Watching Taiwan from the Shores of Xiamen
The story behind the "Three Principles" slogan on Dadan Island.
This is the photos I took through a telescope in Xiamen. In this pictures, the iconic “Psychological Warfare Wall” of Dadan Island (also known as Bold Island) comes into view. Standing amidst lush green hills, the eight red characters “Unify China with the Three Principles of the People” (三民主義統一中國) stand out strikingly against the white background, facing the shimmering waters of the Xiamen sea.
This psychological warfare wall is grand in scale, standing 3.2 meters high and stretching 20 meters wide. Built in 1986 on the northern hills of Bold Island, it is located only about 4.4 kilometers from the opposite shore of Xiamen Island. During the era of cross-strait confrontation, the wall was equipped with neon lights that lit up every night from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM as part of the “psychological warfare” messaging directed at the mainland.
Once a military frontline, this wall has now become a historical witness across the strait, silently telling the story of the transition from confrontation to peace between the two sides.