Published | Shawna Yang Ryan, Ink Magazine
Today marks the 70th anniversary of the February 28 (228) Massacre in Taiwan. Tens of thousands were murdered by the Nationalist government that had fled China and taken over rule in Taiwan, and martial law was imposed for 40 years thereafter. Incredibly, Taiwan has since become a vibrant democracy fighting the continued battles of defending civil rights for its citizens and reconciling with its own history.
For anyone interested in learning more about the history of Taiwan, I highly recommend Green Island, a novel by Shawna Yang Ryan set against the backdrop of Taiwanese/American history. While it is fiction, the history and the emotional story ring true. If you’ve been following me for a while, you might remember that I photographed Shawna’s author portraits for the book. In the year since, the book has also been published in a Chinese translation, and Shawna has received all sorts of press, including an extended feature in the Taiwanese literary magazine, Ink. Hence my Green Island stack below!
My mom tracked down a couple copies of Ink when she was just recently in Taiwan. Cover photo!
It makes me happy to see that the images are properly attributed. Thank you Shawna!
If only my Chinese were way better and I could actually read the multi-spread article. Still pretty fun to see my images featured and to see Shawna’s well-deserved success.
You can order a copy of Green Island from Amazon or pick it up from your local bookstore. Or find the Chinese translation in Taiwan or online here.
Here are some recent articles regarding 228:
- Washington Post: For decades, no one spoke of Taiwan’s hidden massacre. A new generation is breaking the silence.
- NYTimes: Taiwan Commemorates a Violent Nationalist Episode, 70 Years Later
- NBC News: 30 Years After End of Martial Law, Scars From Taiwan’s ‘White Terror’ Remain
Anna Wu is a wedding and portrait photographer based in San Francisco but often jetsetting and eating her way around the world. Follow her @annawuphoto on facebook or instagram for more of her daily adventures. Contact her directly to book your own portrait session.
