Qinshan River He Yi Doctor Memorial Tablet Introduction
In May 1902, Dr. Kawai Sōtarō, a forest science professor at the Imperial University of Tokyo, was invited by the Government-General of Taiwan to conduct a survey in Alishan, Chiayi. He discovered the outstanding forest conditions, good quality timber, and rich resources in Alishan. When submitting his investigation report, he strongly advocated for development, thus gaining the attention of the Government-General. Subsequently, in several important evaluations and forestry management planning sessions, Dr. Kawai's opinions played a crucial role in the development of Alishan forestry, and he became the greatest contributor to this effort. After his death, a monument was erected in his honor, designating it as a county historic site. Kawai Sōtarō, a Doctor of Forestry from the Imperial University of Tokyo, was appointed by the Government-General of Taiwan on February 8, 1903, to oversee the development of Alishan's forests and the surveying of the forest railway route. On October 3, 1904, Governor-General Goto Shinpei, along with officials including the Bureau of Development Director Shuku, Chiayi Prefectural Director Okada, Railway Department Chief Engineer Hase Kiyoshi, and Dr. Kawai Sōtarō, formed a large exploration team of over thirty officials, plus sixty food porters, and arrived at Wansui Mountain in Alishan after three days. This marked the beginning of the push for the development of the Alishan forest, but due to Japan's financial difficulties during the Russo-Japanese War, the endeavor was delayed until 1906. The development process faced several setbacks; it was initially conducted by the private Fujita Group but was later halted and continued by the Government-General. As an advisor for forestry to the Government-General of Taiwan, Dr. Kawai Sōtarō was deeply involved in the planning and exploration, making significant contributions to the development of Alishan forestry. He passed away in Tokyo, Japan, on March 14, 1931. To honor his achievements, a monument to Dr. Kawai’s forestry contributions was erected in Alishan in November 1932, and it was officially unveiled on February 3, 1933.
