“The stories they could tell, if only statues could talk,” a man muttered, gazing at the bronze figure before him. He was staring, likely lost in thought, at the Sun Yat-sen Statue. It’s an unassuming piece, wouldn’t you say? Yet it represents a figure who looms large in the story of not just Taiwan, but China itself. Sun Yat-sen, often called the “Father of Modern China,” played a pivotal role in overthrowing the Qing dynasty and establishing the Republic of China. This statue, completed in 1957 by the sculptor Chueh Ming-te, depicts him not in grandeur, but in a moment of quiet reflection. It originally resided within the Presidential Office Building in Taipei. However, during a redecoration in 2007, it was removed and placed in storage. It took the sharp eye and even sharper memory of President Ma Ying-jeou, who noticed its absence upon his inauguration in 2008, to bring the statue back to its rightful place. He felt strongly, after seeing statues of founding fathers in presidential buildings across Latin America, that Taiwan’s own “Father” deserved a place of honor. And so, this bronze figure stands here today, a quiet testament to a man who shaped the destiny of millions.
Hauptfriedhof
Lost in time stands the Hauptfriedhof Trier. A tranquil expanse in the bustling city it’s more than just a cemetery.