National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (Sun Li-ren General Memorial Hall) Introduction
The Ethnic Music Museum was formerly an Air Force guesthouse and General Sun Li-jen's residence. Covering an area of 1,017 ping, it was constructed around 1937. Both in architectural style and spatial structure, it reflects the building characteristics of the Japanese colonial period, blending Japanese and Western styles, making it one of the important cultural heritage sites in Pingtung City. After it was taken over by the Pingtung County Government, it was transformed into the Ethnic Music Museum with the vision of promoting folk music. The space has been organized into an outdoor performance area, a garden coffee zone, an exhibition hall, a small theater, and a collection room, allowing visitors to enjoy coffee and listen to melodious music. The museum occupies a vast area and is rich in greenery, with its buildings being unique historical constructions. The wooden structures are made from materials like cedar, cypress, and Taiwan fir. During its time as an Air Force guesthouse and General Sun Li-jen's residence, the front building served as a two-story villa for hosting guests, while the rear building was a Japanese-style residence for family living, which remains in good condition to this day. Due to the limited number of unique historical buildings in Pingtung City, efforts were made to preserve General Sun Li-jen's residence from potential demolition due to urban development, alongside the mission to promote local music culture, leading to its renovation into the Ethnic Music Museum. The types of music studied at the museum include Hengchun folk songs, Manzhou folk songs, Hakka mountain songs, and indigenous ballads. The museum also strengthens collaborations and exchanges with music associations, local cultural and historical societies, music departments, and cultural workers while continuously encouraging music creation and developing diverse musical forms.
