Description: Chiang Kai Shek was the first president of modern Taiwan. I remembered him from history lessons of yore as a general of the Nationalist party that busied itself fighting the communists instead of the invading Japanese. They were eventually defeated by the communists and fled to Taiwan where he founded the present KMT party. He was also known for his marriage to one of the 3 beautiful Soong sisters,
Song Mei Ling who remained his most loyal and staunch supporter throughout her lifetime.
The
Chiang Kai-Shek (CKS) Memorial hall was erected in memory of their late leader who died in 1975. With donations from local and overseas Chinese communities, the Memorial Hall was formerly opened in 1980.
Chiang Kai Shek Memorial consists of park, a National theater, a Concert hall and a Memorial hall that showcases the life and ideology of Chiang Kai Shek. In all, the CKS Memorial Hall covers 250000 square meters built in Classical Chinese architecture with emphasis in symbolism and feng shui.
Proceed to the ground floor of the CKS Memorial Hall and grab a free booklet explaining the style and symbolisms of the structure before exploring the place. Be sure to get the memorial stamps at different points of the exhibits (it's fun). For those with children, grab a thematic pamphlet that test the mathematical skills of the child with puzzles derived from the architecture. The ground floor houses the Exhibition hall which contains letters, paintings and photos as well as artifacts belonging to the late president; a study hall, lecture hall, library and 2 art galleries. The upper floor houses a magnificent bronze statue of the late CKS and has a great view of the park.
The exhibits were an eye opener for me for it depicts CKS in a positive light (certainly different from what I had studied prior) and shed some insight of the Chinese relations today. Come here if you are a history buff or simply looking for a place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
Getting ThereTake the MRT red line and get off at CKS Memorial Hall stop, exit no 5.
Opening hours: 9am to 6.30pm
Admission: Free entry
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