Presidential Office halls dedicated to national heroes

2015/11/16

President Ma Ying-jeou unveiled Nov. 12 three newly named halls of the Presidential Office building in Taipei City, dedicating them to national heroes who played vital roles in Taiwan’s development.

The largest of the three has been rechristened Zhongshan Hall in commemoration of ROC Founding Father Dr. Sun Yat-sen, with the ceremony taking place on the 150th anniversary of his birth.

The other two venues have been named for Liu Ming-chuan, who served as governor of Taiwan in the late Qing dynasty (1644-1911), and Chiang Wei-shui, founder of the Taiwan Culture Association and the Taiwan People’s Party during the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945).

“Taiwan has been able to enjoy its advances in democracy and prosperity based on the foundations laid down by these great figures all those years ago,” Ma said. “Through the naming ceremony, the government seeks to acknowledge their determined efforts and highlight the historical significance of their contributions to the country.”

According to the president, Sun received substantive help in establishing the ROC during his three trips to Taiwan, and he played an instrumental role in assisting local anti-colonial movements after the island was ceded to Japan following the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). He noted that Chiang was among the local youths heavily influenced by Sun’s revolutionary ideals.

“Hailed as one of the most important figures in Taiwan’s resistance against colonial rule, Chiang met Sun during one of his trips and inherited his spirit of promoting democracy, equality and liberty,” Ma said.

“Chiang was a pioneer in advocating equal rights for women and laborers. He was also a fervent supporter of environmental protection and public education, leaving a lasting legacy that still resonates today.”

Liu was equally important in Taiwan’s development, the president said. He protected Taiwan against foreign aggression during the Sino-French War (1884-1885) and then in his capacity as governor (1885–1891) launched a modernization program that would transform the island.

“Many of the construction projects he initiated, including modern schools, telegraph lines and the first local railway from Taipei City’s Dadaocheng to Keelung Port, paved the way for Taiwan’s infrastructure development in the 20th century.”

By paying respect to the three icons, the president said he hopes the public can gain a better understand of the country’s history and help keep their spirits alive.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=238856&ctNode=2194&mp=9)