Most of the TaiYa tribe's aborigines live in the central part of Taiwan near a very beautiful place called WuShe. These aborigines live a very peaceful, carefree, and friendly life. They depend on farming, hunting, and fishing for their livelihood. However, about one hundred years ago these aborigines lived a harsh life under Japanese rule and suffered for thirty years.
One day, a tribe, Ma He Po She, was having a huge wedding . The chief, Mo Na Dao, went to the groom's house to help prepare for the ceremony with his son, Little Mo Na Dao. Suddenly, a man came in and said, 'Oh no! A Japanese policeman is coming." Then, a police officer who was wearing leather boots and a very smooth, ironed uniformed came in.
He said rudely, "Hey, Mo Na Dao, what are you doing?" Mo Na Dao was afraid that this policeman was going to ruin the ceremony, so he said, "We are having a wedding. Please come in for a drink."
The police officer pushed away Mo Na Dao. Mo Na Dao's son immediately pulled the policeman by the uniform, handed the policeman a glass of wine, and said, "Come, come, please have some wine."
However, Little Mo's hand was stained with animal's blood. Therefore, when he pulled on the uniform, he ruined it.
The policeman said angrily, "How dare you ruin my uniform! " The policeman was so furious that he slapped Little Mo across the face.
Little Mo could not take the humiliation, and thus, he engaged in a fight with the policeman.
Little Mo was a big man, tall and strong. In the ensuing fight Little Mo beat the policeman severely.
The policeman threatened, "You barbarians! I will ask the commander to send the troops to punish you all for what you did to me." Thereafter, the policeman angrily left.
That evening, several young men met in Mo Na Dao's house to discuss the incident. They knew that Japanese policemen would return for revenge.
Little Mo said, "If they dare come, I will fight and kill them."
Mo Na Dao looked at one of the young men in the corner and said, "Teacher Hua Gong, do you have any suggestions?"
Teacher Hua Gong was the only aborigine who had an education. He was a teacher in public school. and was forced to have a Japanese name.
Hua Gong said, " Our weapons cannot compete with the Japanese's guns and bombs." Suddenly, everyone was silent. After a long silence, Mo Na Dao said, "We have endured enough! We have already suffered thirty years of harsh Japanese rule. It's time we stand up and fight against them. "
Thus, the aborigines planned an attack during the school's athletic meet. They also secretly solicited other tribes to join in the attack.
On the day of the athletic meet, the school was crowded with people. Everyone who attended the meeting stood and sang the Japanese national anthem.
Suddenly, one of the aborigines ran up to the podium and cut off one of the Japanese generals' head. Then, around one hundred of the aborigines rushed in and started fighting and killing the Japanese.
At the same time, Mo Na Dao lead a group of men and rushed into the police station. Before the policemen could defend themselves, they were all killed. The aborigines killed and/or captured all the Japanese in Wu She, also confiscating weapons and ammunitions belonging to the Japanese.
Following this uprising, the Japanese commander lead a large group of Japanese soldiers into Wu She. The aborigines were not able to defend against the Japanese army and retreated into Ma He Po She cave. The Japanese were not familiar with the locality and therefore were not able to find the aborigines.
The fight went on for many days and nights. Eventually, the Japanese tried to trick the aborigines into surrendering under the pretense that the Japanese would allow the aborigines to live.
However, the aborigines did not believe the Japanese and thus continued their resistance.
The commander, realizing that the aborigines would not surrender, decided to use poisonous gas to force the aborigines to come out of hiding. Many aborigines died from inhaling the poisonous gas.
During the onslaught of the gas attack, Mo Na Dao painfully said, " The Japanese will come shortly. I think we, the TaiYa tribe, would rather commit suicide than die in Japanese hands." In saying so, Mo Na Dao shot himself with a hand gun. The rest of the TaiYa tribe followed their leader's example and committed suicide as well.
The "WuShe" incident lasted for about fifty days and approximately nine hundred aborigines died. This event inspired many Taiwanese to fight against Japans occupation.
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Last modified: 7 September 1996