Li Story Forest Introduction
Li Elementary School Japanese Dormitory, located next to Zhongli Elementary School, was built in 1917 and originally served as the staff dormitory for Zhongli Public School. After the Taiwan government arrived, it continued to be used as the staff dormitory for Zhongli Elementary School. In 2015, it was announced and registered as a historical building. The dormitory complex consists of three buildings: one double-unit Japanese dormitory, one single-unit Japanese dormitory, and one row of brick construction. The Japanese Dormitory of Zhongli Elementary School witnesses the modernization of education in the Zhongli area and holds research value in Japanese colonial architectural techniques. The park is conveniently located in the urban area of Zhongli, reflecting the development trajectory of the old streets from the Japanese colonial period to the present, rich in historical significance and value. The dormitory group has preserved precious old trees and includes a second-floor outdoor observation platform, offering a panoramic view of the park and allowing visitors to appreciate the features of Japanese black tiles and Minnan red tiles. The Japanese Dormitory of Zhongli Elementary School was announced and registered as a historical building in 2015, and by 2016, investigations, repairs, and reuse plans were completed. The restoration and reuse project began in July 2017 and was completed in August 2018. Generally speaking, the life cycle for the restoration and reuse of cultural assets is around five years, but the dormitory completed the process from property allocation to restoration and commissioned management in less than four years. The Cultural Bureau, while commissioning a private team to operate the site, worked alongside the administrative team of Zhongli Elementary School, environmental education professionals, and expert curators to launch a modern education exhibition at the school and a special exhibition on the restoration of the Japanese dormitory upon its opening. They also integrated local curriculum and environmental education lesson plans to implement parent-child reading, storytelling, listening to stories, and food education experiences in the facility. The Japanese Dormitory of Zhongli Elementary School was named "Li Little Story Forest" via a public vote and is positioned as a parent-child educational space. Currently, it is managed by the Taoyuan Zhen Shan Mei Foundation, providing reading, storytelling, lectures, and food education spaces, becoming a comfortable and safe environment for parent-child interaction and diverse learning, while collecting common memories of life in Zhongli, old photographs, oral histories, and interesting anecdotes. (Source: Cultural Bureau of the government)
