Taiwan Today

A former paper-making complex in Yilan is reborn as a multifaceted cultural destination.

It is impossible to pass by Chung Hsing Cultural and Creative Park (CHCCP) in northeastern Taiwan’s Yilan County without feeling drawn to the otherworldly complex. The collection of stark, paint-stripped factory buildings is dotted with beguiling sights—artworks plugging gaps in concrete walls, lush vegetation snaking through paneless windows and variously hued lights emanating from structures large and small. In the central courtyard, a decapitated chimney stack stands watch as this scene of industrial decay is transformed into a compelling visitor attraction.

“The park is emerging as a new regional landmark,” said Chien Che-shih (簡哲士), chief of the Cultural and Creative Industry Development Section of Yilan County Government’s (YCG) Cultural Affairs Bureau. “The site has such a unique feel. It’s already been used as a filming location for several music videos and TV shows.”

Opened in 1935, the 35-hectare paper-making complex was taken over by state-owned Taiwan Chung Hsing Paper Corp. after the end of Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945). During the 1950s and 1960s, it was the top paper producer in the nation. Over time, competition from imports and concerns about deforestation led to a gradual reduction in output, and the company ceased production in 2001.

A decade later, YCG began exploring the possibility of converting the largely disused complex into a cultural and creative hub. In 2014, it purchased 19.8 hectares of the site from Chung Hsing Paper, 8.7 hectares of which have been earmarked for the park. The rest is set aside for future development projects. The company’s remaining land is leased to Hsing Chung Paper Corp., an operational concern founded by former staffers.

Historical Asset

Located in Yilan’s Wujie Township, CHCCP is centered around the original paper-making plant constructed in the colonial period. The gargantuan factory spans almost 17,000 square meters and reaches 33 meters at its highest point. In 2015, the building and its surrounding support structures were designated cultural assets by YCG, making them eligible for heritage restoration funding from the central government.

According to Wang Huey-jiun (王惠君), a professor of architecture at Taipei City-based National Taiwan University of Science and Technology and member of YCG’s historical site evaluation committee, the complex is worthy of preservation given the significant role it played in the nation’s industrial development. For decades, the plant was the country’s primary producer of paper for newspapers, she said, adding that it is also notable for the unique manufacturing method initially used at the site.

At the time of its launch, it was the only mill in the world making pulp by mixing silver grass with bagasse, residue left over after the extraction of juice from sugarcane. Competing businesses quickly adopted the technique, causing a shortage of raw materials. So within about a year of opening, the plant transitioned to using wood, largely harvested from Mt. Lintian in eastern Taiwan’s Hualien County.

CHCCP has a dual purpose: to showcase the rich history of the site and re-establish it as a driver of regional economic prosperity. The endeavor is being led by the Cultural and Creative Industry Development Section. The unit was launched at CHCCP in March 2017 to oversee the public opening of the first refurbished buildings four months later, as well as direct future renovation work.

Efforts to redevelop the complex received a major boost in December 2017 when it was approved for funding under the Regeneration of Historic Sites Project. Overseen by the Ministry of Culture’s Bureau of Cultural Heritage, the project is part of the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, a comprehensive initiative unveiled the same year aimed at addressing Taiwan’s key infrastructure needs for the next three decades. According to YCG, NT$170 million (US$5.48 million) has been allocated for the park through the end of 2020. Around 80 percent of this will come from the historic sites project, with the remainder contributed by the local government.

While YCG is still assessing options for the main factory structure, it has finalized plans for several support buildings. A facility for manufacturing coated paper is set to be converted into an incubation hub for performing arts troupes. And two warehouses and a small plant will be transformed into an exhibition venue for objects unearthed at Hanben, a national-level archaeological site in Yilan’s Nanao Township containing relics dating back at least 1,600 years.

Facilities already opened to the public include an information and exhibition center, converted from a wood processing plant, and a base for cultural and creative startups. The latter, located in two refurbished chemical storage depots, is home to 14 new ventures in areas spanning ceramics, fabrics and wooden furniture.

Among the tenants is Future Design, a clothing firm that uses natural dyes. Founder Chen Mei-ying (陳渼茵) said that CHCCP’s popularity with tourists provides abundant opportunities to reach out to new customers and build a brand identity. “But residency is not a free ride. To qualify to stay at the park, you have to demonstrate creativity and regularly unveil new products,” she added.

Tenants receive generous benefits like free rent, water and electricity. CHCCP also hosts frequent events to spotlight the firms and the park in general. One of the major highlights is the weekslong Art Maker Festival. This year’s edition, running through early August, will feature various activities to encourage collaboration between artists and visitors in creating new works.

Human Element

Future redevelopment plans, and in particular designs for the main factory structure, are expected to draw heavily on a recently concluded historical and cultural survey of the site. Compiled by a team of academic investigators led by Wang, the report aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of its operations and expansion over time. These efforts were complicated by the fact that most of the machinery and components were sold for scrap when the facility shuttered. To overcome the absence of physical artifacts, the team interviewed around two dozen former employees.

“Paper-making on this scale is a very challenging endeavor. We were determined to uncover the role of each and every building in the work that was done here,” Wang said. “It’s our hope that adaptive reuse proposals refer to the results of our investigation and adopt creative approaches to illuminate the manufacturing process for visitors.”

While much of the machinery is gone, remnants of the plant’s former purpose abound, such as concrete pools for storing pulp and trenches through which the mixture flowed. The results of the survey will also help dictate which of these elements can be removed during renovations and which are worthy of preservation.

Also set to be highlighted are the stories of the men and women who worked there. The task of compiling the human side of the plant’s history was assigned to local cultural specialist Lin Dian-hong (林奠鴻). The 63-year-old was well suited for this role given that both his parents spent their entire careers at the complex, as did many of the residents in the surrounding towns. “For nearby villagers, life revolved around the factory. It was like everyone was part of one big family,” said Lin, who himself spent several summers during his teenager years working at the site.

His report comprises firsthand accounts of events ranging from the momentous to the mundane. These span recollections of the U.S. Air Force bombings of the area in January 1945 to anecdotes about everyday interactions at post offices and temples. “The history of the mill would be incomplete without the tales of the people who lived through its rise and fall,” Lin said.

Having laid idle for more than a decade, the industrial complex is ready to generate new stories for residents and visitors alike. “We want CHCCP to evolve into a living, bustling, multifaceted destination,” Chien said. “Given our meticulous research, thoughtful renovations and careful curation of startups, there’s every reason to believe that the factory will once again become a hive of activity.” 

Write to Oscar Chung at mhchung@mofa.gov.tw