Tainan, Taiwan – The annual Tang Te-chang Memorial Ceremony was held under a brilliantly blue sky, as a special delegation from Kumamoto City, Japan, led by former Mayor Motomatsu Shigeki, traveled to Tainan to pay their respects to Tang Te-chang, the revered Taiwanese martyr.
As part of the ceremony, Tainan City Government’s commemorative picture book on Tang Te-chang, now translated into Japanese, was highlighted as a bridge for cultural and educational exchange between Taiwan and Japan. Local participants, including alumni recalling their school days along Nanmen Road—the route once frequented by many students—laid flowers at the memorial park in a heartfelt tribute.
Following the ceremony, attendees visited the 228 Memorial Museum. In front of the Taiwan Literature Museum, encounters with Japanese students from Providence University led to an opportunity to photograph with former Mayor Motomatsu Shigeki, exchanging words of gratitude and discussing ongoing collaborations in poetry festivals. Notably, in 2023, five Japanese poets participated in the Kaohsiung World Poetry Festival, further strengthening cultural ties.
The Tang Te-chang Memorial Park offered a stunning visual backdrop for the occasion, its sky reflecting a vivid, clear blue that participants likened to a symbolic connection between past and present. As Mayor Motomatsu addressed the gathering, he emphasized:
“To help Japanese children understand the story of Tang Te-chang, we translated the Tainan picture book into Japanese, and the documentary will be screened in Kumamoto City.”
The gesture deeply moved attendees, highlighting the delicacy and attentiveness of Japanese cultural exchange and reaffirming the enduring friendship between Taiwan and Japan—an invaluable connection that transcends monetary measures.
The morning concluded with a moment of reflection and personal memories for participants, evoking nostalgia for past literary exchanges, including the unforgettable experience shared with Japanese poet Kae Morii at the 2017 Bolivia International Poetry Festival.
The Tang Te-chang Memorial Ceremony continues to serve as a symbol of cross-cultural respect, remembrance, and the enduring bonds of friendship between nations.
