“Let me stand up like a Taiwanese; only justice will bring you peace” are the defiant lyrics of Chthonic’s “Supreme Pain to the Tyrant.” The song exemplifies Taiwan’s struggle to be a sovereign entity throughout eras of occupation, including Japan after the Qing dynasty era and later China after retrieving the island back, which ultimately led to a civil war in which the Republic of China was created. Tensions didn’t cease there, as civil unrest let to the February 28 incident, one of the most important dates regarding Taiwan’s independence. Here, a violent uprising and thousands killed stemmed from an officer killing a civilian due to the selling of contraband cigarettes.Since then, the Democratic Progressive Party transitioned away from authoritarian r...