending the Beigan administrative center and airport. Today, the tunnel has become one of the most attractive spots in the War and Peace Park. **Post 08**: Designed primarily for weapon exhibitions, Post 08 displays heavy weaponry, including anti-aircraft guns, trucks, and tanks scattered throughout the area, while utilizing former barracks for equipment display. The War Relics Exhibition Hall showcases machine guns, uniforms, and propaganda materials, with all exhibits being actual items used in the field, creating an authentic ambiance that reflects the tense wartime situation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. This provides visitors with the best opportunity to experience the battlefield scenery firsthand. Utilizing the environmental advantages of Dawo Mountain and its vast terrain, the post is constructed among rocky cliffs. Visitors must first walk down a staircase built along the cliff before reaching the vantage point, which heightens the sense of tension due to the steep and dangerous location. The internal structure is tunnel-like, simple yet functional, even featuring a bedroom exclusively for the commander, indicative of the size of the stationed troops at the time. Post 08 encapsulates the wartime landscape and historical aura of the Matsu region. Through in-depth presentations on regional military history, wartime knowledge, and simulated environmental functions, it showcases the area's historical and military roles, weaving together a rich narrative sequence. This allows visitors to gain an in-depth understanding of Matsu's role in the historical context, transforming the timeline of Matsu's evolution into a spatial experience that conveys stories to generations to come.
