228 Peace Memorial Park

228 Peace Memorial Park, known for decades simply as New Park, was Taipei's main gay meeting ground for most of the 20th century. Pai Hsien-yung set his 1983 novel Crystal Boys, the classic of Chinese-language gay literature, among the park's lotus pond and shaded paths. That gave the park its place in Taiwanese queer history. The park also carries a heavier memory. It is named for the February 28, 1947 massacre, which is commemorated by the monument at its centre and the 228 Memorial Museum in the grounds. Entry is free and the park is open daily. It's beside the Presidential Office area, with NTU Hospital MRT station at the edge. The cruising era is over, but it's worth a walk for the history. Ximending's Red House gay bar district is one MRT stop away.