I dont think they love CKS. They are anti-desinicization. There isnt a CKS revival in China like there has been SYS
What’s up with “de-sinicization” though?
The “sino” part of Taiwan was agressively promoted during the dictatorship. It did not fall from the sky, it was imposed by a highly repressive colonial state that actively tried to smash languages and cultures here in Taiwan.
I don’t feel one bit of sympathy for these guys. Sorry!
Guy
Its a very complex and intricate issue. I dont really dig those simple narratives
Yeah. Complex.
As if the non-Sino parts of Taiwan are also not “complex” and also don’t have a part to play in the story here.
It’s quite amazing to me how you guys will defend the powers from the top. I can only conclude you’ve spent all your time in Taiwan in very narrow circles in the capital. Maybe get out of Taipei and have a look at the rest of the nation once in a while.
Guy
Your head is stuck in the past. And when people’s heads are stuck in the past, constructive change is difficult. The KMT is already in self-destruct mode as it is. A healthy democracy requires a viable opposition party, so destroying the KMT completely isn’t good for democracy. Would you prefer single-party DPP rule?
I think maybe read you should read a bit more on this. There are anthropology departments all over Taiwan dissecting this stuff and have for decades.
Of course they have.
And we know the language and education policies put in place by Chiang. They were highly destructive.
That enough should make it clear he does NOT deserve this kind of glorification.
Now please excuse me.
Guy
Thats a ridiculous thing to say, just because people are not agreeing with you. I did my Master’s in Anthro here.
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Yeah, this makes no sense at all. Who is defending the powers from the top? Sounds like somebody needs to take their ideological blinders off.
Read the novel Orphan of Asia, thats written pre-KMT times to get a scope on complexity of identity narratives here
The KMT tried to expunge all the vestiges of Japanese rule after it came to Taiwan. Now everyone is trying to preserve all those vestiges. A dilapidated torii gate in rural Pingtung is considered a treasure now. I wonder how people will look at the CKS memorial, or what’s left of it, 70 years from now. 
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Who knows? It might have a revival of interest. Maybe KMT will be liberal and DPP will be conservative at that point. No one can predict stuff a lifetime away.
(That’s assuming Taiwan is even still around… 
)
Here are my votes for what should replace CKS in the hall (feel free to add your own suggestions):
- Adorable Formosan Black Bear statue
- Baby Taipei 101 statue
- Statue of Lee Teng-Hui, Chen Shui-bian, and Tsai Ing-wen laughing and shaking hands
- A statue based on one of the cool science images on the Taiwanese currency
- Giant countdown clock until Taiwan declares independence (Tiananmen style, but the opposite)
- Maybe something food based? Pineapple cakes? Beef noodles? Stinky Toufu?
- Empty throne for photo ops
- ???
These are just some initial ideas.
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To make things extra confusing and random, they should do a statue exchange with like Alabama so Robert E. Lee is suddenly awkwardly placed in the CKS Memorial, and a very out-of-place Chiang Kai-shek is lording over Mobile like it’s his new, personal fiefdom.
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If the current government were actually serious about restorative justice, they would raze the whole site, plant a forest and turn it into an aboriginal hunting ground. Of course, it was never actually about restorative justice.
It’s no longer PC in 2021 to hunt aborigines mate. Those days are over.
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Yes. Maybe still acceptable in Australia. They’re weird there.
I was thinking pigeons, rats, roaches and such…
Winnie the Pooh?
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Maybe looks something like this. But bigger