War and Peace Memorial Park Introduction
The Ironman post was transformed into a battle park. Dawo Mountain in Beigan, Matsu, was originally a military point. 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 the planning, transforming it into Taiwan's first war memorial park conceptualized around military and peace themes. The park covers a vast area of approximately 38.8 hectares, mainly including the 06, 08, and 12 posts, fully shaping the prototype of Taiwan's first war park, themed around "War and Peace" and "Emotion and Memory." Due to the need for strategic confidentiality, the post names are often referred to by numbers. The 06 and 08 posts, located next to the War and Peace Memorial Park, were built among rocky cliffs, with the main outdoor exhibition concentrated at the 08 post, while the 12 post is situated between Luoshan and Bangshan. **06 Post** The 06 post is located on Danao Mountain in Beigan, offering distant views of Daqiu, Gaideng, and Shiyu. The 06 post features a small tunnel that contains an ammunition depot and numerous firing ports, each serving as an excellent viewpoint to experience military life at that time. The tunnel is quite damp, with small channels along the stairway and corners to drain the falling water outside, making it easy to imagine the soldiers stationed there had to remain vigilant while also enduring harsh conditions. Inside the tunnel, there are gun ports, main gun ports, secondary gun ports, an ammunition depot, commander's room, deputy commander's room, Zhongshan room, and soldiers' dormitories, serving as an important operational base to defend the Beigan administrative center and airport. Now, the tunnel has become one of the most attractive spots in the War and Peace Park. **08 Post** The 08 post is primarily planned for weapon exhibitions, with heavy weapons such as anti-aircraft guns, trucks, and tanks scattered throughout. The existing barracks space has also been utilized for equipment displays. The War Relics Exhibition Hall showcases items such as machine guns, uniforms, and propaganda materials, all of which were actually used, shaping the historical atmosphere of the war and witnessing the tense wartime situation across the strait, providing visitors with the best venue to experience the battlefield scenery. This area takes advantage of Dawo Mountain's environmental features and its vast area, built among the rocky cliffs. To reach the post, visitors must walk down a staircase built along the cliffs, creating a tense experience that emphasizes the steep and perilous location of the post. The internal structure is tunnel-based, and although simple, it has good living functionalities, even featuring a room exclusively for the commander, indicating the significant size of the troops stationed there at that time. The 08 post encapsulates the war scenery and historical features of the Matsu area, strengthening the presentation through introductions to the region's military strategy history, knowledge of warfare, and simulated environments. It presents a rich narrative connecting the historical and military roles of Matsu, allowing visitors to deepen their understanding of Matsu's significance throughout history, transforming the timeline of Matsu into a spatial performance for the world to reflect upon and pass down through generations.
