With the nation experiencing panic buying of surgical masks triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak, the National Museum of Taiwan History has curated a mask-themed Facebook post, entitled “Taiwan’s intimate history with masks,” which features exhibits from its collection to further the public’s understanding of domestic epidemic prevention.
In the Facebook post, the museum combines photographs with brief descriptions of each of the exhibits. The oldest is a government-produced public health notice, believed to date from the 1920s. Museum researcher Su Feng-nan explains that the museum had never previously conducted research into the history of masks, but in response to wall-to-wall media coverage of masks, they combed through their collections to show the public that these innocuous everyday items are actually rich in historic meaning.
According to Su, Taiwanese have worn masks for nearly a century. Each generation used different materials and methods to make its masks and used them for different purposes. In fact, by studying the masks, it is possible to understand the underlying significance and social phenomena of each period, Su explains.
Photo taken from National Museum of Taiwan History Facebook page
照片：取自國立台灣歷史博物館臉書
The 1920s public health notice warns of an outbreak of epidemic meningitis in the Tainan area and tells the public to stay alert. It advises that people should protect themselves by doing three things: get vaccinated, disinfect bedding and pillows by placing them under direct sunlight and wear a mask. This demonstrates that wearing masks was already an important component of epidemic prevention at the time.
During and directly after World War II, half-mask respirators began to be used, primarily within the military, during disaster relief operations and for epidemic prevention. An early promotional poster for masks from the 1970s depicts motorcyclists and farmers wearing masks spraying pesticides. Small-sized Chinese characters written vertically along the sides of the advertisement carry the slogan: “Oppose the communists and resist the Soviets, increase production to support the nation.” It also indirectly reveals that motorcycles had by this time begun to be widely available in Taiwan.
By the 1980s, masks made from gauze and cotton were already a common sight in Taiwan, and masks sporting fancy designs and patterns began to appear. A poster for the 1988 film The Great Thief Li Shi-Ke features the film’s protagonist wearing a gauze or cotton plain white mask. The film is based upon the true story of a 1982 bank heist, after which many banks began to display notices asking customers to remove their face masks and motorcycle helmets.
Photo taken from National Museum of Taiwan History Facebook page
照片：取自國立台灣歷史博物館臉書
During the 2003 SARS epidemic, Newton magazine produced a “SARS prevention handbook” special supplement, which featured a women wearing an N95 mask on the front cover.
In recent times, masks have become an everyday sight on the streets of Taiwan. Some people wear one to conceal their face or to cover their mouth as a metaphor for the lack of having a voice. During the 2014 Sunflower movement, participants stapled the Chinese character for “angry” onto surgical masks as a way to express their political stance and demands.
Finally, during recent electoral campaigns, candidates have taken to distributing free handheld fans, packets of facial tissues, masks and other functional items as a way to get their message across to voters. During the current COVID-19 outbreak, some people unable to buy masks, have begun using these freebie masks, which has become a talking point in and of itself.
Photo taken from National Museum of Taiwan History Facebook page
照片：取自國立台灣歷史博物館臉書
(Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times)
新型冠狀病毒疾病（下稱武漢肺炎）疫情引發民眾搶買口罩的亂象，國立台灣歷史博物館結合時事，整理出與口罩有關的館藏，於臉書粉絲專頁分享「台灣口罩的百年親密史」，讓民眾在防疫之餘也能增長知識。
台史博分享的文章中，以圖片搭配簡單的說明，年代最久遠的是一張政府的公衛宣傳單，推測為一九二○年代，研究人員蘇峰楠表示，過去並沒有專門針對口罩史的研究成果，此次配合時事略做整理，讓民眾知道，日常生活裡的小東西也可能有豐富的故事。
Photo taken from National Museum of Taiwan History Facebook page
照片：取自國立台灣歷史博物館臉書
蘇峰楠指出，台灣人與口罩已相處近百年，不同時代的口罩有不同的材質、作法、任務，甚至能夠解讀出它們背後的時代意義與社會現象。
一九二○年代的流行性腦膜炎公衛宣傳單中，警示「因為台南地區正在流行，請注意。」傳單裡，防疫宣導包括：（一）預防注射、（二）衣類寢具的日照消毒、（三）使用口罩，顯示此時使用口罩已是重要的防疫觀念。
而二戰時期或戰後初期的口罩式防毒面具，主要用於軍事、救災、衛生防疫等；早期口罩文宣品中，描畫騎機車和噴農藥要戴口罩，兩旁還有縱寫小字寫著「反共抗俄、增產報國」的標語，也間接顯示出一九七○年代機車開始普及。
Photo: Su Meng-chuan, liberty times
照片：自由時報記者蘇孟娟
一九八○年代，紗布口罩或棉布口罩是最常見的口罩種類，後來開始出現有花俏圖案的布口罩。一九八八年電影《大盜李師科》，改編自一九八二年李師科持槍戴口罩搶劫銀行的真實事件，電影海報上李師科戴的就是紗布或棉布純白口罩，此後「進入銀行請脫口罩（以及安全帽）」，也成為常見的標語。
二○○三年SARS疫情爆發，牛頓雜誌別冊出版的《SARS病毒防治手冊》，以戴著N95口罩的女性為封面。
近年街頭社會中常見的口罩，主要被用來遮擋自己的臉，或是表達摀住嘴巴不能說話的象徵，而二○一四年三一八太陽花學運中，有參與者在一個醫療用口罩上，用釘書針釘了一張寫著「憤」字的紙卡，則用來表達自己的訴求及立場。
Photo taken from National Museum of Taiwan History Facebook page
照片：取自國立台灣歷史博物館臉書
另外，近年來歷屆選舉中常見候選人為了提高選民對競選文宣的注意，常會隨著扇子、面紙或是口罩等實用物品發送，此次武漢肺炎防疫期間，也有民眾買不到口罩，找出過去收到的候選人口罩應急，一度也成為話題。
(自由時報記者劉婉君)
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