A play, titled Shiro Heroes, which was inspired by the Taiyuan Prison Incident (泰源事件), is to be staged at the Nan Hai Auditorium in Taipei this weekend, organizers said on Thursday.
The play, featuring interpretive dance and experimental music, is directed by Chang Min-chun (張閔淳) and was jointly commissioned by pro-localist groups, including the Lee Teng-hui Association for Democracy and the People’s News Foundation for Arts and Culture.
Shiro Heroes tells the story of six political prisoners who planned a revolution, the groups said.
The incident — considered an uprising by the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government, but an attempt at armed revolution by Taiwanese independence advocates — involved prison guards, inmates and young Aborigines who sought to take over the prison, a nearby radio station and Republic of China Navy ships stationed in Taitung, in the hope of sparking a nationwide revolution.
The six prisoners were captured in the weeks after the failed revolt. Five of them were executed, while Cheng Cheng-cheng (鄭正成) was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Parts of the play were performed at a promotional event on Thursday last week, including a scene in which the prisoners plan the revolution and an action scene with sirens blaring.
“Using history as an inspiration for art is commonplace, but in Taiwan, even talking in public about historical events is to court ostracism and accusations of polarizing society,” said New Power Party Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐), previously the frontman of the heavy metal band Chthonic that composed a song titled Between Silence and Death (亡命關) inspired by the incident.
Art and history are needed to shape a national character for Taiwanese, Lee Teng-hui Association for Democracy executive director Hsu Lung-chun (許龍俊) said.
“A nation that does not have a historical consciousness is like an animal without a spine,” he said.
The pro-democracy activists in the incident tried to give voice to Taiwanese during the White Terror era through their actions, but their attempt was suppressed, said 228 Memorial Foundation chairman Hsueh Hua-yuan (薛化元), who is a history professor at National Chengchi University.
“History should not be used as a tool to remember grievances, but rather as an impetus to move forward,” he said, adding that he hopes Taiwan can become a truly independent and sovereign nation.
Citing President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) election victory speech, World United Formosans for Independence chairman Chen Nan-tien (陳南天) said: “Tsai called for ‘humility, humility and more humility,’ but Taiwanese have been humble for four centuries; what we need is courage, courage and more courage.”
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
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