Chiang Kai-shek’s Cult of Personality in Taiwan and Facilities Commemorate Him by Civilians

Abstract

This paper focuses on the facilities built by civilians in Taiwan to commemorate Chiang Kai-shek. He has been deified from the time of the Nanjing government in Mainland China to the authoritarian regime in Taiwan. Although his cult of personality was created by the party, military, and other organizations, there are some facilities that were created by civilians to commemorate him. There are more than 10 facilities remaining today. Many of them were established by the Dachen people. There are also many that began to deify Chiang Kai-shek after receiving an oracle from the gods.
Today in Taiwan, commitment to transitional justice has been intensified. In the process, Chiang Kai-shek's reputation has been dramatically overturned from a once-great leader to a genocidal man. The removal of his statues from public spaces is also carried out by law. These circumstances are totally incompatible with facilities that commemorate Chiang Kai-shek.