cultural tourism through an alliance of various local museums.
Nestled against magnificent mountains in the west and opening up to the expansive Pacific Ocean in the east, Yilan’s unique geographical environment greatly contributes to the area’s well-preserved natural scenery and cultural practices, even as it seals the area off from other parts of Taiwan. The county in northeastern Taiwan has become much less isolated since the inauguration of the Hsuehshan Tunnel in June 2006, however. The tunnel connects Yilan with Taiwan’s capital Taipei and slashes travel time between the two from approximately three hours to one hour.
“Since the opening of the Hsuehshan Tunnel, I come to Yilan much more often. It’s really a nice place to relax,” says Zheng Hu-gui, a tourist from Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. “And thanks to the convenient transportation, I’m inclined to stay longer to visit the many scenic spots and appreciate the beauty of nature, as well as museums like the newly opened Lanyang Museum to gain an understanding of local culture.”
Melody Hong, chairwoman of the Yilan Museums Association (YMA), suggests that the easiest way for visitors to learn about Yilan is to take a tour of museums in the area. “We have many different types of museums that each highlight a specific aspect of Yilan,” she says. “By visiting these establishments, tourists can get to understand Yilan on a broad scale.”
In Yilan, Hong explains, there are museums that represent the county’s geography, history, Atayal aboriginal culture, ecology, nature conservation, farming and fishery practices, traditional industries, folk performances like Taiwanese opera and glove puppetry, handicrafts like the making of clogs, kites or straw products, and artistic creations such as stone or wood sculptures, among others.
“Yilan has a rich culture and history. In fact, there’s no single museum here that can fully convey the county’s cultural diversity,” Hong says. “So we sensed the need to increase the presence of local museums that are scattered throughout the region by consolidating and integrating their resources. This is a way to safeguard our cultural and natural assets.”
The YMA, initiated by the Yilan County Government in 2001, was Taiwan’s first local museum alliance and later transformed into a private, nonprofit organization. Currently some 30 museums are members. In addition to membership fees and donations, the YMA’s operation largely relies on implementing museum-related projects commissioned by the Yilan County Government and the Cabinet-level Council for Cultural Affairs (CCA). In particular, in recent years, the CCA has rendered much funding to assist with the establishment of local cultural museums, Hong adds.
The Memorial Hall of the Founding of Yilan Administration, which used to be the official residence of the local chief, is now open to the public and displays historical documents, objects and photos about Yilan from the past three centuries. (Photo by Huang Chung-hsin)
Hong says her association organizes educational programs, workshops and seminars pertinent to museum operation and management, together with visits to different museums in and outside Yilan so that museum operators can connect with and learn from one another.
In addition, the YMA introduces the individual characteristics of its museum members, publicizes their activity calendars on its website and offers assistance to help them upgrade their facilities. It also seeks to cooperate with travel agencies to plan cultural and ecological tours.
“We hope to function as an information platform to increase the exposure of the various museums in Yilan to expedite the development of the museum sector as a whole,” Hong says. “We also endeavor to maximize the operational efficiency of our museum members by sharing information and personnel, along with joint procurement and marketing.”
A number of local establishments, Hong admits, are not yet really qualified as “museums” as they do not exercise all of the functions of collection, education, exhibition and publication that more established institutions perform. Still, they have been making steady progress thanks to the support of the central and local governments and various collaboration schemes. Others are already faring quite well and play a strong role in promoting Yilan.
One such museum is the Institute of Yilan County History (IOYCH), established in 2001 under the Yilan County Government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau with an investment of NT$230 million (US$7.4 million). It is Taiwan’s first and thus far only county-level historical museum. Its main tasks are to collect, compile, research and promote the region’s history.
Lin Ker-chin, acting director of the IOYCH, says so far his institute has collected more than 60,000 books and government files, 100,000 old photos, 2,000 historic papers, as well as 700 genealogy records and other transcriptions related to Yilan. All these are valuable materials for the research of Yilan history, as well as for visitors interested in learning about the development of culture, religion and different ethnic groups in Yilan over time.
The new museum and its surroundings were planned as a wetland ecological park. (Photo by Huang Chung-hsin)
Unlike many similar organizations throughout Taiwan, the IOYCH goes beyond simply collecting and exhibiting historical data, Lin explains. The institute has launched a variety of activities including field investigations, the recording of major current events, research projects, symposiums, exhibitions, lectures and educational programs.
Moreover, the IOYCH has published a series of titles including the Yilan Journal of History, Monograph Series of Yilan History and Yilan Literature Series, which not only represent the collection of historical materials, but also observations and reflections on contemporary social phenomena. It is now working on the digitalization of its collections to assist the conservation, circulation and utilization of historical data.
Historical Evolution
“Due to its county-level status, our institute is well funded, which enables a wide collection of historical documents and good facilities to preserve and showcase this valuable body of literature, while promoting history education,” Lin says. “Visitors to the IOYCH can get to know about Yilan’s historical evolution in detail through our rich collections and in a comfortable and well-equipped setting.”
Another place with historical significance that Lin recommends to tourists visiting Yilan is the Memorial Hall of the Founding of Yilan Administration. The memorial hall was built in 1900 during the period of Japanese rule (1895–1945) as the official residence of the local chief. Since then, more than 20 local authorities have lived there.
“The old residence itself is a witness to the political development of Yilan and has irreplaceable historical value,” Lin notes. “The Yilan County Government thus decided to retain the building and restore its original features, which incorporate Japanese-style wooden house design and western classical architecture. They also conserved the 100-year-old giant camphor tree in the garden.” The structure was renovated and opened to the public in 1997.
