Taiwan Church News
3183 Edition
February 25-March 3, 2013
Headline News

Reported by Simon Lin, Chen Wei-chien

Written by Lydia Ma

Taiwanese dissatisfaction with the corrupt KMT regime that took over Taiwan in the aftermath of World War II resulted in many conflicts between government officials and citizens. These conflicts culminated in the massacre of many talented and educated people on February 28, 1947, and a trail of shattered families. Though it has been 66 years since this happened, the PCT has never forgotten this tragedy nor the families affected by it.

To remember the lives lost and to promote justice and peace, the PCT Church and Society Committee organized various commemorative services in the final week of February 2013. One of these services was a memorial concert held on February 24, 2013 at Fengshan Presbyterian Church, which included a presentation of Taiwanese folk songs and hymns performed by the renowned Taiwanese choir Red Clogs. In addition, Hsin-Hsing Presbyterian Church’s elder Hsiao Chiung-chen, whose father Rev. Hsiao Chao-chin was executed during the 228 Massacre, shared her story at this concert. The service was a joint effort by Shou-Shan and Kaohsiung presbyteries.

Hsiao began by expressing her gratitude to various churches for holding this touching memorial concert. She recalled that though she was 7 years old at the time of the incident, she still remembers vividly to this day how her father died. She said that when the 228 Massacre took place, her father was the pastor of Kangshan Presbyterian Church. When Commander Peng Meng-chi ordered the military to crack down on protests on March 6, Hsiao Chao-chin was in Kangshan comforting people and helping stranded students find shelter in churches. His efforts to help students were considered by authorities as “hiding rioters” and he was subsequently arrested, tortured, and executed by shooting. Hsiao believed in God to the very end and refused to bow to soldiers when asked. He said that he would bow to God alone and was executed in a sitting position instead of a kneeling position in the end.

Hsiao Chiung-chen said that though the government has tried to redress the injustices that had happened during the 228 Massacre by making February 28 a national holiday and building parks in memory of this tragedy, these gestures are meaningless for the victims’ families because they serve only as reminders of her father’s death in her opinion. She added that her father’s death caused her faith to stumble for a season in her life because she couldn’t comprehend why her father had been killed when he was faithfully serving the Lord. God eventually led her out of this valley of depression and enabled her and her younger brother to grow into adulthood safely.

Hsiao admitted that she didn’t have the courage to bring up all that had happened to her family during the 228 Massacre in the past. However, she can now do so with ease because God has helped her let down her defenses and she believes that sharing her story is a means of furthering justice. She hopes that her story will remind her listeners to trust in God and to cherish their country Taiwan, so that such tragedies will not happen again.

Similar memorial services were also held in Changhua Presbytery this year and the presbytery decided to hold services in 4 different sub-regions so that more parishioners could attend. These services featured various speakers and highlighted reconciliation between ethnic groups, as well as prayers for future justice and peace in Taiwan.

Changhua Presbytery’s Church and Society Division Director Hsiao Tzu-ming said that some people assume that all commemorative events held to remember the 228 Massacre are politically motivated and backed by political parties. He went on to clarify that the PCT’s purpose for holding memorial services to remember this day is not related to politics at all or any political party. In face of such a tragic historical event, the PCT is remembering the victims and reaching out to them with God’s love. “We can forgive, but we must never forget,” Hsiao underscored. He added that victims of this massacre included Taiwanese and Chinese and both sides needed to be comforted. Furthermore, we must not let differing political affiliations to cause further animosity and division among Taiwanese.