Zhong Lihe Memorial Hall Introduction
Meinong is the hometown of Mr. Zhong Lihe, who is honored as the "Father of Modern Taiwanese Literature." The "Zhong Lihe Memorial Hall" was established by six literary figures, including Lin Haiyin, Zhong Zhaozheng, Yeh Shitao, Zheng Qingwen, Li Qiao, and Zhang Liangze, who felt that since the time of Japanese colonial rule and the subsequent relocation of the Nationalist government to Taiwan, local writers in Taiwan have long faced unfair repression and neglect. Many valuable Taiwanese literary works have been lost over time, which is a great loss to the literary history of Taiwan. Therefore, in 1979, a notice to establish the "Zhong Lihe Memorial Hall" was officially issued, receiving enthusiastic responses from the community. The Zhong Lihe family provided the land at the foot of Jianshan Mountain in Meinong Town, where Zhong Lihe spent his later years and wrote, as a dedication without conditions. The community united to build the hall, making it the first memorial hall for a grassroots writer constructed collaboratively by the public in Taiwan, which is truly worth cherishing. The hall displays all of Zhong Lihe's manuscripts, diaries, notes, personal items, and related documents studying his literature. The second floor houses works, photographs, and manuscripts of many other Taiwanese authors, while outside the hall, there is a Taiwanese Literature Trail, with stones inscribed with the names and famous quotes of over 30 Taiwanese writers, laid out in a lush green area. As you stroll through this path, you can listen to the hymns that literature and the soul create, reflecting on the steadfastness and dedication of the writer's life, as well as his commitment to voicing the concerns of farmers. It is believed that this will resonate deeply with the spirits of the literary predecessors of Taiwan.
