Archival materials, including a widow’s petition for her slain husband and sons, help show how the 228 Incident spread from Taipei across Taiwan, National Archives Administration researcher Hsu Feng-yuan (許峰源) said as the nation marked 228 Peace Memorial Day yesterday.
Among the most compelling documents on display at Taiwan’s first national archives museum in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口) is a petition filed by Chan Chin-chih (詹金枝), widow of Chang Chi-lang (張七郎), a doctor, Hsu said.
The case occurred in Hualien County, where Chang and his two sons were arrested and killed during the crackdown, Hsu said.
Photo courtesy of the National Archives Administration via CNA
“The document lays bare the devastation of a family and its profound sense of loss,” the researcher said. “Through it, viewers can better grasp the far-reaching impact the 228 Incident had on individuals and families.”
The archives present the government’s perspective and the experiences of victims, Hsu said, adding that visitors are often struck by official terminology such as “uprising” and “pacification.”
The exhibition also features martial law orders issued on Feb. 28, 1947, when then-Taiwan provincial governor Chen Yi (陳儀) imposed a temporary curfew in Taipei, banning public assemblies, restricting transportation and enforcing nighttime controls.
The documents mark the turning point from civilian protest to military rule, Hsu said.
Shortly afterward, the reorganized 21st Division landed in Keelung and Kaohsiung and advanced toward central Taiwan.
The 228 Incident erupted on Feb. 28, 1947, after a widow was assaulted the previous day by Monopoly Bureau agents for allegedly selling contraband cigarettes. Tens of thousands of people were killed or imprisoned in the ensuing crackdown.
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