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Since the plan is to restore historical settings, one must start out from historical documents.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.