Keelung: Old Meets New in the Harbor City

F

Keelung mayor Lin Yu-chang (center) stands before a relief map of the city, enthusiastically discussing the Greater Keelung Historical Scenes Restoration Project with Peng Chun-heng (right), director of the city’s Cultural Affairs Bureau. The project is intended to revive Keelung’s past glories. (photo by Chuang Kung-ju)

A century of history—an old harbor and a new city

Over the past century, Kee­lung has become the most important port city in northern Taiwan. To the north sits the East China Sea, and mountains surround the city on three sides of the natural harbor. Trade and tourism flourish in this shining pearl of the north. With the expansion of the harbor during the reign of the Qing emperor Guangxu, Keelung became Taiwan’s leading commercial port. The city thrives on all sorts of commerce born of the wind and water. Kee­lung’s economy was built upon the wages of its countless longshoremen: its transportation system, its eateries and teahouses, as well as Zheng­bin Fishing Harbor and the Kan­zai­ding Fish Market, which echoes to the cries of fishmongers hawking their wares.

Nationalist soldiers retreating from mainland China, clans of Hakka, Aborigines, and migrants from other parts of Taiwan all arrived here and sought their fortunes through hard work. They believed that fortune beckoned in this place where “the waters run east,” and that this was a land of riches. Yet, it was not so much the riches of the sea as the dreams of all those who toiled to establish the foundation of prosperity and the splendid years that followed.

This dazzling island gem at times seems like an eye gazing out over the ocean, which has beamed happily or shed tears depending on the fortunes of the port. With the development of Taiwan’s other ports, shipping in Kee­lung began to decline. Coupled with the depletion of offshore fish stocks and the decline of mining, the city’s population began to dwindle. Only by making good use of the diversity of its natural landscape can Kee­lung reverse the decline and surpass the prosperity of the last century. Giving the city new life, successfully restoring the reputation of the old harbor, and creating a new city to marvel at are today some of the city government’s greatest challenges.

A map of old Taiwan in Keelung’s old railway station lists important place names, mountains and rivers, providing a record of Taiwan at an earlier age. (photo by Chuang Kung-ju)

Reclaiming local history

The Spanish, Portuguese, British, French, and Japanese have all dropped anchor in Kee­lung’s harbor at one time or another. Outside the mayor’s office hangs a giant aerial map of the city dating from the Japanese colonial period. The raised features of the city allow one to trace with a finger the outline of Sha­wan Creek and see in the distance He­ping Island. Farther afield, one finds Er­sha­wan Battery and the remains of the old stone wall of Da­sha­wan. Swept along by the wind and waves, the old city’s distant past unfurls before one.

“The defining characteristic of Kee­lung’s history is the port, and the port is the starting point for venturing into the world,” says Lin Yu-­chang, the mayor of Kee­lung, smiling. Wearing wire-framed glasses and a pink shirt and looking youthful and refined, Lin listens intently and thoughtfully, sometimes pursing his lips. But mention his beloved Kee­lung, and his eyes light up, his voice becomes more confident. “For the 130th anniversary of the founding of Kee­lung Harbor, we arranged a variety of activities. For example, we held an exhibition featuring postcard images of the Eight Views of Taiwan from the era of Japanese rule, and old maps of the island. Our hope was that by displaying these historical representations we would spark a discussion on the construction and reconstruction of the national memory and let people rediscover Kee­lung—for the history of the port has always been the foundation for the city’s development.”

A plan to restore Greater Kee­lung’s historical sites is currently serving as a model for the Ministry of Culture’s national historical preservation project. Preserving cultural heritage lies at the heart of the program, which will be carried out according to the concept of spatial management focusing on specific historical points and expanding outward. The plan aims to reconnect restored areas and their history with the local population. Through the integration of national and local spatial development plans, the government hopes to link specific historical and cultural sites together. And by coordinating the efforts of various ministries and departments, it hopes to achieve comprehensive preservation.

Historical scenes can be reconstructed through this meaningful linkage between historical sites and can help tell the story of the past without having to adhere to a single timeline. This open historical perspective will encourage participation from the public and stir the imagination while establishing local identity and emotional connection to the past. The Greater Keelung plan, in other words, is aiming for the comprehensive consolidation of history and culture on a city-wide basis, and not simply the patching up of old buildings. It will create a platform for a dialogue between time and place. In this way, people can enter history and experience the life and setting of a past age, and from the starting point of history walk toward the future.   

Life teems under the bright lights at the Kanzaiding Fish Market, located near the harbor. (photo by Jimmy Lin)

History brought to life

Since the plan is to restore historical settings, one must start out from historical documents. Kee­lung’s history stretches far back in time, and from ancient maps, Kee­lung can be seen through the eyes of the Spanish, Japanese, French and Dutch. All entered through the great harbor, and so it is at Da­sha­wan, the bay at the mouth of the harbor, that the plan commences. The bay was the site of Keelung’s first settlements and was once the area’s only saltwater bathing spot. Today, it is also one of the few sites in Taiwan containing numerous intact historical remnants from the Qing Dynasty, including the Sino‡French War Memorial Park, the remains of the old defensive wall at Da­sha­wan, and the former officers’ quarters of the Kee­lung Fort Command, among others. Mt. Xu­qiu, above the bay, was chosen as one of the Eight Views of Taiwan under Japanese rule. And there are reminders of events from a later date, such as the deadly 1949 sinking of the steamer Tai­ping, which is commemorated at the Tai­ping Incident Memorial Park.

