War and Peace Memorial Park Introduction
The Ironman is on guard. A battlefield park transformed from a military outpost, the Dawo Mountain in Beigan, Matsu, was originally a military stronghold. In 2003, the Matsu National Scenic Area Administration began planning it as the War and Peace Memorial Park, and the completion of Outpost 08 marked the end of this planning, transforming it into Taiwan's first war memorial park with concepts of military and peace. The park covers a vast area of about 38.8 hectares and primarily includes Outposts 06, 08, and 12, which collectively form the prototype of Taiwan's first war park, themed around "War and Peace" and "Emotion and Memory." Due to strategic confidentiality requirements, outposts were often referred to by numbers. Outposts 06 and 08, located next to the War and Peace Memorial Park, were built amidst rocky cliffs. The main outdoor exhibit is concentrated at Outpost 08, while Outpost 12 is situated between Luoshan and Banshan. **Outpost 06** Outpost 06 is located on Dawo Mountain in Beigan, providing a distant view of Daqiu, Gading, and Lion Islet. It features a small tunnel that includes an ammunition depot and several shooting ports, each serving as a perfect viewing window to experience the military life of the time. The interior of the tunnel is quite humid, with small grooves along the stairs and corners accumulating dripping water that exits the tunnel. One can easily imagine that the soldiers stationed here had to maintain constant vigilance while enduring physical hardships. The tunnel houses spaces like gun ports, main cannon ports, auxiliary gun ports, an ammunition depot, company commander’s room, instructor’s room, Zhongshan room, and soldiers' dormitories, making it an important operational outpost 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. **Outpost 08** Outpost 08 is primarily designed for the display of weaponry, featuring heavy arms such as anti-aircraft guns, trucks, and tanks scattered throughout the area, while utilizing the old barracks spaces for equipment exhibitions. The War Relics Exhibition Hall showcases historical artifacts like machine guns, uniforms, and propaganda materials, all of which were actually used to shape the historical atmosphere of war, testifying to the tense wartime situation across the strait, and providing tourists with the best location to experience the battlefield scenery firsthand. This site takes advantage of the environmental benefits of Dawo Mountain and its expansive area, built between rocky cliffs. To reach the outpost, one must first walk down the stairs built along the cliff, which heightens the sense of tension and highlights the steep and perilous location of the outpost. The internal structure is tunnel-like, simple yet functional, even featuring a private bedroom for the commanding officer, indicating the size of the stationed troops at the time. Outpost 08 encapsulates the war scenery and historical features of the Matsu region, deepening the presentation through the introduction of military strategy history, knowledge of warfare, and simulated environments. It showcases the rich historical and military role of the entire Matsu area, allowing visitors to profoundly experience and understand the significance of Matsu throughout the historical currents, transforming the timeline of Matsu's evolution into a spatial exhibition for the world to contemplate and pass down through generations.
