Pingtung Tobacco Factory (Pingtung Cultural Base 1936) Introduction
In the winter of 2021, the former tobacco factory that witnessed the glorious history of Pingtung's industries was reborn under the new identity of the "Pingtung Tobacco Cultural Base 1936," carrying local memories and transforming into a new landmark with historical significance. Originally established in 1936 as the "Pingtung Branch Leaf Tobacco Re-drying Factory," it served as a cultural base. Since the Japanese colonial period, it had been responsible for agricultural technical guidance, procurement, processing, and storage in the Pingtung tobacco area; after the Nationalist government moved to Taiwan in 1949, it was renamed the "Taiwan Provincial Tobacco and Alcohol Monopoly Bureau Pingtung Tobacco Processing Factory." The area under cultivation for tobacco steadily expanded, surpassing Chiayi and Hualien, with a growth rate exceeding Taichung; in 1953, the Pingtung Tobacco Processing Factory was officially merged and a rolling tobacco department was established, renamed the "Taiwan Provincial Tobacco and Alcohol Monopoly Bureau Pingtung Tobacco Factory." In December 1965, the rolling tobacco department was abolished, and the factory resumed its primary operations in the drying and processing of tobacco leaves. As the factory expanded its facilities year by year in response to business needs, the entire factory area covered approximately 4.2 hectares, marking the era when Pingtung led Taiwan in rice, sugarcane, and tobacco. However, due to the abolition of the monopoly system, smoking bans, and the opening up of foreign tobacco products to competition, domestic tobacco production gradually decreased. In October 2002, the Pingtung Tobacco Factory ceased operations, and administrative duties were transferred to the Neipu Tobacco Factory. In 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 designated the desiccation processing area, re-drying processing area, boiler room, and Zhongshan Hall of the Pingtung Tobacco Factory as historical buildings and initiated restoration and reutilization projects. To fully reflect the significance of the industrial heritage, the entire factory area was expanded and registered as a historical building in 2017. With the consensus of the government, scholars from various fields, and the public, the "Pingtung County Grand Museum Project" was born, utilizing the Pingtung Tobacco Factory, which is highly representative of Pingtung's industrial history, as a cultural nurturing base. Through strategies such as "telling Pingtung’s story through industry," "depicting the soul of Pingtung through art," and "allowing children to create the future of Pingtung," plans were made to establish the "Pingtung Tobacco Museum," "Pingtung Hakka Museum," "Pingtung Indigenous Peoples Museum," "Immersive Experience Hall," "Pingtung County Art Museum," and "Pingtung County Collection Storage." By leveraging the expertise of museums, local knowledge will be preserved and promoted, serving as a platform for the integration and cooperation of cultural resources. With a dynamic, open, and sustainable spirit, we will work with the county residents to inherit, interpret, perform, and create the cultural charm of Pingtung. The "Pingtung Tobacco Cultural Base 1936" is expected 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, through diverse exhibitions and events, a branded Pingtung County Museum will be created, thereby establishing local cultural confidence, deepening the relationship between residents and the land, and becoming a cultural vanguard and support for the prosperity and stability of Pingtung County.
