Kinmen is so full of history and tourist sites that it warrants a fourth post. In case you missed them, we’ve already looked at the main town of Jincheng, the military history and the architecture. In today’s post, we’ll take a look at some of the various memorials and monuments that haven’t already been covered. More after the jump.
Lotus Pond in Chiang Kai-shek Park
The 823 Artillery Museum near the town of Shanhou in Kinhu district was set up to commemorate the battle that occurred on August 23rd 1958 when communist China launched an artillery attack on the island. The bombardment lasted 44 days and saw close to half a million shells fall on Kinmen.
August 23 (823) Artillery War Museum on Kinmen, Republic of China ROC (Taiwan).
Like many locations on Taiwan itself, Kinmen hosts a number of memorials to Taiwan’s first president Chiang Kai-shek. On the edge of Lake Tai, a 5m deep, hand-dug lake dating from the 1960s is the Chiang Kai-shek memorial forest. Popular with picnickers, as well as being a feeding ground for ospreys and cormorants, the memorial features a Chinese gate and statue of Chiang.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial
Entrance to Chiang Kai-shek park on Kinmen, Republic of China ROC (Taiwan).
Keeping with the presidential memorials is the Chiang Ching-kuo Memorial Hall located with the Chungshan Forest. Chiang Ching-kuo was Chiang Kai-shek’s son and served as president from 1978 until his death in 1988. While his presidency was marked by the lifting of martial law and permitting other political parties and paving the way for democracy in Taiwan, his previous job as director of secret police saw him preside over numerous human rights abuses.
Buildings at Chiang Chingkuo Memorial Hall on Kinmen, Republic of China ROC (Taiwan).
Yellow flower in Chungshan Memorial forest, Kinmen, Republic of China ROC (Taiwan)
In the village of Beishan lies the residence of General Chen-wei. Built in 1789, this residence as been preserved as a second class national historic relic and features large stone tablets meant to drive away evil spirits and misfortune.
Protective totem at Chenwei residence, Beishan on Kinmen, Republic of China ROC (Taiwan).
Finally (for this post anyway), we have the Wei Lu house, a reconstructed stone residence located in the Banyan forest of Chiang Kai-shek forest.
Weilu Traditional house on Kinmen, Republic of China ROC (Taiwan).
I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour of Kinmen’s memorials. Your comments and thoughts are most appreciated. Thank you.
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Craig Ferguson Images | Cultural Photography. One of the key aspects of life that we humans identify with is culture. We label people, places and events according to our ideas of what they are, ranging from the broader scale defined by tradition and place down to the small scale subcultures and tribes. Craig Ferguson Images is consistantly creating new visions in the field of cultural photography. From traditional festives and customs to modern, urban subcultures, Craig Ferguson Images is in touch with the changing world. From our base in Taipei, Taiwan we are perfectly positioned at the crossroads of the ancient and the modern.
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All content © 2010 by Cultural photography from Asia | Craig Ferguson Images
Love the lotus pond shot#1 and the yellow flower. Nicely done.
Many thanks.
What lens setting did you use for Lotus Pond? Seems pretty wide.
Not really wide at all. 17mm on a Canon 20D which is roughly equivalent to 28mm full frame.
I have never seen this many lotus…amazing…great shot!
Thanks Marie. There sure are a lot of lotus there. It would have been great if they'd all been in bloom. Glad you could stop by.
Thanks Marie. There sure are a lot of lotus there. It would have been great if they'd all been in bloom. Glad you could stop by.