Lin Liang-tai (林良太), the preserver of the wooden King Boat (木作王船) making technique, passed away on Apr. 25 at the age of 73. Culture Minister Shi Che expressed his sincere condolences upon hearing this news. He commended Lin’s contribution to the transmission and promotion of traditional crafts, creating a lasting impact on the preservation of cultural heritage in the country.
Born in Kaohsiung City in 1951, Lin began learning the making of fishing boats after graduating from junior high school. He encountered a master of paste-paper sculpture at the age of 25 and stepped into the world of crafting wooden King Boat. Being able to visualize the components of a boat in his mind, he was known for his skillful and customizable creations as well as his full-fledged knowledge of tradition and rituals.
Having crafted more than 200 King Boats across several cities on the island, he made significant contributions to the preservation and transmission of Taiwan’s cultural heritage. In 2019, he was registered by the Kaohsiung City Government as the preserver of the wooden King Boat making technique.