- Chinese Name: 月津文史發展協會
- Year of Establishment:1997
- Located At: Tainan County (Southern Taiwan)
- Did You Know That...?
- Yue Jin is the former name of Yanshui District, which used to have one of the most prosperous ports in Taiwan under the Qing dynasty. It took its name from the crescent moon-like shape of the harbor - "Yue” refers to moon while "Jin” means port in Chinese etymology.
- English Address:
- No. 23 Zhongshan Road, Yanshui District, Tainan County, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
- Contact Number: +886-6-6529-756
- Website:http://moon-port.ehosting.com.tw
When it comes to Tainan's Yanshui District, the Beehive Fireworks Festival (鹽水蜂炮) is usually the first thing that comes to mind. Notorious for its danger, the festival attracts more than ten thousands of visitors every year. Thanks to the Yue Jin Cultural and Heritage Development Association, Yanshui District is now famous for more than just beehive firecrackers; the town has rediscovered its historic legacy and cultivated a cultural atmosphere.
In 1997, association director Lin Ming-kun (林明堃) established the Yue Jin Cultural and Heritage Workshop (月津文史工作室), the predecessor of the Yue Jin Cultural and Heritage Development Association. Lin is a history graduate whose passion for culture and history inspired him to work on community development and empower the community through a literary approach.
To introduce the history of Yanshui District, the workshop held numerous guided tours, attracting local students, tourists, and researchers to join the movement. The workshop also received wide acclamation for collecting historical photos of the region, and collaborating with local schools and temple fairs to display the collections.
In addition, the workshop built a literary footpath ― known as Taiwan's Poetry Road ― to infuse the local community with the spirit of Taiwanese poetry and lyrics. The footpath serves to preserve the nation's literary history and allows visitors to appreciate the beauty of literature. While maintaining and extending Taiwan's Poetry Road, the association aims to raise the profile of Yanshui District through literature.
The association has also transformed the century-old Yanshui tourist center into the Yue Jin Story House (月津故事館). The refurbished building gives visitors an understanding of the traditional street architecture of Taiwan and inside the building are photography and memorabilia exhibitions on the region.
Yanshui District now thrives again, and its rich historical legacy is waiting to be discovered. In addition to preservation work, the association also hopes to bring together the community and enlighten local residents and visitors through literature.