The following story was told by Lee Ron-Chung (李榮昌) and was published in the Taiwan Church News 台湾教会公報, vol 2973 , entitled 'commemorating 62 anniversary of 2-28 incidence in Taiwan'. Lee Ron-Chung is 77 years old today. At the day of the 2-28 incidence, he was only 15 years old. He witnessed the day when his dad Lee Zuei-Han (李瑞漢), his uncle Lee Zuei-Fon (李瑞峰), and his dad's friends Lin Lien-Chung (林連宗) were taken away by the soldiers and never returned.
Lee Zuei-Han (李瑞漢), (a Taiwanese lawyer who graduated from Japan Central University日本中央大学 during Japanese occupation of Taiwan) was the chair of Taipei Lawyer Association 台北律師公会 . Lin Lien-Zon(林連宗) was a Taiwanese representative in the constitution reform committee. Lin Lien-Zon (林連宗) was also a classmate of Lee Zuei-Han (李瑞漢) in Japan Central University. Lee Zuei-Fon(李瑞峰) was a younger brother of Lee Zuei-Han(李瑞漢); he was also a lawyer. All three of them were Taiwanese intellectual elites at the time because in those days, not many Taiwanese went to universities, let alone becoming lawyers. The 2-28 incidence happened 63 years ago. In that incidence, thousands of Taiwanese were brutally killed or massacred under the order of Chiang Kai-Sheik representing Chinese colonialism and oppression in Taiwan.
Lee Zuei-Han (李瑞漢), (a Taiwanese lawyer who graduated from Japan Central University日本中央大学 during Japanese occupation of Taiwan) was the chair of Taipei Lawyer Association 台北律師公会 . Lin Lien-Zon(林連宗) was a Taiwanese representative in the constitution reform committee. Lin Lien-Zon (林連宗) was also a classmate of Lee Zuei-Han (李瑞漢) in Japan Central University. Lee Zuei-Fon(李瑞峰) was a younger brother of Lee Zuei-Han(李瑞漢); he was also a lawyer. All three of them were Taiwanese intellectual elites at the time because in those days, not many Taiwanese went to universities, let alone becoming lawyers. The 2-28 incidence happened 63 years ago. In that incidence, thousands of Taiwanese were brutally killed or massacred under the order of Chiang Kai-Sheik representing Chinese colonialism and oppression in Taiwan.
Here is Lee's story:
In the afternoon of March 10, 1947 my uncle and my dad's friend, Mr. Lin were at my house. Mr. Lin lived in Taichung. The government imposed a curfew on March 10; Lin was not able to go home from Taipei. He stayed at my place; dad and Lin were very good friends when they were classmates back in Japan before the end of World-War II. The day before Lin was my house, my neighbor gave us some squid 魷魚; it was a precious treat at the time of material scarcity. My mom cooked squid-rice soup for the guest and for my uncle. My dad was just in a wonderful time having conversation with Lin and his brother when suddenly the wife of our village chief 隣長 took one officer together with four other plain-cloth 'investigators" to our house. After identifying names and persons together with the help of the wife of the village chief 隣長, the officer spoke to my dad, uncle and Lin.
In the afternoon of March 10, 1947 my uncle and my dad's friend, Mr. Lin were at my house. Mr. Lin lived in Taichung. The government imposed a curfew on March 10; Lin was not able to go home from Taipei. He stayed at my place; dad and Lin were very good friends when they were classmates back in Japan before the end of World-War II. The day before Lin was my house, my neighbor gave us some squid 魷魚; it was a precious treat at the time of material scarcity. My mom cooked squid-rice soup for the guest and for my uncle. My dad was just in a wonderful time having conversation with Lin and his brother when suddenly the wife of our village chief 隣長 took one officer together with four other plain-cloth 'investigators" to our house. After identifying names and persons together with the help of the wife of the village chief 隣長, the officer spoke to my dad, uncle and Lin.
"Our superior, Chen Yi 陳儀 (then the Commander of KMT in Taiwan), would like to speak all three of you" said the officer in Mandarin.
My dad, my uncle, and Mr. Lin were then taken away with the officer's military jeep. They even did not finish their squid-rice soup.
They never returned.
On March 12, there was a list of so-called "criminals" from the authority; there were also words from the authority saying that these "criminals" have to be properly punished (that meant execution in KMT language); my dad, my uncle, and Mr Lin were in the list. After that my mom was trying to identify any body she could find on the street (There were many bodies on the street at the time.) but could not find any of them.
Year-after-year, there was no news, no body, and no closure; only the grief.
How did my mom cope with that kind of stress? She taught us to have a faith in God, to always remember our dad. Every year on the anniversary of dad's being taken away, she cooks squid-rice soups for us, read Bible Psalm #23 詩篇卄三章 symbolizing the return of my dad.
My mom passed away on January 7, 2008. She did not see my dad since March 10, 1947.
They never returned.
On March 12, there was a list of so-called "criminals" from the authority; there were also words from the authority saying that these "criminals" have to be properly punished (that meant execution in KMT language); my dad, my uncle, and Mr Lin were in the list. After that my mom was trying to identify any body she could find on the street (There were many bodies on the street at the time.) but could not find any of them.
Year-after-year, there was no news, no body, and no closure; only the grief.
How did my mom cope with that kind of stress? She taught us to have a faith in God, to always remember our dad. Every year on the anniversary of dad's being taken away, she cooks squid-rice soups for us, read Bible Psalm #23 詩篇卄三章 symbolizing the return of my dad.
My mom passed away on January 7, 2008. She did not see my dad since March 10, 1947.
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