Military discontinues employment of terminology originating from the KMT regime period.

Rewritten Article:

Lo Tien-pin and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

In a bid to move away from the legacy of the former authoritarian Kuomintang (KMT) regime, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense has renounced terms like "to pay homage" and "mausoleum" in reference to the resting places of former presidents Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) and Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國). The initial step towards transitional justice includes rebranding these sites from "mausoleums" to "camp areas."

On April 22, the ministry issued a notice replacing the Armed Forces Reserve Command Taoyuan Division Management Regulations on Affairs of Paying Homage with the Armed Forces Reserve Command Taoyuan Division Management Regulations on Affairs of the Cihu and Dasi Base.

This transformed the Cihu (慈湖) and Dasi (大溪) areas from mausoleums to bases. Applications to visit these areas no longer include the language of "paying homage," but instead invite visitors to the locations where the sarcophagi of the two Chiangs are located.

Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉), a Democratic Progressive Party legislator, had been questioning whether the authorities planned to remove the honor guards posted at Cihu and Dasi. Chiu also raised concerns about the government's intentions to draft regulations regarding the usage of "to pay homage" and "mausoleum," pointing out that the military's role is to protect the nation, not to guard the graves of autocrats.

"Mausoleum" invokes imperial connotations, Chiu noted, suggesting that former Taoyuan mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫)'s request for the Ministry of National Defense to send honor guards to the sites—for reasons of stimulating tourism—was financial waste.

Since the death of Chiang Kai-shek on April 5, 1975, his sarcophagus has resided in the Cihu location, while the sarcophagus of his son Chiang Ching-kuo, who passed away on Jan. 13, 1988, is at Dasi. Both areas were previously protected by the Presidential Office and the military, with the institution of the Taoyuan Management Division overseeing and maintaining the sites.

The change comes amidst a broader effort to distance Taiwan's political landscape from the historical reverence associated with the KMT leaders and transition towards a more neutral, administrative approach. However, the areas continue to be guarded by the Honor Guard, fueling critical debates about the cost and necessity of security measures. Some advocate that the expenditure should be shouldered by the Chiang family rather than the government.

Enrichment Insights:

The Cihu Mausoleum is now referred to as the "Cihu Camp Area," while the Daxi Mausoleum is known as the "Daxi Camp Area."
The purpose of the shift is to align with Taiwan's efforts to address the legacy of the former authoritarian KMT regime and adopt a more neutral, administrative approach to these sites.
Some critics question the necessity and cost of maintaining security measures, suggesting that the expenses should be covered by the Chiang family.
This change represents an attempt to reinterpret the historical significance of the sites in accordance with Taiwan's evolving political and social values.

The 'Cihu Camp Area' and the 'Dasi Camp Area', formerly known as 'Cihu Mausoleum' and 'Daxi Mausoleum', are now managed under the new title 'Cihu and Dasi Base', following a change by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense.
The new policy no longer encourages visitors to 'pay homage' but invites them to the locations of the sarcophagi of the two Chiangs, reflecting efforts to distance Taiwan's political landscape from the historical reverence associated with the KMT leaders.
While the security measures continue with the Honor Guard, debates persist over whether the cost of maintaining these measures should be shouldered by the government or the Chiang family.
The renaming of the previous mausoleums to bases is part of a broader effort to reinterpret the historical significance of these sites in accordance with Taiwan's evolving political and social values, moving away from the legacy of the former authoritarian KMT regime.