National Museum of Taiwan History

Address :    The third court of the National Historical Monument, Tainan District Court (Judicial Museum)

In 1915, an armed resistance event, carried out in the name of religion, occurred in the Tapani region. The local inhabitants, fighting for survival, faced severe legal trials and an uncertain future following the failure of the resistance…

The special exhibition "Return to the First Court - Tapani Incident Trial" combines the two main concepts of "Cultural Content, Technology Application" and "Recreating Historical Scenes," blending virtual reality (VR) animated videos with physical exhibits to recreate historical events and scenes. The third court of the National Historical Monument, Tainan District Court (Judicial Museum) is the very same first court where the Tapani Incident trial took place in 1915. Through this exhibition space, we hope to ignite the public's interest in history.

The VR animated videos use a narrative technique that includes flashbacks and intertwining storylines. Centered around the trial process, the story is connected through scene transitions, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the historical scenes. The video not only recreates the incident's trial process but also focuses on ordinary civilians, revealing the lifestyle of the people at that time, their distrust of the foreign ruling power, and the reasons for their resistance. Through the collision of historical materials and new technology media, viewers, after the video concludes and they remove their headsets to return to the physical courtroom, can experience the awe of being immersed in the historical scenes and the contrast between then and now.

In the physical exhibition, to assist viewers in understanding the background of the Tapani Incident, the transformation of Taiwan's judicial system during the Japanese-ruled Period, and the subsequent social impact of the incident, as well as to present the original courtroom, minimal visual guidance and obstruction are used. Instead, light and shadow effects and lighting design are employed to create a serene and solemn atmosphere within the courtroom, evoking a sense of the venue's transformation over time and the historical significance it holds. This allows the audience to deeply experience the lives and emotions of the people during that pivotal era in history.