The Kee­lung City Government is attempting to integrate these various historical sites into a narrative space and to create a dual historical axis between Er­sha­wan and Mt. Xu­qiu, driving the development of three historic sites—Da­sha­wan, He­ping Island, and Bai­mi­weng Fort—and by doing so, create a more complete historical record. Aside from helping to reexamine the past, it can create a dialog with today’s residents.

Lin Yu-chang gingerly and respectfully takes out an old copy of an even older map, and with the map as a guide, we seek out Kee­lung’s past. He explains that because of the ­Kee­lung Campaign of the Sino‡French War, Kee­lung is home to the French Military Cemetery and the National Heroes Cemetery, and every year during the Ghost Festival the city sends representatives to pay respects and comfort the souls of the dead of different nations who lived and struggled in Kee­lung. During the Vietnam War, Kee­lung was even the base of the US Seventh Fleet, and for a time the Stars and Stripes flew and Americans filled the streets.

Naturally, connecting with these remote memories still relies on the help of modern technology. The city government plans to use virtual reality, augmented reality, and other technologies to close the gap between the cultural legacies of the past and the present day. On any given site, historical maps showing scenes from different time periods will display the historical characteristics of past ages. Through virtual reality, the city government hopes for a more complete presentation of our cultural heritage. 

Life teems under the bright lights at the Kanzaiding Fish Market, located near the harbor.

Cultural capital, city of arts

Peng Chun-heng, the director of Kee­lung’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, explains that the span of Kee­lung’s history is very long, stretching from the arrival of Spanish and Dutch colonizers up to the present. As a result, Kee­lung’s development has always been linked to the outside world. At present, the city government is endeavoring to revive a sense of historical space not just by restoring scattered historical sites but more importantly by reestablishing a sense of local identity and pride. For only through the citizens’ passion and shared sense of purpose can we achieve a better understanding of how to cherish this land.

Peng hopes that one day Kee­lung will become a cultural capital and a city of artists, with the whole city serving as an art gallery. He hopes that Kee­lung will become a giant performance space with each resident playing a leading role. And so aside from the city government’s plans, success will rely on the efforts of the entire community.

According to Mayor Lin Yu-­chang, the port remains central to these efforts. “Only if the port thrives will the rest of the city thrive,” he says. “And only by comprehensive development for the whole city will we be able to transform the port.”

Integrating the port with the city and pursuing urban renewal in the areas around the old train station are all intended to restore the luster of this island pearl. Lin hopes that both urban integration and historic preservation efforts will elicit citizens’ participation. He hopes too that local history will be incorporated into elementary school curricula, so that from a young age children will know that the city is their home and that it belongs to them.

After 130 years of twists and turns, Keelung has at last turned its attention from just the sea and is taking a hard look at itself, because only by thoroughly understanding its own story can it have the fortitude and courage to march into the present. The current preservation plan represents a new departure. Amid bright sunshine and the blue ocean, the people wave goodbye to past sorrows. Kee­lung is setting sail again, on course for the future.

Keelung is northern Taiwan’s most important port city. Facing the East China Sea and surrounded on three sides by mountains, it is a rich coastal center where both trade and tourism flourish. Shown here is Zhengbin Fishing Harbor.

Keelung is northern Taiwan’s most important port city. Facing the East China Sea and surrounded on three sides by mountains, it is a rich coastal center where both trade and tourism flourish. Shown here is the Yang Ming Oceanic Culture and Art Museum, located beside Keelung Harbor.

The restoration plan for Greater Keelung is aiming for the comprehensive consolidation of history and culture. It is also intended to facilitate a dialogue between time and place, and allow people to experience contemporary life with a historical perspective and create a bridge between the past and the future. Pictured here is Baimiweng Fort.

Proper spatial management will help create a more complete historical record. Aside from helping to reexamine the past, it can create a dialog with today’s residents. Pictured here is remains of the old stone wall at Dashawan. (courtesy of Keelung Cultural Affairs Bureau)

Proper spatial management will help create a more complete historical record. Aside from helping to reexamine the past, it can create a dialog with today’s residents. Pictured here is the old shipyard.

Proper spatial management will help create a more complete historical record. Aside from helping to reexamine the past, it can create a dialog with today’s residents. Pictured here is the old command post on Mt. Xuqiu. (courtesy of Keelung Cultural Affairs Bureau)

The magnificent beauty of otherworldly rock formations, resulting from years of erosion along Keelung’s coastline, has created some of northern Taiwan’s most treasured sights. The photo shows Heping Island. (photo by Jimmy Lin)