Taiwan's Statue Wars

On a lush hillside in northern Taiwan, the late dictator Chiang Kai-shek smiles benevolently—over and over. Here he is astride a horse or brandishing a book; there he stands, extending a fatherly arm to the busloads of visitors that show up daily to see this collection of statuary, located next to the Generalissimo's mausoleum 40 km southwest of Taipei. Plaques inform inquisitive onlookers where each piece originated, but none of the candy-coated descriptions explain that this collection came into being because these statues are unwanted and have been dismantled from schools, colleges and municipal buildings across the island. The Chiang Kai-shek...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!