TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Vancouver is hosting a series of events commemorating Taiwan’s 228 Massacre, inviting the community to learn about a pivotal chapter of postwar history ahead of the incident’s 79th anniversary on Feb 28.
The programs include exhibitions, talks and creative presentations aimed at engaging diverse audiences. At the main venue, Vancouver Formosa Academy, visitors can view a poster display and portrait archive highlighting 28 people who lived under the White Terror in the 1950s, a period of widespread political repression by the Kuomintang, according to the Taiwan Association for Truth and Reconciliation.
Bilingual Mandarin-English displays guide audiences through the experiences of political prisoners, emphasizing their youth under authoritarian rule, their commitment to ideals and their resilience during imprisonment, according to CNA. Huang Fei-lin (黃斐琳), president of the North America Taiwanese Women’s Association’s Vancouver chapter, said the records document the sacrifices of political victims and provide valuable historical testimony.
She said the display, centered on memory, is especially meaningful for the children of immigrants, offering them an opportunity to learn more about Taiwan’s past.
The program also features screenings of the documentary “In Search of a Mixed Identity,” which highlights the work of human rights advocate Thng Tek-chiong (湯德章). Thng, who transitioned from police officer to lawyer, devoted his life to defending the rights of Taiwanese people.
The 228 Massacre remains one of Taiwan’s most tragic events, occurring less than a year and a half after World War II under complex circumstances. In late 1945, after decades of Japanese colonial rule, the Kuomintang takeover led to corruption, economic decline, and social unrest, according to the Taipei 228 Memorial Museum.
By 1946, clashes between military police and civilians were frequent. Tensions came to a head on Feb. 27, 1947, when Monopoly Bureau officers assaulted cigarette vendor Lin Chiang-mai (林江邁) in Taipei.
Enraged, the surrounding crowd pursued the officers, who fired into the gathering, killing bystander Chen Wen-hsi (陳文溪). The next day, on Feb. 28, demonstrations escalated, with government forces opening fire and killing and injuring dozens.
Protesters seized the Taiwan broadcasting station, now the National 228 Memorial Museum, to spread news of the massacre. Unrest quickly spread to major cities as students, civilians, and demobilized soldiers united against KMT forces.
From March 1 to 5, local representatives formed a committee to negotiate with Taiwan’s governor, Chen Yi (陳儀), proposing political reforms. Chen feigned agreement but secretly requested reinforcements from Nanjing.
On March 6, Kaohsiung Fortress commander Peng Meng-chi (彭孟緝) executed committee representatives and opened fire on civilians. The following day, the committee issued 42 demands for reforms, which Chen disregarded as reinforcements from Nanjing were en route.
KMT troops arrived at Keelung Port on March 8 and launched a brutal crackdown. The ensuing campaign of mass arrests and killings marked one of Taiwan’s darkest chapters.
During the authoritarian period, the government suppressed historical records and labeled the events a “rebellion,” branding participants as “rebels.” Public pressure in the 1980s eventually led to the release of official documents, allowing Taiwan to confront this chapter of its history, according to the Memorial Foundation of 228.
Younger participants of Taiwanese descent said the events were meaningful. Lee Ching (李靖) and Chun Chen-ling (卓貞伶), who immigrated to Canada at age 14, said their previous knowledge of the incident was limited, and that cross-generational dialogue strengthened their connection to both local culture and personal identity.
Two young Taiwanese Canadians who assisted with the curation, Pa Ju-yu (巴如玉) and Liao Yen-hsiang (廖彥翔), reflected on the educational value of the experience. Pa said learning about the incident is not about perpetuating negative emotions, but understanding history to move forward.
Liao compared Taiwan’s approach to postwar Germany, saying confronting past crimes through education and public discourse is a national responsibility, and that Taiwan should similarly address its historical record with transparency.