Nantou Launches First Major Cultural Base Featuring Six Heritage Sites

Nantou County has launched its "Top 100 Cultural Bases" initiative for the first time this year, selecting six representative cultural assets: Kuang Hsing Paper Mill, The Paper Dome Paper-New Hometown Shin-Hsueh-Yuan, Nantou Theater, Shueili Snakekiln Ceramic Culture Park, Ho-Hao Tea Factory (Sun Moon Lake Old Tea Factory), and Yuyuet Museum of Art. This move not only affirms local cultural resources, but also marks a new phase in cultural preservation and revitalization between the central and local governments. The concept of the Top 100 Cultural Bases originates from the Ministry of Culture's nationwide layout, aiming to use "bases" as the core to connect various cultural fields and enhance the breadth and depth of public cultural services. As Taiwan's only landlocked county, Nantou boasts rich mountain forests and humanistic landscapes, and the six selected locations serve as a microcosm of its diverse culture.

The six bases each possess unique characteristics and complement one another. Kuang Hsing Paper Mill preserves traditional handmade paper craftsmanship and traces of daily life, serving as a testament to the early papermaking settlement; The Paper Dome Shin-Hsueh-Yuan uses paper as a medium, combining art and education to provide experiential learning for the public. As the region's earliest public theater, Nantou Theater has witnessed the dissemination and evolution of visual culture; Shueili Snakekiln is an important stronghold for the development of Taiwanese ceramics, producing locally styled pottery with its unique kiln fire and soil quality. The Ho-Hao Tea Factory inherits a century of tea history, showcasing tea cultivation, processing, and tasting culture; Yuyuet Museum of Art focuses on contemporary art and local creation, providing a platform for exhibitions and artistic creation. Spanning craftsmanship, performance, education, industry, and art, these six sites form a complete cultural ecosystem.

To enable these resources to mutually support and grow together, the Nantou County Cultural Bureau adopted the concept of "Zhuoshui Fertile Soil," connecting the six bases through the natural context of the Zhuoshui River basin. The Zhuoshui River runs through the county from north to south, featuring fertile soil and developed agriculture within its basin, while also nurturing numerous traditional industries and cultural forms. Using this as a metaphor, the Cultural Bureau has planned a resource-sharing cultural hub. Through joint exhibitions and performances, cross-disciplinary workshops, and collaborative marketing, the exhibits, activities, and educational resources of each base can circulate throughout the entire basin. This initiative not only enhances the visibility of individual bases, but also fosters cross-disciplinary creative collisions, forming a more resilient cultural network.

The promotion of this project is expected to generate multiple positive effects on Nantou's tourism and local economy. First, the interconnected cultural route can attract domestic and international travelers to explore the six attractions through in-depth tourism, thereby extending their length of stay and consumption. Second, the resource-sharing model encourages local community participation, ranging from hands-on experiences to volunteer guided tours, which enhances residents' sense of identity and belonging toward cultural assets. Third, through cooperation with schools and art groups, cultural education is extended downward to cultivate the next generation's interest in traditional crafts and contemporary art. In the long run, if popularity and reputation can be continuously accumulated, Nantou is poised to become a demonstration zone for "cultural villages," providing a reference model for cultural sustainability across Taiwan.

In summary, Nantou County's approach of connecting the six inaugural Top 100 Cultural Bases through "Zhuoshui Fertile Soil" demonstrates innovative thinking that integrates diverse cultural resources using natural geography as a bond. From preserving traditional craftsmanship to promoting contemporary art, and from single-point displays to region-wide sharing, this series of initiatives not only strengthens the vitality of local culture, but also injects new momentum into local revitalization. If cooperation can be continuously deepened and marketing expanded in the future, Nantou's cultural assets will gain greater international competitiveness, becoming a shining star on Taiwan's cultural map. (Source: Central News Agency)