Rixing Foundry Introduction
Rixing Foundry was founded by the first-generation owner Zhang Xiling in 1969, specializing in lead type production, with the name "Rixing" symbolizing the hope for "daily production." In 1986, computer typesetting officially entered the Taiwanese printing market, and with the production of affordable lithographic printing presses, high-efficiency and labor-saving lithographic printing gradually replaced letterpress printing as the main printing method, which also impacted the letterpress industry chain. By 2000, after the largest letterpress foundry in Taiwan, Zhongnan Foundry, ceased operations, Rixing Foundry officially became the only foundry in Taiwan still producing lead type. Today, Zhang Jieguan is the last remaining type caster in Taiwan, and Rixing Foundry has become the last letterpress foundry in Taiwan and even the last traditional Chinese type foundry in the world; type casting has become a nearly extinct craft. After taking over Rixing Foundry, the current owner Zhang Jieguan upholds the spirit of "as long as there is one letterpress factory in Taiwan, Rixing will continue to produce lead type," continuously producing lead type using fire casting for over forty years, safeguarding Taiwan's intangible cultural heritage in the modern era of light and electricity. Originally, the foundry's business was the frontend processes of letterpress printing: type casting and type inspection, but for nearly the past 25 years, the letterpress printing industry has been completely replaced by digital printing, leading to the near extinction of both the foundry’s frontend processes and the downstream processes of typesetting and printing in letterpress factories. In addition to its original type casting and type inspection services, Rixing Foundry has recently continued to promote education through workshops and teaching related to typesetting and platen printing, enabling the production of lead type works. Therefore, Rixing Foundry currently retains the complete processes of typeface restoration, copper mold engraving, lead type casting, typesetting, and platen printing, with only the final binding needing to be outsourced. The second-generation leader Zhang Jieguan is skilled in the above-mentioned letterpress processes, and currently the third generation, Zhang Jiantang, is also learning this dying craft. Furthermore, if any staff members are willing to learn, the owner encourages them to do so, ensuring the legacy of letterpress printing continues. However, the industry's structure and the employment mindset of young people have changed from the past, making it rare for individuals to dedicate their lives to a single occupation, resulting in a gap in the cultivation of talent. In recent years, Rixing Foundry has also gradually transformed with the support of the Taiwan Letterpress Culture Preservation Association and various professionals and enthusiastic volunteers, insisting on continuing lead type production, hoping to preserve this nearly extinct industry and craft through their efforts. They also hope to build a Letterpress Craft Museum in the future to preserve the various cultures of the type casting industry and letterpress printing, imbuing this ancient skill with new cultural significance. Rixing Foundry is open every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM, allowing the general public and foreign tourists to purchase lead type or learn about the foundry.
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