Goodbye 886 - Taiwan Military Dependents' Village Culture Park Introduction
Since 1945, military families from various regions of mainland China have gradually settled in different parts of Taiwan. As time passes, the unique cultural atmosphere of the military dependents' villages evokes a sense of nostalgia for many. According to statistics from the Ministry of National Defense in 2005, there were 886 officially registered military dependents' villages across the country. After the merger of Kaohsiung City and County, it also housed military housing for the Army, Navy, and Air Force, preserving nearly 90 hectares of military dependents' village cultural landscape, the largest area in the country. To restore history and connect with the local community, the "Kaohsiung Military Dependents’ Village Cultural Center," originally located in the Old Zuoying City, has been moved to Mingde New Village No. 2, 3, 4, 10, and 11 in Zuoying, Kaohsiung, and reopened under the name "Goodbye 886 - Taiwan Military Dependents’ Village Cultural Park," leading everyone to understand the uniqueness and beauty of Taiwan's military dependents' culture. The value of Kaohsiung's military dependents' villages encompasses the Army, Navy, and Air Force, with Navy dependents' villages primarily distributed in Zuoying, Air Force dependents' villages in Gangshan, and Army dependents' villages in Fengshan. Zuoying, with the Navy as its base, has the largest Navy dependents' village in Taiwan, among which Mingde New Village is known as "General Village" because it was home to many high-ranking military officers. In 1996, the "Regulations for the Reconstruction of Old Military Dependents’ Villages" was passed, accelerating the disappearance of military dependents’ settlements in Taiwan. During her tenure as the mayor of Kaohsiung, Secretary General Chen Ju of the Presidential Office actively advocated for preservation with the Ministry of National Defense. In 2014, the Kaohsiung City Government's Cultural Affairs Bureau launched the "Caring for Homes in Exchange for Living" program to overcome preservation challenges. In 2016, it received support from the Ministry of Culture's "New Star Program for the Preservation of Military Dependents’ Culture," such as the "Kaohsiung Fengshan Huangpu New Village Building Repair and Promotion Plan" and the "Kaohsiung Zuoying Navy Dependents’ Village Cultural Landscape Revitalization and Reutilization Plan." Starting in 2017, it expanded and launched upgraded programs such as "Caring for Homes in Exchange for Living - Talent Base," "Caring for Homes in Exchange for Living - Community Housing Repair," "Caring for Homes in Exchange for Living - Old House Labor Camp," and "Caring for Homes in Exchange for Living - Military Dependents' Homestays," with 133 homes restored and 91 households matched with construction projects in Huangpu New Village, aiming to continue the rich life texture and residential functionality of military dependents' villages. "Goodbye 886 - Taiwan Military Dependents’ Village Cultural Park" bears the theme of "Goodbye," both commemorating the bygone eras of military dependents' villages and celebrating the new life of these villages. The park mainly consists of four major buildings: the "Military Dependents’ Village Era Museum," depicting the turbulent war years and showcasing items like medals, old suitcases from times of flight, and rice jars made from artillery boxes; the "Military Dependents’ Village Recreation Center," which reflects the artistic and entertainment atmosphere of military districts after arriving in Taiwan, displaying items like military ration coupons, commemorative plaques, and "Genesis Poetry Journal," representing the cultural atmosphere of clubs, cinemas, and the Genesis Poetry Society; "Military Dependents’ Village Tides" introduces the impacts and changes faced by military dependents’ villages after reconstruction, incorporating AR interactive experiences showcasing new and old contrasts; and the "Military Dependents’ Coexistence Base" aims to create a platform for creators who appreciate military dependents' culture to share their work within the base's space, also hosting workshops and performance events irregularly. In the future, the entire park will be composed of 52 residences in Mingde New Village reconstructed after military reform, forming the largest military dependents' village cultural preservation park in Taiwan, shaping a cultural field exclusive to Taiwan's history, resonating with the public's awareness and attention toward military dependents' culture, enhancing the public nature of issues related to the preservation of military dependents' and local cultural assets, aspiring to ensure that "military dependence" is not merely a frozen term in time and space, but a significant effort in preserving and utilizing Taiwan's historical and cultural processes, thus leading to an understanding of Taiwan's diverse historical contexts. For more information, you can search on Facebook "Goodbye 886 - Taiwan Military Dependents’ Village Cultural Park" or call 07-5812886 for inquiries. Military 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 classified under the Navy's Third Military District. In the 38th year of the Republic of China (1949), when the Republic of China government retreated from mainland China, the Zuoying Military District became the First Military District, bringing many Navy personnel and their families into a state of "drifting." Reflecting on this period, it underwent significant changes due to historical events like the defeat in the Chinese Civil War, the outbreak of the Korean War, and renewed American support due to Taiwan's strategic position. Within just a few years, the environment changed dramatically, forcing Navy personnel and military dependents to adapt. This building once housed the former Prime Minister of Japan Yasuhiro Nakasone and is themed "Time Reversal - 1949," guiding visitors back to the scene of arriving in Taiwan with a suitcase and settling into the military dependents' village. It showcases home scenes from the village, such as living rooms, dining areas, and kitchens, featuring items like ashtrays made from artillery shells, medals, old suitcases, identification papers, and sweaters worn during the retreat. The kitchen includes a rice jar made from an artillery box (a repurposed military item common in early life) and a coal stove used for cooking and boiling water. Various objects contributed by residents of the dependents' village represent the life experience of military families, carrying different memories and life traces that reflect the migration history of a significant era. Military Dependents' Village Recreation Center (originally Mingde No. 4) Many military dependents' villages in Zuoying were planned within military district boundaries, classified as controlled areas where entry required showing residence permits; life inside the village was not as monotonous as outside. The important social spaces in the village, characterized by the different military branches, include unique cultural elements, such as the Sihai Family House, Chungshan Hall, and Cheng-Ching Hall in the Zuoying Navy District, creating a different landscape filled with the vitality of village life. This building showcases "Stories of Zuoying Two and Three," reminiscing about the art and life following their arrival in Taiwan, full of memories and honors from various families and life stages. The entrance creates a checkpoint atmosphere requiring residence permit checks or awaiting visits from military families; then visitors see essential items for living in the village—such as the Zuoying Military Dependents' Ration Certificates (tickets distributed monthly for food rations). Passing through the checkpoint leads into significant social areas of navy life; besides, the literary brilliance of military personnel even illuminated the literary scene of Taiwan at the time, discussing important poets from the "Genesis Poetry Journal"—Lo Fu, A-Hsien, and Zhang Mo—reflecting the American club culture introduced to Taiwan, military film arts, and the peculiar military literary atmosphere. Military Dependents’ Village Tides (originally Mingde No. 11) This building presents "Two Skies," contrasting mainland China and Taiwan during the same era. 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