A Story of the Taiwan Historical and Cultural Park
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Date of Award
1997
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Format
Abstract
The total number of the voluminous and precious archives, relics and historical documents of the Ming and Ching Dynasties, the Japanese occupation period and the Post-Restitution period stored in Taiwan Documentation Commission (PTCT) is about several hundred thousand items. Part of the archives have suffered form damage and fading because of a lack of proper storage over the past 40 years since the founding of the Commission. In order to improve storage conditions and to keep up with the current developments, a verification was issued in April 1990 by the Provincial Government to construct the Taiwan Historical and Cultural Park which is to be a well equipped place for research and the preservation of historical and cultural collections.
According to the original plan, the Taiwan Historical and Cultural Park will be composed of five halls, i.e. 1) Library of Historical Documentation, 2) Folklore and Relics Museum, 3) Historical Monuments Museum, 4) Popular Artistry Hall, and 5) Forefathers Memorial Hall, But hasty procedures at the preliminary stages of the project have impaired the integration and circumspectness of the plan and caused frequent changes of design. Additions to the original budget in the course of construction have caused criticism and doubt in various circles. As a result, the Provincial Assembly made the following resolution in verifying the Commission s budget for 1996:
“Funds for the Taiwan Historical and Cultural Park are approved to be on the list and will not be drawn on until a comprehensive program is re-made by specialists and submitted with all related drawings and project planning materials to the Civil Administration Committee of the Provincial Assembly for examination and a report concerning the project is approved by the Assembly.”
The plan can be smoothly carried out only after being re-evaluated with the submission of an integrative program report. The responsibility for the re-evaluation work was committed to me by the superior coincidentally at a time when I was attending a course of “Program Evaluation”. It was possible that I could apply what I had just learned for the evaluation of the plan.
To begin the work effectively, I collected and read relevant literature on the construction of historical museums both at home and abroad. On the basis of these studies, I organized a special group within the Commission in charge of the interim evaluation of the plan with the participation of personnel of the Provincial Housing and Urban Development Bureau (HUDB).
In accordance with the resolution of the Provincial Assembly, the Commission organized several consultations meetings with attendance of related Chinese specialists and staff members form the Bureau and held hearings to increase public input for thorough discussion and analysis in 1996. Synthesis of various opinions and views and careful discussions as well as evaluations led to the conclusion that in view of the financial difficulties of the Provincial Government and the limited manpower of the Commission, more reliable measures should be taken i.e. the conceptions and spirit of the integrative program of the Taiwan Historical and Cultural Park should be maintained with slight readjustment of its’ construction schedule. The three hall of the park, i.e. Library of Historical Documentation, the Folklore and Relics Museum, and the Historical Monuments Museum are to be established first and the construction of the other two hall will be decided in accordance with the operations of the park and future needs.