Written/Compiled by Liu Jiawen
Two years ago, the mudslide triggered by Typhoon Morakot instantly submerged Xiaolin Village, claiming the lives of 462 residents. To comfort the bereaved families, the Kaohsiung City Government began constructing the “Xiaolin Village Memorial Park” on a highland south of the original village site at a cost of approximately NT$100 million. The park has now officially been completed and opened to the public. In addition to serving as a place to mourn the deceased through this cultural, historical, and ecologically landscaped memorial, it also reminds both the government and the public of the importance of disaster prevention.
The Xiaolin Village Memorial Park has officially been completed and opened. The 9-meter-high memorial monument was built using stones carried down by the mudflow. (Photo provided by Kaohsiung City Government)
Covering an area of about 1.7 hectares, the design concept of Xiaolin Village Memorial Park centers on commemorating the deceased, with nearly 80% of the space planned as green areas to recreate the natural forest-like imagery of the former Xiaolin Village. The park features a memorial square, Xiaolin Ancestral Shrine, Via Dolorosa, observation tower, meditation bridge, and a memorial monument. Among these, the “Via Dolorosa” is lined with memorial walls engraved with the names of the 462 deceased, while the 9-meter-high memorial monument in the memorial square was constructed from stones carried down by the mudflow from Xian Du Mountain, aiming to provide surviving villagers with strength for renewal and reconstruction.
The park features memorial walls engraved with the names of the 462 deceased, providing a place for the families of the victims to mourn. (Photo provided by Kaohsiung City Government)
The completion of Xiaolin Village Memorial Park allows villagers to mourn their loved ones at any time. Additionally, 181 saplings of Taiwan’s native mountain cherry blossom trees have been planted in the park, with each tree pit representing a family that lost someone. It is hoped that when the cherry blossoms bloom, the red hues will bring vitality and hope to all visitors.