Goodbye 886 - Taiwan Military Dependents' Village Cultural Park Introduction
Since 1945, military families from various parts of mainland China have gradually settled in different regions of Taiwan. As time goes by, the unique cultural atmosphere of these military dependent villages remains a nostalgic flavor of home for many. According to statistics from the Ministry of National Defense in 2005, there were 886 registered military dependent villages across the country. After the merger of Kaohsiung City and County, it possessed military housing for the Army, Navy, and Air Force, preserving almost 90 hectares of cultural landscape related to military dependent villages, making it the largest preservation area in the country. In order to restore history and connect with the local community, the "Kaohsiung City Military Dependent Village Cultural Center," originally located in the old city of Zuoying, was relocated to No. 2, 3, 4, 10, and 11 of Mingde New Village in Kaohsiung, transforming and reopening under the name "Goodbye 886 – Taiwan Military Dependent Village Cultural Park," guiding everyone to understand the uniqueness and beauty of military dependent village culture in Taiwan. The special value of Kaohsiung's military dependent villages encompasses all three military branches, with the Navy primarily located in Zuoying, the Air Force in Gangshan, and the Army in Fengshan. Zuoying, as a navy base, holds the largest scale of Navy military dependent villages in Taiwan, with Mingde New Village, where many high-ranking military officers once lived, famously known as "General Village." In 1996, the "Old Military Dependent Village Reconstruction Act" was passed, accelerating the disappearance of military dependent village settlements. During her tenure as the Mayor of Kaohsiung City, Secretary-General Chen Ju actively fought to preserve these villages with the Ministry of National Defense. In 2014, the Cultural Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government launched the "Live-In Protection Program" to overcome preservation challenges. In 2016, they received support from the Ministry of Culture's new star project for preservation of military dependent village cultural assets, with initiatives like the "Fengshan Huangpu New Village Renovation and Promotion Plan" and "Zuoying Navy Dependent Village Cultural Landscape Revitalization and Reuse Plan." Since 2017, they have expanded to upgrade programs such as "Live-In Protection: Talent Base," "Live-In Protection: Community Renovation," "Live-In Protection: Old House Labor Camp," and "Live-In Protection: Military Dependent Village Homestay," with 133 housing units already restored and 91 units matched for construction and Huangpu New Village, hopeful to continue the rich life texture and living function of the military dependent villages. The "Goodbye 886 – Taiwan Military Dependent Village Cultural Park" uses "Goodbye" as its theme, paying tribute to the departed years of the dependent villages while welcoming the rebirth of these villages with joy. The entire area is primarily composed of four major buildings: the "Era Museum of Military Dependent Villages" tells the story of the turbulent years of drifting and settling, showcasing items such as medals, old suitcases from times of escape, and ammunition boxes; the "Cultural Club of Military Dependent Villages" presents the ambiance of culture and entertainment in the military area after arriving in Taiwan, displaying items like military supply certificates, commemorative plaques, and the "Genesis Poetry Magazine," reflecting the cultural atmosphere of clubs, cinemas, and the Genesis Poetry Club; "Military Dependent Village潮" introduces the impacts and changes faced by the reformed military dependent villages, incorporating AR interactive experiences to showcase the new and old comparisons of the villages; and the "Co-Living Base of Military Dependent Villages" aims to create a platform for creators who love military dependent village culture to share their creations, with workshops and performance activities held periodically. In the future, the entire park will consist of 52 renovated houses from Mingde New Village, constructing the largest military dependent village cultural preservation park in Taiwan, creating a unique humanistic space reflecting Taiwan's historical context, aiming to resonate and raise public awareness regarding the cultural heritage of military dependent villages and related issues, hoping that "military dependent village" is not a term frozen in time, but rather contributes to the preservation and utilization of Taiwan's historical culture, further comprehending the diverse historical contexts of Taiwanese culture. For more information, you can search Facebook for "Goodbye 886 - Taiwan Military Dependent Village Cultural Park," or call 07-5812886 for inquiries. Era Museum of Military Dependent Villages (Former No. 2, 3 of Mingde) After World War II, the Zuoying Military District was received by the Republic of China Navy and classified as the Navy's Third Military District; in 1949, the government of the Republic of China retreated from mainland China, turning Zuoying Military District into the First Military District, bringing a large number of Navy officers and their families into "drifting." Reflecting on this period, the environment changed dramatically due to historical events such as the defeat in the Chinese Civil War, the outbreak of the Korean War, and the renewed support of the United States due to Taiwan's strategic location. Within just a few years, drastic changes forced the Navy and military families to drift and adapt. This building was once home to former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone's No. 2 of Mingde, and the theme is designed as "Time Rewind: 1949," taking the public back to the scene of arriving in Taiwan with luggage and settling into the dependent village, showcasing living scenes such as the living room, dining room, and kitchen in military dependent villages, including a shell-casings-turned-ashtray, medals, old suitcases, documents, and sweaters worn during retreat, as well as rice jars made from ammunition boxes (which were often repurposed military items in early daily life), and coal ball stoves (which were common for cooking and boiling water in early dependent villages), and jars used for pickling vegetables during escapes. Various items from dependent village residents carry memories and traces of life, reflecting the migration journey of the greater era. Cultural Club of Military Dependent Villages (Former No. 4 of Mingde) Many military dependent villages in Zuoying were planned within military district boundaries, classified as controlled areas, where access to and from the villages required residence permits. Life and entertainment within the villages differed greatly from those outside. An important social space in the village, the cultural club, varies in character and culture according to the military branch, such as the Sihai Yijia, Zhongshan Hall, and Zhongzheng Hall in the Zuoying Navy District, becoming an alternative scenic view filled with life in the village. This building prominently features the theme "Zuoying's Affairs," showcasing literature and life after arriving in Taiwan, filled with memories and honors from various families and life stages. The entrance is designed as a checkpoint for checking residence permits or waiting for visiting military families. Visitors will first see the essential item for life in the dependent village - the Zuoying Military Dependent Village Supply Certificate (a ticket for obtaining monthly rations). After passing the checkpoint, they will enter an important social place within the Navy life sector. Additionally, during the military dependent village era, literature from military personnel shines brightly on the Taiwanese literary scene, elaborating on the important poets of the "Genesis Poetry Magazine" - Lo Fu, Ya Hsien, and Chang Mo, showcasing the American club culture brought to Taiwan by the American advisory team, the cultural atmosphere of military films, and literature. Military Dependent Village潮 (Former No. 11 of Mingde) This building exhibits the "Two Skies," contrasting mainland China and Taiwan under the same era. After the Chinese Civil War, Taiwan rallied consensus against communism, shouting slogans like "Anti-Communism and Anti-Russia" while promoting the goal of counterattacking the mainland, propelling a cultural revival movement to counter the other sky's "Liberation of Taiwan" and the Cultural Revolution. This became a moment in time...
