Chung-Chiao Cheng Literary Life Park Introduction
The establishment of the Zhong Zhao Zheng Literary Life Park dates back to 2012, with historical buildings such as the Japanese dormitory group of Longtan Elementary School and the Longtan Martial Arts Hall. After the cultural bureau of Taoyuan City conducted historical research, initiated working station plans, and design proposals, it was officially named the "Zhong Zhao Zheng Literary Life Park" in 2015. The park centers on the literature of the national treasure-level writer Zhong Zhao Zheng (referred to as Zhong Lao here), using literary landscapes as branches and leaves to extend and reshape the close relationship between Longtan and post-war Taiwanese literature through contemporary ecological museum thinking. On April 20, 2019, the Zhong Zhao Zheng Literary Life Park opened under the witness of Zhong Lao, accompanied by a slow travel experience in the surrounding commercial district and landscape, leading to an increasing demand for guided tours. Consequently, in 2021, the Hakka Affairs Council of Taoyuan City Government and the Taoyuan City Hakka Cultural Foundation jointly organized "Following the Footsteps of Literature to Explore Longtan - A Walking Tour and Training for Guide Talent in Longtan Literary Landscapes," hoping to attract aspiring individuals to join in guided literary landscape tours, narrating the stories of literary landscapes in a multifaceted way and enhancing emotional connections with the land. The park conceptualizes "the whole of Longtan is our literary life park," aiming for a close connection with the local community, not only marketing Longtan through literature and promoting tourism value but more importantly, allowing the public to rediscover the joy of reading and seek the warmth of the land from the lines of Taiwanese literature. The Mother of Taiwanese Literature: Zhong Zhao Zheng of Longtan In the 1950s, the literary scene was filled with anti-communist literature due to the political atmosphere, and local writers faced severe repression. Zhong Zhao Zheng struggled amidst thorns, writing with the flesh and blood of his homeland, Taiwan. With a cypress desk purchased by his beloved wife, he carved out his vast literary creations. He once mentioned that as a literary writer, he had a responsibility to write about the historical suffering of Taiwanese people, which became the core goal he dedicated his life to in building "Taiwanese literature." In 1957, to unite local writers, he sent letters inviting fellow writers to launch the publication "Literary Friends Newsletter" and held informal gatherings to foster cohesion. In 1960, he published "Luby Flower" in the Supplement of United Daily News, marking his official ascent to the literary pinnacle after ten years of honing his craft and encouraging fellow writers to collectively seize this literary territory. Since then, Zhong Zhao Zheng has nurtured generations of literary successors like a mother river, leading by example through writing major works such as "The Turbid Flow Trilogy," "The Taiwanese Trilogy," "The Mountain Suite," and "The Angry Tide," becoming the first to open the writing of large river novels, preserve indigenous memories, and engage in multilingual creation. Additionally, he sustained the literary publication "Taiwan Literature" for years and hosted the Supplement of People's Daily, aiming to provide a clean, free, and experimental space for emerging literary talents. In addition to his literary achievements, Zhong Zhao Zheng became involved in the Hakka movement and the democratic movement in his later years, contributing significantly to the preservation of Hakka culture. Throughout his life, he wrote nearly twenty million words and is the most awarded writer in the country, earning the title "Mother of Taiwanese Literature." His former residence in the Japanese dormitory of Longtan Elementary School, where he completed several important works, is even referred to as "the birthplace of post-war Taiwanese literature," attracting a continuous stream of literary figures on pilgrimage. On May 16, 2020, Zhong Zhao Zheng peacefully passed away in his sleep at the age of 96, prompting countless literary friends at home and abroad to remember him; on the 18th, President Tsai Ing-wen visited the memorial service at Longtan Martial Arts Hall to pay her respects and praised, "Zhong Zhao Zheng is not just the elder of the literary world, but also the elder of Taiwan." From the vast writings left by Zhong Zhao Zheng, we can not only understand the development of post-war Taiwanese literature but also glimpse his unfinished imagination of "Taiwan Studies," all stemming from his deep love for the motherland of Taiwan. The giant has embarked on a distant journey, but his words and legacy will endure. (Source: Official website of Zhong Zhao Zheng Literary Life Park)
