Checheng Wood Industry Exhibition Hall Introduction
Checheng thrived during the Japanese colonial period due to the transportation and trade of sugar, camphor, and timber, as well as the manpower and resources brought in for the construction of the Sun Moon Lake Hydroelectric Project. In 1958, Mr. Sun Hai, chairman of the lumber giant Zhenchang Industry, acquired the logging rights in the NanTou Danda Forest Area, taking advantage of the convenient transportation. He established a factory in Checheng to manufacture timber for domestic and foreign sales, creating a second peak for the area by bringing in over 2,000 jobs, which led Checheng and the surrounding Shui-Li area to be dubbed "Little Taipei." After the 1970s, forestry policies shifted to focus on reforestation and land conservation, and the lumber industry for domestic and international sales faced difficulties under the government's logging prohibition, leading many to either shut down or transform. Zhenchang Industry moved to focus on exporting raw timber, sidelining sawmills, which eventually fell into disrepair after ceasing operations. To enhance tourism resources in Checheng and to help visitors understand the historical development of the timber industry, the former factory, initially regarded as a precious industrial heritage site, was reconstructed into the Checheng Wood Industry Exhibition Hall. Opened in June 2008, the exhibition hall provides visitors with insight into the past glory of Taiwan's timber industry. It is noteworthy that the old factory's wooden framework is a product of the early 20th century and was considered quite advanced in the 1950s. Therefore, when reconstructing the Wood Industry Exhibition Hall, the design concept of "overlapping the new and the old" was adopted to preserve the old framework. The old framework was restored as an exhibit in the creative hall of the wood industry, and new wooden frameworks were added over the old ones, creating an intriguing space where new and old wooden structures overlap, resulting in a dynamic and unique aesthetic. This allows visitors to witness the evolution of history and the advancement of the times. At the exhibition hall, in addition to touring the revitalized factory and experiencing the sawmilling scenes of the 1950s, there are various timber displays where one can immediately smell the unique aromas of different woods upon entering the exhibition area, as if stepping into a forest to enjoy the cleansing presence of phytoncides. A visit to the Wood Industry Exhibition Hall offers greater understanding of the development of forestry in Taiwan.
