Q1 Is there any big difference between the game "Mosa Island Adventure: The Secret of Nandu" and the real history?
The "Mosa Island" depicted in the game is a virtual archipelago, and "Nandu" is also a fictional settlement. Although the plot is developed based on the "Wu Shengda Incident", the map design also incorporates the style of "Tainan" where the incident occurred. However, the overall arrangement of the game basically avoids completely referring to a specific period and place, leaving some vague space to avoid creating a "preaching feeling"; or adding too much historical information, which may make first-time viewers feel boring and difficult. Players can think of the content of this game as "drawing on historical cases, but rewriting the plot." Discovering the connections with history on the map and in conversations is also one of the fun things about this game.
Q2 Why choose the "Wu Shengda" incident? What is representative of this event?
Among the teachers and students of the Provincial Institute of Technology who participated in the organization, Wu Shengda's case was the first to be solved. Looking at the entire Tainan City Committee, this case is also considered a very early case. It did not directly lead to the complete crackdown of the engineering college's organization. Instead, because the agents did not know the composition of the school's organization, it gave Wu Shengda the space to "unveil" a "fictitious superior" to manipulate the agents and deal with them. In this case, we can see that political prisoners do not just give in when faced with spies, but can use their best efforts to outwit the spies, stick to their principles with a strong mind, and buy time for other members of the organization.
Q3 In addition to the banned books mentioned in the game, what else was prohibited during that tense social atmosphere?
It is true that the sensitive books mentioned in the game will not be sold publicly at ordinary book stalls. Most of the banned books in the hands of members of underground organizations or peripheral elements are handed over by a fixed and single online person, and the process is secretive and not open to the public. However, some bookstores will sell banned books by changing the title, author, or deleting part of the text, so the possibility of obtaining banned books in bookstore.
Q4 The police in the game seem to have a lot of power. At that time, were the police the largest law enforcement unit?
To streamline player immersion, in the virtual world of "Mosa Archipelago," the term "police" refers to the overarching authority of the era rather than just a singular police force.
Historically, the secret service division was intricate. For instance, when Xiaofu and his group arrived at Mosa Island's beach, they encountered the island police in the game. However, coastal defense fell under the jurisdiction of the "Taiwan Provincial Security Command" rather than local police. In 1950, intelligence gathering at the Tainan Provincial Institute of Technology involved the "Tainan City Investigation Station," not the police. Despite being interrogated by the "Intelligence Team of the Taiwan Provincial Security Command" and the "Tainan City Police Department," Wu Shengda's group was eventually transferred by the "Tainan City Investigation Station" and the "Tainan Military Police" for further investigation and conviction.
Q5 What were the people’s living conditions like at that time? Is everyone’s life very difficult?
The era background that the game refers to is set from 1945 to the early 1950s after the war, which is the period when the Wu Shengda case occurred. At this time, Taiwanese society was freed from Japanese rule and fully expected to welcome the "motherland". However, the government was too busy taking care of itself due to the civil war in the mainland. As a result, prices on the island rose and inflation remained unresolved, seriously affecting the lives of the islanders.
Q5 Now that life is already very difficult, what is the attitude of the islanders towards artists?
In the game, the drama's widespread recognition among islanders is subject to verification. Wu Shengda and colleagues from the Drama Research Association hoped to raise funds through off-campus performances after their on-campus success. However, the outcomes of these performances remain unknown. Nonetheless, drama serves as a crucial means for Wu Shengda and his team to connect with the masses and is integral to the case.
Q6 I want to know more about the "White Terror Period", where should I start? What information can be consulted?
In recent years, a large number of political archives have been gradually opened, and there are also many books and materials related to white terror. If you want to have a preliminary understanding of white terror, the "Independent at twenty" recommends the following three books for your reference:
1. "No. 3, Qingdao East Road: My Centenary Memories and Taiwan's Absurd Era"
It is recommended to read the memoir "No. 3, Qingdao East Road: My Centenary Memories and Taiwan's Absurd Era" written by Senior Yan Shihong. We can understand the background and atmosphere of the 1950s from Senior Yan's life story, including his work in It captures the feelings of being imprisoned in a detention center, being interrogated by spies, and the oppressive prison life, and the cases that Senior Yan is involved in are not complicated. It is a book that is very suitable for novices to enter the field of white terror.
2. "The Undeliverable Suicide Note: Remembering Those Lost in the Age of Terror"
The recently released expanded edition of "Undeliverable Suicide Notes: Remembering Those Lost in the Age of Terror" contains dozens of suicide notes from different victims of white terror and related analysis, through family interviews, historical research, archival research, etc. Relive the history of White Terror in the suicide note and the profound impact on the families of the victims.
3. "Political Files Can Talk"
This book mainly shares with readers how an amateur can find political archives to study. It also shares how to use databases correctly. It is a reference book. It uses several different cases to illustrate how to find the files you want to read. It is highly recommended to readers who want to understand these methods and eyebrows. "
There are too many various stories about the White Terror Era, and research cannot be done overnight. If you want to understand the background of the era or the details of the events, you can accumulate bits and pieces of information by reading various books and materials. In addition to reading books and looking at archives, you can also follow relevant communities or join them, attend different courses and lectures, and have the opportunity to ask experts and scholars face-to-face. I believe that through the above channels, you can have a basic understanding of white terror!
Welcome to refer to the White Terror Human Rights Map
produced by the "Independent at twenty"
Human Rights Map of White Terror in the 1950s (Wu Shengda)
White Terror Human Rights Map Google Map Version
