Diorama Illustrating The Brutal 228 Incident At The Kaohsiung History Museum

One of Taiwan's darkest moments in recent history is something called the 228 incident. It is named for February 28, 1947, the date anti-government protests erupted over unfair treatment, random searches and a general brutality showed toward citizens. The uprising stemmed from a widow being charged for possession of contraband cigarettes. Enough is enough and the protests started.

Between 5,000 and 28,000 people died in the subsequent riots and government crackdown. In Kaohsiung, when protesters headed to city hall, they were met with pre-empted gunfire and many people were killed.

Kaohsiung's city hall is now the city's main history museum and they've constructed a large, elaborate diorama that illustrates the night of the massacre. Besides the sadness of the event, the feeling is amplified by viewing a diorama of the building while inside the same building. Witness to history, as close as one can get.

The diorama has its own artistic beauty and the details start to unspool the narrative of that terrible night.

Storming the main entrance.

Watching the carnage. A soldier heading inside.

More troops arriving.

Flee or be shot.

Ominously standing guard.

A passerby on his bike bears witness. The shooting continues.

Massacre moment.