The memorial hall exhibits historical documents, objects and photos regarding Yilan in three eras: the Chinese Qing court rule (1684–1895), the Japanese colonial period and the subsequent Republic of China rule extending to the present day. Lin adds the hall is a good example of the revitalization of a historic space.
Visitors to the Lanyang Museum can learn about Yilan’s diverse ecosystems, flora and fauna, geology and inhabitants from the time of the county’s origins to modern day developments. (Photo by Huang Chung-hsin)
Wendy Chen, 20, a tourist from Taipei, says while planning a trip to Yilan, she and her friend surfed the Internet for information about places of interest and found that the Memorial Hall of the Founding of Yilan Administration was recommended by many.
“This memorial hall is an ideal destination for people like me interested in making an in-depth cultural tour. Its exhibits chronicle the growth of Yilan over the past centuries really well,” Chen says. “Plus, the Japanese wooden house creates a very cozy atmosphere and the Taiwan cypress used in the building gives off a nice fragrance. It’s tranquil and enjoyable to be here.”
Also among Yilan’s cultural attractions is the Taiwan Theater Museum (TTM), which houses a collection of more than 4,000 archives and artifacts including plays, recordings, puppets, musical instruments, costumes and stage props. The TTM’s holdings cover Taiwanese opera, glove puppetry, string puppetry and beiguan, a type of traditional Chinese musical performance introduced to Taiwan by Han immigrants from southeast China’s coastal provinces of Fujian and Guangdong during the mid-17th century.
Museum of the Stage
The TTM, opened in 1990 as the first museum in Yilan County, is the first regional public theater museum in Taiwan as well. Cheng Ying-chu, an officer at the TTM, says thanks to financing and assistance from the CCA and the Yilan County Government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, her museum has been able to expand its exhibition space to three floors. The TTM has also built a number of facilities including indoor and outdoor theaters, a puppet stage and an audio-video center, as well as continued its work in holding exhibitions, collecting, research, education, publication and performance.
In addition to appreciating many kinds of exhibits, visitors to the TTM can try on Taiwanese opera costumes or try out the traditional glove puppets on a stage. They can also watch films and buy books, CDs and DVDs published by the TTM to learn more about these dramatic arts.
Taiwanese opera, a form of drama that combines acting and folk songs, is said to have originated in Yilan’s Lanyang Plain in the 19th century. Performances are made in the local Holo language, and are held for entertainment or as part of religious festivals. Given that Yilan is the birthplace of Taiwanese opera, Cheng says the TTM has put a priority on conserving and promoting the art form to keep this significant cultural asset alive.
The Taiwan Theater Museum houses a rich collection of costumes and stage props for Taiwanese opera and puppetry (Photo by Huang Chung-hsin)
Accordingly, the TTM has offered free, six-month training programs in Taiwanese opera for adults and teenagers since 2002, made possible through subsidies from the CCA. So far, nearly 1,000 people have attended the courses and some of them have gone on to perform Taiwanese opera in professional or amateur productions.
Cheng explains that those who have completed the training and shown acting potential are asked to perform in the TTM’s theater on weekends, as well as join promotional tours to schools and communities across the county. The shows are offered for visitors to learn a few basic singing and acting techniques.
Recently, a new force—Lanyang Museum—has added to Yilan’s cultural attractions. Lanyang Museum was officially inaugurated in October this year and takes its name from the Lanyang River and the Lanyang Plain. It is different from most traditional museums in Taiwan and elsewhere that are focused on the collection of precious artifacts and specific relics, in that it has opted to operate as Taiwan’s first ecomuseum.
Located near the historical site of Wushi Harbor, the new museum and its surrounding area were planned as a wetland ecological park. The structure was designed by noted architect Kris Yao, whose design for the building refers to the shape of the cuesta landform commonly seen along Taiwan’s northeastern coast, as well as to other local ecological features including Guishan Island and Wushi coral reefs. In this way, the architect sought to reflect Yilan’s scenic, cultural and historical characteristics. The innovative, modern design won Yao the 2010 Far Eastern Outstanding Architectural Design Award.
The Lanyang Museum is all about Yilan, encompassing everything from its geology, flora and fauna, ecosystems and original inhabitants to the modern day county. “We hope the Lanyang Museum is the first stop visitors make in Yilan in order to give them a complete overview of the area,” says Huang Yi-fen, acting director of the Lanyang Museum. “Then they can go on to explore Yilan’s towns and villages to appreciate and experience their beauty in person.”
The exhibits at her museum, Huang explains, are designed to portray the variety of Yilan’s natural environment—mountains, plains and ocean—and basically they are all replicas instead of real objects. “Keeping the concept of an ecomuseum in mind, we believe that all the living plants and creatures should remain in the places where they grow. We don’t want to relocate them to our museum,” Huang explains. “In our exhibition section ‘Misty Forest’ for example, we use replicas, images and written materials, together with landscaping, special lighting, projected images and sound effects, to illustrate the ecosystem in a theatrical atmosphere.”
As the largest county-level museum in Yilan in terms of floor space, workforce and funding, Huang says the Lanyang Museum is the core of Yilan’s museum family and will take on the responsibility of leading its growth. In this regard, her museum will share its resources with other local museums and cooperate with them to hold activities, as well as work with them in marketing and procurement. The aim is for all of them to develop their own characteristics and grow strong to constitute a comprehensive knowledge base for Yilan.
“The aim of Yilan’s museum family is to use lively displays and organize educational and promotional activities to stimulate visitor interest in Yilan, which is rich in history, culture and natural beauty,” Huang reiterates. “Subsequently, they can continue their cultural journey around the area and find that Yilan itself is like one big museum.”
Write to Kelly Her at kelly@mail.gio.gov.tw