- Chinese Name: 吳基瑞
- Did You Know That … ?
- As one of best paternal role models in Banqiao District on Father's Day in 2013, Wu Chi-jui is known for his dedication to his family and his contributions to the preservation of local cultural assets.
Dubbed "the living dictionary of Banqiao District,” Wu is one of the key individuals who helped with the completion of New Taipei City annals. During his career, Wu had collected numerous historical documents and taken an active part in heritage preservation. He received the National Cultural Heritage Preservation Award for his lifelong dedication in 2012.
Though Wu retired years ago, he is still considered as one of the leading figures in terms of document collection. Wu used to work for the Taipei City Archives, carrying out document-gathering missions for Taipei County (now known as New Taipei City) on materials dating back to the Japanese colonial era.
In the 1950s, Wu and his assistant were the two sole individuals responsible for collecting historic documents on today's New Taipei City. Since public transportation was still in development at that time, traveling was not easy in Taiwan. Thus, they had to travel to one place to another with trolleys and bags to bring back the documents and books they found.
Apart from extensive travels for collection purposes, Wu also visited libraries in Taipei to do research. Since there were no copy machines, he had to complete his mission by hand copying all the relevant materials.
The historical documents Wu had collected are extensive, including records on streets, villages, and prominent figures, and school textbooks. The total collection encompasses 1,263 history books on Taiwan under Japanese rule, 14,790 books of general historical documents, 1,256 newspapers, and 2,737 old photographs. They now serve as important references for researchers and preservationists.
Apart from preserving local history through documentation, Wu also participated in the renovation of the Lin Family Mansion and Garden (林本源園邸), which is one of the finest examples of traditional Chinese architecture in Taiwan.
Wu also participated in the Dapenkeng Archaeological Site (大坌坑遺址) excavation, and discovered the Tudigongshan Historical Site (土地公山遺址) in Tucheng District of New Taipei City during a field study with Cheng Ching-yi (盛清沂).
To this day, Wu's document collection and oral narratives are some of the most important references for understanding the history and archaeology of New Taipei City.