Taiwan downgrades Chiang Kai-shek's mausoleum to ‘camp area' as it grapples with legacy
Chiang Kai-shek's mausoleum has officially been consigned to history, as Taiwan's military reclassified the site in the city of Taoyuan as a 'camp area' – the latest move by the island's independence-leaning authorities to erase the legacy of the former Kuomintang (KMT) leader.
The mausoleum of Chiang's son and successor, Chiang Ching-kuo, located just 2.2km (1.4 miles) from his father's tomb, was also reclassified, according to a notice issued by the island's defence ministry on April 22.
The two sites, which house the preserved remains of the two former leaders, will no longer be referred to as 'mausoleums' or 'spirit-worship facilities', according to the announcement.
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It said the elder Chiang's resting place, previously known as the Cihu Mausoleum, would be renamed the 'Cihu Camp Area', while his son's Daxi Mausoleum would be designated as the 'Daxi Camp Area'.
In the announcement, the military said the revised guidelines reflected updated administrative needs and the 2014 reclassification of Taoyuan as a metropolitan area.
But Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers argued that the move signalled a deeper shift in the island's memory – part of transitional justice reforms aimed at removing what they saw as symbols of dictatorship and authoritarian rule.
For decades, the military had referred to the sites using terms traditionally reserved for royalty, such as 'mausoleum' and 'paying respects to the exalted spirit'.
Pro-independence voices have long criticised this reverence towards the Chiangs, arguing it glorified a legacy of political repression and martial law. These criticisms intensified in 2000 when the DPP first gained power and have grown louder since 2016.
The move is likely to reinforce Beijing's perception that Taipei is trying to erase its common history with the mainland. Chiang, despite fighting the Communists in China's civil war and being seen as an enemy by Beijing his entire life, had sought to bring the mainland and Taiwan under the same rule – that of the Republic of China.
In recent years, the Chiang family has been viewed more favourably on the mainland as a historical link between Taiwan and mainland China.
Under the revised guidelines, the phrase 'coffin viewing area' is retained only for the specific rooms housing the Chiangs' remains, while the broader sites are classified simply as military camp areas.
'The term 'mausoleum' typically refers to imperial tombs,' said DPP lawmaker Chiu Chih-wei during an April 16 legislative session. 'The military's duty is to defend the country, not to guard the graves of dictators.'
Chiu has also demanded the military withdraw its ceremonial honour guards from the sites, arguing they were a misuse of public resources. He noted the current deployment had been based on a 2007 directive issued by then Taoyuan county chief Eric Chu Li-luan – now KMT chairman – as a tourism initiative.
'But how many tourists still go there today?' Chiu said. 'If we continue this, does it mean any local shrine or memorial can request military guards, too?'
In response, the defence ministry said it would convene a meeting later this month with the Presidential Office, cabinet, and Taoyuan city officials to evaluate whether continued military presence was warranted.
Taiwanese Defence Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung added that relocating the Chiangs' remains to the Wuzhishan Military Cemetery for permanent burial might offer a solution.
He noted that Chiang Fang-liang, widow of Chiang Ching-kuo, had written to the ministry in 2004 requesting such a move, and Chen Shui-bian – Taiwan's leader at the time – had endorsed the plan. However, the relocation has yet to take place.
Chiang Kai-shek died in 1975 and was placed at the Cihu site in Taoyuan, pending eventual burial in mainland China, from which he fled after losing the Chinese civil war in 1949.
His son, Chiang Ching-kuo, died in 1988 and was laid to rest in nearby Daxi. Their plan was to be buried in their ancestral hometown once reunification was achieved through the KMT's recapture of the mainland – a goal now seen as impossible.
Beijing, which sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary, has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan since Tsai Ing-wen was elected the island's leader in 2016 and refused to accept the one-China principle.
Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to arming Taiwan.
Since passing a transitional justice law in 2017, the DPP government has accelerated efforts to remove symbols of Chiang Kai-shek's rule, revise historical narratives, and blame the late Chiang for past abuses.
Thousands of statues of the elder Chiang have been removed from parks, schools, and military facilities. The campaign aims to break the legacy of martial law and authoritarian rule led by Chiang, which defined much of the history of Taiwan in the 20th century.
One major milestone came in July 2024, when ceremonial honour guards inside the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei ended their 44-year vigil. The military's rifle-twirling ritual, long a popular tourist attraction, was moved outside to the public plaza in front of the hall after public consultation.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Chiang Kai-shek's death. In April, civil society groups launched a campaign urging the government to close the main hall in Taipei and get rid of authoritarian symbols – including place names, statues, and currency bearing Chiang's image.
'Taiwan truly doesn't need a dictator's memorial hall,' said Michelle Wang, chairwoman of the Koo Kwang-ming Foundation. 'We must face our history honestly and move forward.'
Not everyone agrees. Former Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou has defended Chiang's legacy, saying it was 'a bit excessive' to label him a dictator.
'As a political leader, Chiang bore responsibility for certain wrongdoings,' Ma said. 'But his contributions to Taiwan outweigh his mistakes. Having a memorial hall for him is not unreasonable.'
Taipei Mayor Wayne Chiang Wan-an, a great-grandson of Chiang Kai-shek, pushed back on recent remarks by the island's current leader, William Lai Ching-te, who in February described Chiang as 'a dictator who committed heinous crimes to maintain his rule over Taiwan'. The Taipei mayor urged leaders to 'face history with caution and humility' and to 'adopt a broader, more inclusive vision'.
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