Taiwan Church News
3810 Edition
March 3 ~ 9, 2025
Weekly Topical
Four PCT Presbyteries United to Hold Memorial Service for 228 Massacre Event
Reported by Lin Yi-ying and Chiu Kuo-rong
Jointly-organized by four Church and Society Committee of PCT presbyteries, including Taipei, Chi-Hsin, Tayal and Sa^tipay ‘Amis, a memorial service for the 78th anniversary of the 228 Massacre was held at Chi-Nan Church of Chi-Hsin presbytery in the evening on March 2.
The memorial service was hosted by Rev Su Hui-ying, moderator of Chi-Hsin presbytery, who read poet Kua Ki Hua’s poem Mother’s Sad Wish. Then, Taiwan Song of Songs Choir sang Unforgettable 228, Your Raise Me Up and Taiwan, Our Sweetheart; Consolation Singers Choir sang Von Guten Machten and The Light Leads Us, and Pastors Choir of Church and Society Committee of Tayal presbytery sang Insuna na Squliq and mswa’ minnanak hway nya.
Rev Chang Suo-en, moderator of Taipei presbytery, revealed in his sermon that his grandfather Mr Lee Yan was also a victim of 228 Massacre. He indicated the tragic 228 Massacre became a family taboo during KMT’s martial law period, from 1949 to 1987, so family members were very reluctant to mention it. KMT’s brutal execution of Li Yan had since never been exposed, until family elders started to talk about it at one grave sweeping day after martial law was lifted in 1987.
“Such an open recognition of Lee Yan’s tragedy instantly triggered waves of sorrow and anger that had been suppressed for decades in the family, ” Rev Chang recalled. However, there were still family members who didn’t want to fall into the painful past and hope the trauma could cease to trouble those survived. To maintain union and and harmony in family, the sad story of Lee Yan sank into silence once again, Rev Chang sighed.
According to the records of Taiwan Cultural Memory Bank under Ministry of Culture, Lee Yan was born in Kaohsiung in 1909 and once served as a reporter for Taiwan Shin Sheng Daily News. In 1945, with a jubilant passion to welcome his “mother country” – China, he went to Taiwan’s Keelung Harbor to welcome KMT army, but he was very embarrassed to see swathes of sloppy KMT soldiers stepping down from ships.
Later, due to KMT’s arbitrary arrest of media reporters, Lee Yan resigned. After temporarily serving as chairman of Kaohsiung Fishery Association for one year and a half, Mr Wang Tian-hsan launched a newspaper called National Voice Daily, and Lee Yan was again invited to serve as a chief reporter. On March 6, 1947, on his way back after an interview of 228 Incident Handling Committee under Kaohsiung Municipal Government, he was unexpectedly ambushed by Kuomintang army. His head was hit by strayed gunfires and died in the early morning next day.
Ms Lee Hui-shen, granddaughter of Lawyer Lee Ruey-han, expressed that his grandfather Lawyer Lee, acting as president of Taipei Bar Association when he was killed in 228 Massacre, was also a deacon of the Toa-Tio-Tian Church and served as a voluntary lawyer for Taiwan Theological Seminary.
On March 10, 1947, Lawyer Lee and three other citizens were arrested by KMT’s military police without giving any reason. “After 78 years, they still does not come back,” Ms Lee said, “family of these 228 Massacre victims only wanted to know ‘What is the facts?’” “ It is critically important to jail the master-mind behind such heinous genocides. Only by severely punishing the evil butcher can the victims’ family forgive and reconcile, “ she called.
Ms Lee said once she asked her father, Mr Lee Rong-chang, how long could her grandfather come back and eat the “squid porridge” prepared for him on March 10, 1947 ? Mr Lee Rong-chang replied, “Until fairness and justice can come true on Taiwan, squid porridge is not available!”
Ms Lee also gave her thanksgivings to pastors of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan for accompanying her family for decades after Lawyer Lee Ruey-han’s missing. She expressed her sincere appreciation to such pastoral care which encouraged her family to carry on amid these painful years.
The memorial service also delivered intercession for families of the victims in 228 Massacre. The congregation prayed that KMT could confess its horrendous sin and atone for its inhumane dictatorship; Taiwanese people could be united together to fight against a united-front network of KMT, PFP and CCP to destroy the public’s welfare and Taiwan’s constitution; Taiwan society can contribute to peace and justice in the world. Finally, a special cake commemorative of 228 Massacre was offered to every participant in memorial service.
In the afternoon on February 28, Church and Society Committee of Chi-Hsin presbytery held a “228 Bell Service” in Chi-Nan Church to mourn 228 historical tragedy and call for peace and justice. The ceremony began at 2:28 p.m., and the bell tower of Chi-Nan Church rang 39 times. Rev Huang Chun-shen, chief pastor of Chi-Nan Church, explained to the audience that 39 rings of bell reminded Taiwanese people that Jesus was whipped 39 times by Roman soldiers before his crucifixion.
The 228 Bell service was hosted by Rev Bob Fu, founder of ChinaAid Association. In his sermon, he exposed the persecutions faced by Chinese Christian groups and stressed Christian faith can respond to injustice with love and action. “Communist Party of China, CCP, not only suppresses religions in China, but also persecutes human rights lawyers and political dissidents domestically,” he reminded.
Meanwhile, He lauded the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan actively engaged in Taiwan democracy and transitional justice through faith and introspection, and urged Taiwan church to carry on the prophetic call to speak out for justice sake. He emphasized “true reconciliation comes from justice, not ignoring history or inciting hatred.” “We shall not respond to persecution with hatred, instead we shall stand firm on faith and treat our enemy with love in Christ,” Rev Fu called.
Translated by Peter Wolfe
