Goodbye 886 - Taiwan Ex-servicemen's Cultural Park Introduction
Since 1945, military families from various regions of mainland China have gradually settled in different areas of Taiwan. As time goes by, the unique cultural atmosphere of the military dependents' villages is a nostalgic memory for many. According to statistics from the Ministry of National Defense in 2005, there are 886 officially designated dependents' villages across the nation. After the merger of Kaohsiung City and County, the city now houses military housing for the Army, Navy, and Air Force, preserving nearly 90 hectares of cultural landscape of the dependents' villages, the largest area in the country. To restore history and connect with the local community, the former Kaohsiung City Dependents' Village Cultural Museum was relocated to Mingde New Village No. 2, 3, 4, 10, and 11 in Zuoying, Kaohsiung, and transformed into the "Goodbye 886 – Taiwan Dependents' Village Cultural Park," leading everyone to understand the uniqueness and beauty of Taiwan's dependents' village culture. The distinctive value of Kaohsiung's dependents' villages lies in the inclusion of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Navy's housing is mainly distributed in Zuoying, the Air Force in Gangshan, and the Army in Fengshan. The largest naval dependents' village in Taiwan is located in Zuoying, Kaohsiung, with Mingde New Village often referred to as "General's Village" because many high-ranking officers have lived there. In 1996, the "Old Military Dependents' Village Reconstruction Act" was passed, accelerating the disappearance of Taiwan's dependents' village settlements. During her tenure as mayor of Kaohsiung, Secretary-General Chen Chu actively lobbied the Ministry of National Defense for preservation. In 2014, the Kaohsiung City Government's Cultural Bureau launched a "Resident Protection Plan" to overcome preservation challenges. In 2016, it received support for projects like "Kaohsiung Fengshan Huangpu New Village Building Repair and Exhibition Promotion Plan" and "Kaohsiung Zuoying Navy Dependents' Village Cultural Landscape Activation and Reuse Plan" from the Ministry of Culture. Beginning in 2017, upgraded initiatives such as "Resident Protection Talent Base," "Resident Protection Community Maintenance," "Resident Protection Old House Labor Camp," and "Resident Protection Dependents' Village Homestays" were expanded, resulting in the restoration of 133 units and matching 91 units with the construction industry and Huangpu New Village, hoping to continue the rich life fabric and residential function of the dependents' villages. The "Goodbye 886 – Taiwan Dependents' Village Cultural Park" is themed "Goodbye," paying tribute to the passing days of the dependents' villages, while also expressing joy at their rebirth. The entire area is primarily composed of four major buildings: the "Dependents' Village Era Museum," which recounts the turbulent years of drifting and settling, displaying items such as medals, old suitcases from times of fleeing, and rice barrels made from artillery boxes; the "Dependents' Village Recreation Center," which showcases the cultural and entertainment atmosphere of military districts after their arrival in Taiwan, exhibiting items like military ration vouchers and commemorative plaques; "Dependents' Village Trend," which introduces the impacts and transformations faced by the villages after reconstruction, including a comparison of the old and new through AR interactive experiences; and the "Dependents' Village Co-creation Base," aimed at creating a platform for creators who love dependents' village culture to share their works, with periodic workshops and performance activities held in the park. In the future, the overall park will consist of 52 buildings from the reconstructed Mingde New Village, forming the largest cultural preservation park for Taiwan's dependents' villages, shaping a culturally significant area that resonates with the public regarding the preservation of dependents' village culture and local cultural assets. This aims to ensure "dependents' village" is not a term confined in time and space, but rather an effort towards the cultural preservation and utilization of Taiwan's historical processes, fostering an understanding of the diverse historical context of Taiwan's culture. For more information, you can search for "Goodbye 886 – Taiwan Dependents' Village Cultural Park" on Facebook, or call 07-5812886 for inquiries. Dependents' Village Era Museum (originally Mingde No. 2 and 3) After World War II, the Zuoying Military District was taken over by the Republic of China Navy and designated as the Third Naval District. In 1949, following the retreat of the Republic of China government from mainland China, the Zuoying Military District became the First Military District, which brought with it a large influx of navy personnel and their families experiencing "drifting." Reflecting on this period, the museum covers significant historical events such as the fallout from the Chinese Civil War, the outbreak of the Korean War, and the U.S. support due to Taiwan’s strategic location. In just a few years, the environment underwent tremendous changes, forcing the navy and families to adapt. This building once housed former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone’s residence No. 2 at Mingde New Village. It is planned under the theme "Time Reversal - 1949" to take the public back to the scene of arriving in Taiwan with a suitcase and settling into the dependents' village, showcasing home scenes such as the living room, dining room, and kitchen. The living room features a cigarette ashtray made from artillery shells, medals, old suitcases, identification documents, and sweaters worn during evacuation. Kitchen items include a rice box made from artillery boxes (repurposed military objects often used for daily life), coal stoves (commonly used in early villages for cooking and boiling water), and earthen jars for pickling during times of fleeing. Various objects from the families reflect their integrated lives, carrying different memories and life traces, echoing the migration experiences of a significant era. Dependents' Village Recreation Center (originally Mingde No. 4) Many dependents' villages in Zuoying were planned within military district boundaries, which functioned as controlled areas where entry required a residency permit. Life and entertainment in the village were not dull compared to the outside world. Important social spaces existed within the village, each reflecting unique military characteristics such as the "Four Seas Together" in the Zuoying Navy District, Zhongshan Hall, and Zhongzheng Hall, becoming alternative scenes filled with life. This building displays a theme of "Leftover Stories from Zuoying," showcasing the cultural and recreational aspects of life after arriving in Taiwan, full of memories and honors from various families and life stages. The entrance is designed like a checkpoint where residency permits must be checked or waiting for military families to visit. Upon entering, visitors will see hundreds of essential items from village life, such as the Zuoying military ration vouchers (which were issued monthly to receive food supplies), and crossing the checkpoint leads into significant social venues of navy life. Furthermore, during the era of the dependents' village, military literature illuminated Taiwan's literary scene, telling the impressive stories of three notable poets from the "Genesis Poetry Quarterly" - Lo Fu, Yu Hsi, and Chang Mo, while also showcasing the American club culture, military cinema, and the unique military artistic atmosphere introduced by the American advisory group. Dependents' Village Trend (originally Mingde No. 11) This building is themed "Two Skies," presenting a contrast between mainland China and Taiwan in the same era. After the Chinese Civil War, Taiwan sought to create a consensus for anti-communism, loudly proclaiming slogans like "Oppose Communism and Resist Russia," promoting the goal of retaking the mainland, and advocating cultural revival to counter the slogans of "Liberate Taiwan" and the Cultural Revolution from the other sky. It became emblematic of that time...
