Taiwan downgrades Chiang Kai-shek’s mausoleum to ‘camp area’ as it grapples with legacy
Taipei reclassifies resting place of former KMT leader and his son in latest bid to erase sites seen by some as symbols of dictatorship
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.
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”.
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In the announcement, the military said the revised guidelines reflected updated administrative needs and the 2014 reclassification of Taoyuan as a metropolitan area.