This weekend I visited a local museum in Taichung that is only open every other Sunday ~ Gen Sun Li-jen Memorial Hall. This was the home of a Taiwanese general who was put under house arrest for 33 years.
這個週末我到台中市參觀一家只在每個月隔週日才開放的紀念館 ~ 孫立人將軍紀念館。這是孫立人將軍被軟禁33年的地方。
Sun was born in 1900 in China, and studied at Purdue University in the United States. After Purdue, he enrolled himself at the Virginia Military Institute in US for military training in help strengthen his nation in the modern world. After fighting many battles such as the Second Sino-Japanese War, and the Chinese Civil War, Sun rose to become the Commander in Chief of the Republic of China Army in Taiwan in 1950.
孫將軍在1900年出生於中國，之後到美國普渡大學念書。 畢業後他到維吉尼亞軍校接受軍事訓練，目的是為了回國可以投身軍隊，加強國家的軍事勢力。 孫在多項戰爭中，如國共內戰及中緬印作戰都有彪炳的成績，在1950年更當上國民黨陸軍總司令。
Due to his US training, his bravery in the battlefield, and his authority and leadership within the army, Sun was well respected by the US. This caused some unease for the President of the Republic of China, Chiang Kai-shek, especially when he heard rumours that the US wanted to help Sun into power to displace him. Chiang gradually removed military powers from Sun giving him ceremonial roles instead. In 1955 Sun was placed under house arrest on the grounds of plotting to overthrow Chiang and allowing one of his subordinate to conspire with the Communist. He was never formally charged with any crime.
孫受西方美式教育，在戰場上有非常英勇戰績，在軍隊裏又受尊重，所以美國對他評價非常高。他跟當時國民黨總統蔣介石的軍事觀點有不同看法，再加上蔣聽說美國想幫孫加強勢力，他日代替自己，於是蔣對孫起有戒心。蔣逐漸剝削孫的軍事權力，只給他一些有名無責的職位。 到1955年蔣以縱容部屬武裝叛亂及窩藏共匪的罪名，把孫立人軟禁在家，長期派人監視他。這個時候開始孫被軟禁長達33年的日子。
The house where Sun lived as a virtual prisoner all those years is in the center of Taichung City. It is a Japanese style house dating back to the days when Taiwan was ruled by the Japanese.
孫被軟禁的地方在台中市中心，是一所日式建設的房子，健於台灣被日本統治時。
This is a guided tour where we were given a brief introduction into Sun's life, and the conditions when he was under house arrest. Apparently, Sun was allowed to go out locally but was always surrounded by many agents to stop him from coming into contact with anyone. Other than that, he needed special permission to leave Taichung which was very rarely granted. When his eldest child graduated from university, he was forbidden to attend his graduation ceremony. A few years later, he was allowed to go to his younger child's graduation ceremony on the condition that he didn't speak to anyone, didn't identity himself (even as a proud parent) and had to sit right at the back of the hall away from everyone else.
參觀紀念館是由導覽員帶領。他首先向我們介紹孫立人的生平事蹟，及他被軟禁時的情況。原來當時孫是可以在台中市內出入，但一定有非常多的特工跟他一起，以防止他跟其他人有接觸。如果要離開台中市，一定要有批准才可。當年他最年長的孩子大學畢業時，有關方面不讓他去參加畢業典禮。幾年之後，他另外一名孩子大學畢業，他被批准出席典禮，條件是不容許他跟任何人交談，不能表達自己的身份，就算說是畢業生的家長也不可以。另外他只能坐在整個場館的最偏遠位置，遠離其他人。
Anyway, I've digressed. Back to the house tour. The house itself is about 300sqm, with a 2000sqm garden, not the most spacious house to be placed under house arrest. (In fact, is there ever an ideal place to be placed under house arrest?) Here's part of the garden, where Sun and his wife spent a lot of their time gardening.
有點離題了，回歸正傳說說這個導覽行程。紀念館房子不算太大，大概有300平方公米，另花園大概有2000平方米。以一所被軟禁的居所實在不是太很適合，有點小(其實這個世界跟根本沒有任何地方適合被軟禁) 。這裏是外面的花園，孫跟夫人在這裏花了不少時間作農務。
As we come through the front door, there is a long corridor on the left.
從大門口進入房子，左邊有一條長長的走廊。
The living room is on the right hand side of the corridor, and is situated in the centre of the house. Everything inside is frozen in time.
