Qinshan River Heqi Doctor Memorial碑 Introduction
In May 1902, Dr. Kawai Shōtarō, a forestry professor from the Imperial University of Tokyo, was invited by the Taiwan Governor-General's Office to investigate Mount Ali in Chiayi. He discovered that the forest there had excellent characteristics, good material quality, and abundant reserves. In his report on the on-site survey, he advocated for development, which drew significant attention from the Governor-General's Office. Subsequently, during several important site inspections and forestry management planning sessions, Dr. Kawai's opinions had a crucial influence on the development of the forestry industry in Mount Ali, making him the greatest contributor to its development. After his death, a monument was erected in his honor, and he was designated as a county historic site. Kawai Shōtarō, a Doctor of Forestry from the Imperial University of Tokyo, was appointed by the Taiwan Governor-General’s Office on February 8, 1903, to oversee the development of the Mount Ali forest and the surveying of its forestry railway routes. On October 3, 1904, a large exploration team comprising over 30 officials, including Goto Shinpei, the Minister of Civil Administration, and several other prominent figures, along with 60 food porters, reached Mount Banzai in Ali Mountain after three days of travel. This marked the beginning of the promotion of forestry development in Mount Ali. However, due to the financial difficulties the Japanese government faced during the Russo-Japanese War, the project was postponed until 1906 before formally commencing. The development process experienced numerous setbacks; it was initially undertaken by the private Fujita Group, but was halted and later continued by the Governor-General's Office as a state-operated project. Dr. Kawai Shōtarō, serving as a forestry advisor to the Taiwan Governor-General’s Office, dedicated himself to exploration planning, greatly contributing to the development of the Mount Ali forestry industry. Dr. Kawai passed away on March 14, 1931, in Tokyo, Japan. To honor his achievements, a monument was erected in his memory at Mount Ali in November 1932, and it was officially unveiled on February 3, 1933.
