At the Cheng Family Hakka Boxing Academy, Minister Gu paid her respects to Cheng Pao-ning, the master responsible for passing down the culture associated with Hakka martial arts and lion dance. Founded by Master Cheng, the Hsinchu County Golden Lion Troupe receives training in music, theater, dance, and other types of performance, earning them a reputation as all-around performers of Hakka martial arts and lion dance. Master Cheng has taught his craft widely: nine martial arts troupes from the Chang, Huang, Liu, Tien, Fan, and other clans in Qionglin trace their lineage to him, posing this region as the fountainhead of Hakka lion dance across Taiwan.
Next, Minister Gu visited the Jinyufong Rice Milling Plant, a historic complex in Hsinchu County. The Qionglin Township Office remarked that the project tasks for research and design planning of the building complex encompass historic building restoration and adaptive reuse design, creation of an interactive digital exhibit via 3D scanning and animation, and video documentation of the restoration process. Minister Gu mentioned that restoring the water mill to its bygone functional state would likely attract more tourists and suggested the Township Office to consider this direction.
Finally, Minister Gu arrived at the Chung Family Ancestral Residence, a historic monument designated by Hsinchu County. There, she inspected the restoration progress of the building alongside Chung Jen-kui, manager of the Chung family estate, and Hung Chien-ho, section chief at the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Hsinchu County Government. Chung Jen-kui shared that after restoration of the residence is completed, they will consider making it open to the public free of charge, allowing disadvantaged groups to visit as a charitable act. Some rooms will also offer residence programs available for application by cultural and history professionals. His own room will turn into a visitor center for tourists to relax and take a break in. After the refurbishment work finishes, the goal is that the residence forms an ecosystem with surrounding attractions and natural sceneries to drive local tourism, so more people have the opportunity to explore this precious and beautiful U-shaped courtyard home.
