Chinese name: 鍾理和文學紀念館
Located at: Kaohsiung City (Southern Taiwan)
Year of Establishment: 1983
Address: No. 95, Chaoyuan Road, Guanglin Village, Meinong District, Kaohsiung City, 843
Chung Li-he Museum is the first literary hall established by private sectors. Located in the foothills of Jianshan Mountain in Meinong Town, it’s a two-story building that covers an area of 1655 square meter. To commemorate the late Taiwanese novelist Chung Li-he, the literary giants Chang Liang-ze (張良澤), Chung Chao-cheng (鍾肇政), Yeh Shi-tao (葉石濤), Cheng Ching-wen (鄭清文), Li Qiao (李喬), Lin Hai-yin (林海音) worked with local people to raise funds to set up the Chung Li-he Museum, which was completed in 1986.
Chung Li-he was a Hakka novelist. His masterpieces include the novel "Lishan Farm (笠山農場)," the novella "Rain (雨)" and short stories "The Man from the Native Land (原鄉人)" and "Poor Couple (貧賤夫妻)." Unlike other Taiwanese writers who wrote in Japanese in that era, Chung insisted on writing in Chinese throughout his life. While he was making changes to his novella "Rain," he died after coughing up blood. He was called the "writer who collapsed in a pool of blood" because of blood spilling on the manuscript.
The museum is designed with Taiwanese homes as the main theme. It highlights Chung’s down-to-earth personality. The first floor of the museum displays items from Chung’s life, including his manuscripts and related cultural relics. The second floor of the museum displays manuscripts, video materials and related works of Taiwanese writers. At present, the Chung Li-he Culture and Education Foundation is redesigning the building. The elegant atmosphere of the museum provides local residents and literary fans a space for contemplation, exchanges and learning.
In 1997, the Kaohsiung City Government built the Taiwan Literature Trail Park on both sides of the museum and erected a memorial statue of Chung, which became the country’s first Taiwanese literature trail park. At the same time, it selected more than 30 Taiwanese writers’ works and used their names and famous words as stone pavement along the path outside the museum.
In addition to enjoying the beautiful words on the stone carvings, visitors can also learn about Taiwan's many great writers from the brief introductions next to the words and phrases, making the literary atmosphere outside the museum more intense.
After the Chung Li-he Culture and Education Foundation applied for and received the “Local Cultural Hall Policy” subsidy from the Executive Yuan’s Council for Cultural Affairs, in 2003, it began to organize the Chung Li-he Museum and the literary park, integrating the museum and the Literature Trail Park. In the future, it will continue to work towards promoting the appreciation of literature in communities and strengthening literature education in society.
In addition, to commemorate Chung, the Chung Li-he Culture and Education Foundation organizes the Lishan Literature Camp under the themes of “Chung Li-he Literature” and “Taiwan Literature”on August 4th, the anniversary of Chung’s death. Since the first session in 1996, it has introduced Taiwan’s beautiful literary works to teachers, young students, and the public at all levels to supplement the shortage of Taiwan’s literary in the education system and in the media. In so doing, it promotes the local culture of Taiwan, and places importance on and pays respects to local writers.