Civic Groups Hold "Black Face Action" to Urge Recognition of Female White Terror Trauma
The "519 Action Coalition" and 49 other civic organizations have launched the "Find the Vanished Women: Black Face Action." The groups stated today that on Taiwan's path toward transitional justice, the figures and stories of a group of women have long been erased and ignored. The "Black Face Action" aims to unearth the traumatic memories of women under state violence during the authoritarian era, rebuilding their presence and dignity to enter the public sphere of democratic Taiwan.
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- 📰 Published: May 19, 2026 at 17:08
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- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 19, 2026 at 21:03 (3h 31m after Collected)
The "519 Action Coalition" and 50 other civic organizations launched the "Find the Vanished Women: Black Face Action." The groups stated today that on Taiwan's path toward transitional justice, the figures and stories of a group of women have long been erased and ignored. The "Black Face Action" aims to bring the traumatic memories of women under state violence during the authoritarian era to the surface, rebuilding their presence and dignity to enter the public view of a democratic Taiwan.
This afternoon, 50 civic organizations, including the Koo's Foundation, the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, the Cheng Nan-jung Foundation, and the Dr. Chen Wen-chen Memorial Foundation, staged a performance art piece in the plaza in front of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Dancers and members of the public painted their faces black to personify the lingering nightmare of the White Terror.
The organizers said the act of painting faces black originated from the story of Pan Ying-hsueh, a victim of the White Terror. Pan Ying-hsueh was the eldest daughter of Dr. Pan Mu-chih, a victim of the 228 Incident. She suffered the immense trauma of her father's execution by firing squad while she was in high school. At the age of 23, she herself became a political prisoner during the White Terror. After enduring hardship until her children were grown, she had a sudden mental breakdown. Years later, an amnesiac Pan Ying-hsueh painted her face black and traveled hundreds of miles from Puli to Taipei to find her youngest brother, Pan Hsin-hsing, telling him: "It's me, your sister, don't be afraid! I'm in disguise (with my face painted black), they won't recognize me."
The civic groups demand that, regardless of political party, the Legislative Yuan must restore "May 19th White Terror Memorial Day" and confront Taiwan's scarred history. Transitional justice must not stop, and the removal of authoritarian symbols must be accelerated. They stated that it is a great shame for Taiwan to still use a memorial hall for the dictator Chiang Kai-shek as a symbol of its capital city.
The groups said the central government and the mayor of Taipei should actively take political responsibility for clarifying the perpetrators' responsibility and removing the remnants of the authoritarian past. They urged the DPP government to provide a clear timeline for the transformation of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, to deepen democracy and human rights education, and to strengthen Taiwan's democratic resilience in the face of external authoritarian threats.
They called for confronting the suffering and resistance of Taiwanese women, allowing the life stories of Pan Ying-hsueh and many other women to enter Taiwan's public memory. Taiwan's history can no longer ignore the presence and voices of Taiwanese women, allowing those who were erased to reappear.
Wei Yun, a family member of White Terror victim Wei Ting-chao, stated that as long as authoritarian symbols are not removed, society cannot fairly teach the next generation the correct view of history. "We are all Pan Ying-hsueh, still praying for this society to give us a fair accounting."
Pan Ying-hsueh's brother, Pan Hsin-hsing, bowed to the staff and performers at the event, saying, "My sister is already in heaven, but if she could see this, she would surely be very moved. History can be forgiven, but it must not be forgotten. What we are doing today is an act of remembrance, not of hatred."
Daughter of White Terror victim Dr. Huang Wen-kung, Huang Chun-lan, was also present. She said her family's tragedy did not end with her father's disappearance but continued for 40 years. Pointing at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, she said, "To me, this place is a form of bullying, a slow torture. There are Zhongzheng Roads everywhere. (Chiang) Kai-shek is the main culprit who killed my father."
This afternoon, 50 civic organizations, including the Koo's Foundation, the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, the Cheng Nan-jung Foundation, and the Dr. Chen Wen-chen Memorial Foundation, staged a performance art piece in the plaza in front of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Dancers and members of the public painted their faces black to personify the lingering nightmare of the White Terror.
The organizers said the act of painting faces black originated from the story of Pan Ying-hsueh, a victim of the White Terror. Pan Ying-hsueh was the eldest daughter of Dr. Pan Mu-chih, a victim of the 228 Incident. She suffered the immense trauma of her father's execution by firing squad while she was in high school. At the age of 23, she herself became a political prisoner during the White Terror. After enduring hardship until her children were grown, she had a sudden mental breakdown. Years later, an amnesiac Pan Ying-hsueh painted her face black and traveled hundreds of miles from Puli to Taipei to find her youngest brother, Pan Hsin-hsing, telling him: "It's me, your sister, don't be afraid! I'm in disguise (with my face painted black), they won't recognize me."
The civic groups demand that, regardless of political party, the Legislative Yuan must restore "May 19th White Terror Memorial Day" and confront Taiwan's scarred history. Transitional justice must not stop, and the removal of authoritarian symbols must be accelerated. They stated that it is a great shame for Taiwan to still use a memorial hall for the dictator Chiang Kai-shek as a symbol of its capital city.
The groups said the central government and the mayor of Taipei should actively take political responsibility for clarifying the perpetrators' responsibility and removing the remnants of the authoritarian past. They urged the DPP government to provide a clear timeline for the transformation of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, to deepen democracy and human rights education, and to strengthen Taiwan's democratic resilience in the face of external authoritarian threats.
They called for confronting the suffering and resistance of Taiwanese women, allowing the life stories of Pan Ying-hsueh and many other women to enter Taiwan's public memory. Taiwan's history can no longer ignore the presence and voices of Taiwanese women, allowing those who were erased to reappear.
Wei Yun, a family member of White Terror victim Wei Ting-chao, stated that as long as authoritarian symbols are not removed, society cannot fairly teach the next generation the correct view of history. "We are all Pan Ying-hsueh, still praying for this society to give us a fair accounting."
Pan Ying-hsueh's brother, Pan Hsin-hsing, bowed to the staff and performers at the event, saying, "My sister is already in heaven, but if she could see this, she would surely be very moved. History can be forgiven, but it must not be forgotten. What we are doing today is an act of remembrance, not of hatred."
Daughter of White Terror victim Dr. Huang Wen-kung, Huang Chun-lan, was also present. She said her family's tragedy did not end with her father's disappearance but continued for 40 years. Pointing at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, she said, "To me, this place is a form of bullying, a slow torture. There are Zhongzheng Roads everywhere. (Chiang) Kai-shek is the main culprit who killed my father."