走廊的右邊是客廳，位於房子的中正中央。客廳裏面的所有家具擺設似乎都停都停留在之前的年代。
I couldn't help but noticing the Hello Kitty figurine on top of the piano, it looked a bit out of place in this living room. Sun has four children, so maybe this belonged to his daughter as they lived together during those years. Officially, his wife and children were not under house arrest.
我見到鋼琴上有一個吉蒂小玩意，好像跟這個客廳有點格格不入。孫有四名孩子，我想這可能是他女兒的。因為當年孫家一家六口是一起住，但正式來說他的家人是沒有被軟禁。
At one end of the house is the bathroom, and two quite small bedrooms.
房子的一端有一個浴室及兩間細小的臥室。
This was probably Sun's bedroom. The grey suit was from his days at the Virginia Military Institute, and his other serving uniforms still hangs inside the wardrobe.
這一間應該是孫的臥室。灰色一套衣服是當年孫在維吉尼亞軍校的制服。而當年他當軍時的製服還掛在衣櫃裏。
There are some other artefacts on display in the room such has photos taken while he was in the army, and later on in his life. This revolver was a gift from Eisenhower.
房間還展示其他的展品，和有一些他的照片。另外這枚手槍是當年艾森豪贈送他。
As we go around the other side of the living room we head towards a praying room. Mrs Sun was a devout Buddhist and spent a lot of time here.
房子的另一端是一間靜修室，孫夫人是很虔誠的佛教徒，經常在這裏靜修。
Finally, this is Sun's study. This house is quite unique in that it has a real fireplace, a feature that is not common in Taiwan. In the Japanese colonial days, many Japanese went abroad to study in England. Upon their return, they liked to incorporate English features into the buildings, this is a prime example.
最後這是孫的書房。這一家房子比較獨特有一座真火暖爐，在台灣不常見。在日本統治台灣的年代，有很多日本人到英國讀書，回國後流行加插英國特式到建築物上，變成洋和式房子。這就是其中一個例子。
One of Sun's finest battle was fought in Burma in 1942. Here he helped to relieve 7000 British troops who had been trapped by the Japanese army for quite some time. He was awarded a CBE in 1943 by King George VI from the UK for this. At Burma, Sun grew quite fond of some Burmese elephants used by the Japanese troops during the war, and in 1947 he transported two of them to Taiwan. Sadly, one of them died very soon upon arrival. Knowing how fond Sun was of the elephant, people arranged for the elephant feet to be made into stools as a gift for him. It is said that while Sun was under house arrest, he enjoyed sitting at his desk in his study in the company of the stools, as if the elephant was still with him.
孫立人打的其中一場最光輝的戰爭是1942年的中緬印作戰。當時他帶領軍隊攻打被日軍佔領的緬甸，幫英軍7200兵解圍，打出一場漂亮的勝利戰爭。之後英國喬治六世更授予他大英帝國司令勳章。在緬甸時，孫遇到多頭被日軍佔用的大象，之後他更把其中兩頭運到台灣。可惜其中一頭到台灣後水土不服死了。孫的下屬知道他很喜歡這頭大象，於是他們把大象的四隻腳做成象腿椅子送給他。聽說孫被軟禁的日子，很喜歡坐在書桌前對著四張小椅子，就像他還像大像一起。
I don't know about you, but although the stools are stuffed with wood inside, it still didn't go down too well with me. It just felt a bit weird.
雖然象腿椅子內面是木頭，但我總是覺得有點怪怪。不知道你又覺得如何?
In 1988, 33 years after Sun was placed under house arrest, he was finally released by the government. Two years later, he passed away at home in Taichung. Our tour guide said Sun's health deteriorated after his release, and believes that was because he had nothing more to fight for, and thus lost the will to live. Sun's funeral was held in full military honours and was attended by the Minister of National Defence and many top generals.
在1988年孫被軟禁33三年後，他終於被釋放。 兩年後他在台中家裡中逝世，結束 89年一生。導覽員說孫被釋放後身體每日下況，好像生命中再沒有事情要爭取，沒有生活下去的意志。 孫立人的喪禮當年由總統府主祭，參謀長，三軍總司令和多位高級軍官有出席。
The Hall is open every other Sunday and is free to visit. They recommend you to book online in advance, you can do it here. However if they're not too busy, you can just turn up on the day to join the tour which starts every hour on the dot.
孫立人將軍紀念館每隔週日免費開放給市民參觀。你可以在這個網址預約，或當天直到紀念館也可以行。導覽每場最多40人，每場1小時，正點開始。
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