Bearing the Traces of History – The Heroic Presence of the August 23 Memorial Park

▲ Beian Park has officially been renamed the August 23 Memorial Park and will become an important cultural landmark in Taipei. (Photo / Screenshot fromTaipei City Government website, the same applies below)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

With strong support from the August 23 Battle Veterans Association, the Taipei City Council, and the Jiantan Neighborhood Office,Beian Park has officially been renamed as Taipei City’s first “August 23 Artillery Battle Memorial Park,”and the park’s August 23 Taiwan Strait Victory Monumentwill be unveiled on September 3, Armed Forces Day.The Bureau of Public Works’ Parks Division said the park will feature two sets of wartime artillery provided by the Ministry of National Defense. Coupled with the local Martyrs’ Shrine and Navy Headquarters, and linked to the future Qihai Park area, it will serve as an important hub for national defense education, tourism, and culture in Taipei. Additionally, the park will be illuminated at night, keeping the traces of history shining brightly.

▲ The solemn monument shows reverence for the efforts of our predecessors.

Bureau of Public Works Commissioner Peng Chen-sheng stated that to enrich the park’s landscape, the Taipei City Government’s Conscription Bureau coordinated with the Ministry of National Defense to provide two sets of artillery that witnessed the August 23 Artillery Battle. These were planned by the Bureau of Parks, Street Lights, and Traffic Engineering into a memorial park that reflects both historical significance and the local landscape. One of the artillery pieces is an M59 155mm howitzer, which the ROC military used during the August 23 Artillery Battle in 1958 to suppress the main artillery forces of the Communist army. The other is a 40mm/L60 twin-barrel anti-aircraft gun, also part of Taiwan’s Strait defense capabilities. It broke through enemy lines and landed first on the Kinmen shore, successfully executing resupply missions. After renovation, these two artillery pieces will be permanently displayed here for the public to remember the heroic deeds of our soldiers during the August 23 Artillery Battle.

▲ The park displays important artillery used during the battle for the public to appreciate.

Wu Jin-hai, Chairman of the August 23 Battle Veterans Association, said that during the August 23 Battle, the Communist army launched a surprise attack on the Kinmen Islands, dropping over 40,000 shells in just two hours. Our army responded decisively, and over the 44-day battle, the Communists fired more than 470,000 shells. At the time, many young men from the main island were urgently conscripted, regardless of political affiliation or ethnicity. Soldiers and civilians fought side-by-side with courage and determination, ultimately repelling the Communist invasion and achieving a glorious victory. Most of these veterans are now elderly, and they are especially grateful for the assistance of the Parks Division in seeing the completion of the August 23 Victory Monument in Taipei within their lifetimes.

▲ Through the August 23 Memorial Park, we hope the public can learn about the stories of the past and commemorate the hard work of our predecessors in defending Taiwan.

The August 23 Memorial Park was completed in less than half a year from site selection, name change procedures, to construction. This allowed veterans of the August 23 Battle and their families to pay tribute to the monument before August 23 this year, fulfilling a long-held wish. The establishment of the August 23 Memorial Park not only represents Taipei City’s gratitude for the military’s dedication to “protecting the homeland,” but also serves to rediscover this chapter of Taiwanese history — where people of all ethnicities united to defend their homes. As visitors tour the park, they can remember the bravery of our predecessors and engrave this historical memory forever.

August 23 Memorial Park
Address: Beside Yuanshan Tunnel, Section 4, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City