Any change to the use of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall should be made after the public reaches a consensus on the issue, Minister of Culture Lee Yuan (李遠) told a meeting of the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee two days after being sworn in.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin I-ching (林宜瑾) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) asked Lee whether the ministry would soon end the changing of the guard ceremonies at the site, which is widely perceived as a symbol of the past authoritarian government.
Lee said that he has no knowledge of the matter, but there should be a public consensus as to how to use the site should it be changed.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
“First, the honor guard should not be a pawn that people move around whenever the ruling party changes. Second, can we equate the changing of the guard ceremony with a symbol of the authoritarian regime? Some might beg to differ,” Lee said.
Lee said that he lives near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and saw how it was built and survived multiple changes of government.
Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) while he was in office downgraded the site’s importance, removed the honor guard and charged the plaque on the main entrance to read “Liberty Square,” Lee said.
Those changes were reversed when Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) became president, he said.
“I think that Chiang Kai-shek Hall is very different now,” he said. “People can see diverse exhibitions of Chiang’s words and deeds. The Ministry of Culture is also asking members of the public to imagine what the site could be.”
Lee said that he has three uncles who experienced political persecution during the White Terror period, but his experience would not shape transformation of the site.
He would not force any changes in use of the site, as the nation has a deep political divide, he added.
“We are seeing more movies, music and literature on the White Terror period, so people would gradually form a consensus on issues such as this,” he said.
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