Chiang Kai-shek (CKS) Memorial Hall is located in the heart of Taipei City, and it is easy accessible by metro and walk. The area is 250,000 square meters and it is the most popular attraction in the city for foreign tourists.
From March 14 to March 30, 1,600 pandas were displayed at the plaza of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. They were initially displayed at the city hall plaza which is not far away. These pandas have been traveling all over the world since 2008 - more than 20 countries so far. The event is funded and sponsored by WWF
So why 1,600 Pandas? The number was chosen to remind people that there are only 1,600 giant pandas remaining in the wild, who were also joined by 200 papier-mache Formosan black bears in an effort to raise awareness of the endemic Taiwan species. Of the 1,600 of Pandas in the world, three live in Taipei Zoo in case you want to meet the real ones.
Who is Chiang Kai-shek?
Chinese military and political leader Chiang Kai-shek joined the Chinese Nationalist Party (known as the Kuomintang, or KMT) in 1918. Succeeding party founder Sun Yat-sen as KMT leader in 1925, he expelled Chinese communists from the party and led a successful unification of China.
In 1937, Japan launched a full-scale invasion of China. When the United States came into the war against Japan in 1941, China became one of the Allied Powers. As Chiang's position within China weakened, his status abroad grew and in November 1943 he travelled to Cairo to meet US President Franklin D Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. His wife, Soong Mei-ling, travelled with him and became famous in the west as Madame Chiang.
In 1946, civil war broke out between the KMT and the Communists. In 1949, the Communists were victorious, establishing the People's Republic of China. Chiang and the remaining KMT forces fled to the island of Taiwan to established a government in exile which he led for the next 25 years. This government continued to be recognized by many countries as the legitimate government of China, and Taiwan controlled China's seat in the United Nations until the end of Chiang's life. He died on 5 April 1975.
About the CKS Memorial
The architecture of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is inspired by Tiantan in Beijing. The four sides of the structure are similar to those of the pyramids in Egypt. The material is white marble. The roofs are decorated with deep-blue glass as part of the reflection of blue sky and bright sun. It adds a touch of grandeur. The garden is planted with red flowers. As a whole, the colors of blue, white and red express the National Flag and the spirit of freedom, equality and brotherhood.
There is a change of the guard ceremony that happens hourly at the memorial hall, which is the white building at the centre of the square. The change of guard ceremony is quite impressive and you should probably plan to go earlier to secure a good spot.
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