Chung-cheng Lake in Meinong, Taiwan

This postcard from a private swap shows the Chung-cheng Lake (中正湖) in Meinong District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China (ROC). A man-made lake originally built in 1748 known as Jhongjun Pi (中圳埤), it was renovated into a reservoir between 1916 and 1920 during the Japanese occupation. With an area of 21 hectares or 52 acres, the lake had a capacity to furnish water for irrigation of over 130 hectares or 321 acres of farmland. It was also used for fish farming. After World War II, the lake was renamed to Chung-cheng Lake in 1956, after Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石: October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975), also known as Chiang Chung-cheng (蔣中正) who was the leader of the Republic of China between 1928 and 1975. A pavilion was also built in the lake in honor of Chiang. However, there have been petitions to change the name of the lake to Meinong Lake (美濃湖) since 1996, in protest of Chiang's role in the 228 Massacre. On a side note, many statues of former president Chiang Kai-shek have been vandalized across the island around the 68th anniversary of the 228 Incident on Saturday, February 28, 2015.

While the lake capacity for water supply has been diminishing due to sediment built-up since the 1957 Meinong flood, it becomes part of the largest wetland ecosystem in the area that hosts a large number of migratory birds during the winter months from October to March next year. More than 60 bird species have been spotted around the lake. A wooden boardwalk around the lake was completed last November to accommodate nature lovers.

The Horrifying Search - The 228 Massacre in Taiwan

Postcard HK-126198 from Hongkong was entitled "the Horrifying Search - The 228 Massacre in Taiwan." Measured 14x18.3 cm, the illustration was first published by WenWeiPo, a newspaper in Shanghai, on April 28, 1947.

The 228 Massacre was an anti-government uprising in Taiwan that began in 1947. After the Japanese rule of Taiwan for 50 years ended in 1945 due to Japan's loss in World War II, Republic of China government, led by the Chinese Nationalist Party or Kuomintang (KMT), took control of Taiwan. However, local inhabitants became resentful over the perception of corrupted KMT authorities that tended to seize private property arbitrarily and mismanage economy. A dispute between a cigarette vendor and an officer of the Office of Monopoly on February 27 triggered civil disorder in Taipei and an open rebellion spread to the whole island and lasted for days. The uprising was violently suppressed beginning on February 28, or 2/28, resulting in the massacre of more than 10,000 civilians.

The incident marked the beginning of the KMT's White Terror period in Taiwan as the island was placed under martial law. Thousands more had vanished, died, or were imprisoned, before martial law was lifted on July 14, 1987. This incident is one of the most important events in Taiwan's modern history. It continues to divide Taiwan after 66 years.

恐怖的檢查 -- 臺灣二二八事件 by 黃榮燦（力軍）民國36年(1947) 4月28日上海文匯報首度刊登