Pingtung Tobacco Plant 1936 Cultural Base Introduction
In the winter of 2021, the tobacco leaf factory, which once witnessed the glorious industrial history of Pingtung, was reborn under the new identity of the "Pingtung Tobacco Cultural Base 1936," inheriting local memories and transforming into a new landmark of historical significance. Originally established in 1936 as the "Pingtung Branch Leaf Tobacco Re-drying Plant," this cultural base served as a site responsible for guiding agricultural techniques, purchasing, and processing in the Pingtung tobacco area since the Japanese colonial period. After the Nationalist government arrived in Taiwan in 1949, it was renamed the "Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation Pingtung Tobacco Processing Plant," and the area cultivated by the tobacco plant continually expanded, surpassing Chiayi and Hualien and even outpacing Taichung in growth. In 1953, the Pingtung Tobacco Processing Plant officially merged to form a rolling department and was renamed the "Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation Pingtung Tobacco Factory." In December 1965, the rolling department was abolished, and the factory resumed its primary work in tobacco leaf drying and processing. As the factory continuously expanded its facilities to meet business demands, it eventually occupied an area of approximately 4.2 hectares, marking the era when Pingtung led Taiwan in rice, sugar, and tobacco cultivation. Due to the abolition of the monopoly system, anti-smoking policies, and the opening up of competition from foreign tobacco products, domestic tobacco production steadily declined, and the Pingtung Tobacco Factory ceased operations in October 2002, with administrative duties transferred to the Neipu Tobacco Factory. Over the 20 years following its closure, the Pingtung County Government conducted an in-depth review of the factory's historical development, architectural space utilization, and cultural asset value. In 2010, the county government registered the de-boning processing area, re-drying processing area, boiler room, and Zhongshan Hall as historical buildings for restoration and reuse. Subsequently, to preserve the significance of the industrial heritage, the entire factory area was expanded to be registered as a historical building in 2017. With a collective consensus from the government, scholars from various fields, and the public, the "Pingtung County Grand Museum Project" emerged, using the tobacco factory, which is representative of Pingtung's industrial history, as a cultural base. Through strategies such as "telling the story of Pingtung through industry," "depicting the soul of Pingtung through art," and "allowing children to create the future of Pingtung," the project planned the establishment of the "Pingtung Tobacco Museum," "Pingtung Hakka Museum," "Pingtung Indigenous Museum," "Immersive Experience Hall," "Pingtung County Art Museum," and "Pingtung County Collection Storage," among others. By leveraging the expertise of museums, the project aims to preserve and promote local knowledge while serving as a platform for integrating and collaborating on cultural resources, embodying a dynamic, open, and sustainable spirit. Together with the county residents, it aims to inherit, interpret, exhibit, and create the cultural charm of Pingtung. The "Pingtung Tobacco Cultural Base 1936" is scheduled to open in phases, with the first phase including the Tobacco Museum, Hakka Museum, Immersive Hall, special exhibition space, and commercial space. In the future, it will continue to cultivate a branded Pingtung County Museum through various exhibitions and activities, thereby establishing local cultural confidence and deepening the relationship between residents and the land, making it a cultural vanguard and support for the prosperous living and working in Pingtung County while standing on the global stage.
