禁書之所以為「禁」，從來不只是書籍本身，更是禁錮思想與言論的自由。

戰後初期，臺灣人民歷經數十年的思想與言論管制。當權者建立繁複的情治網絡，動員無數政府單位，利用查禁制度決定一本書的命運。

表面上是為了禁止「有毒思想」的傳播，防止人心動盪，實際上是為了方便控制人民，以鞏固政權的穩定。

查禁制度所影響的，不只是已經出版的書籍，也讓作家下筆時必須字字「斟酌」。有些人因自我檢閱後，選擇將完成的作品深鎖不願面世；更多人因無法揣測言論的紅線，懼於誤觸雷區，甚至在提筆前便選擇沉默。

在威權統治下，各種異議之聲看似被消音，人民的自由受壓抑。然而，再極權的統治，也無法禁錮自由的思想。在戒嚴的暗夜中，人民的聲音依然低語流傳，在牢籠與警棍之間伺機而動。

本次展覽希望引領大眾共感一字定生死的肅殺時代，在回望過去的同時，能夠體認今日自由民主的可貴價值。

The reason why books are "banned" is never just about the books themselves; it also involves restricting freedom of thought and speech.

In the early post-war years, the people of Taiwan endured decades of thought and speech control. Those in power established a complex network of political surveillance, mobilizing numerous government agencies and using censorship to decide the fate of book.

On the surface, it was intended to prevent the spread of "harmful ideologies" and social unrest. In reality, it was a means of controlling the populace and stabilizing political power.

The censorship system affected not only books that had already been published but also made writers cautious with every word they wrote. Some chose to lock away their completed works after self-censorship, unwilling to release them. Many others, uncertain about where the line of permissible speech lay, feared crossing the red line and chose silence before even starting to write.

Under authoritarian rule, various dissenting voices seemed to be silenced, and the people's freedom was suppressed. However, no matter the regime's extremes ,it could not imprison free thought. On the night of martial law, people's voices still whispered and spread, waiting for their opportunity between the bars and batons.

This exhibition hopes to help the public empathize with the brutal era when a single word could determine life or death. By reflecting on the past, understand the precious value of today's freedom and democracy.

aeeble