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The Taiwan Shinminpo News Special – Opening of Hualien Port, 1939
The Taiwan Shinminpo News Special – Opening of Hualien Port, 1939

The Taiwan Shinminpo and its related newspaper series were the only newspapers published by the Taiwanese during the Japanese colonial era. Among the contents, in-depth special reports on places, events and people are very important historical materials for studies on family histories and local regions. The Institute of Taiwan History has collected almost a hundred local news specials, covering topics such as economy and industry, infrastructure, cultural history, and school education. The issues presented include banana production and industrial economic trends, major infrastructure completion and current political situation, upgrade of towns and villages, rail service resumption and local development. The Taiwan Shinminpo carried what might not be described or documented in regular publications, such as local cultural characteristics and industrial histories, which were precious records for understanding our homeland. With the reference to the news special “Commemorative Special on Opening of Hualien Port” published in The Taiwan Shinminpo on October 1-2, 1939 and other archival collections of Institute of Taiwan History, this article focuses on the completion and opening of Hualien Port in 1939, detailing the construction process and its impact during the Japanese colonial era.

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Biography

The Du Family had immigrated from Tongan County, Fujian Province, and moved to Dajia area over three generations. The Du Family had used to farm for living. Du Wu-sheng, Du Xiang-guo’s grandfather, became local celebrity with accumulation of land capital. Du Qing (1869-1937), Du Xiang-guo’s father, was famous for developing the Dajia hats-and-mats industry. He invited local capitalists to establish the HorThai company involved in improvement of hats and mats, and successfully expanded their overseas markets, boosting the rise of hat-and-mat manufacturing industry.

Du Xiang-guo (1893-1947), also known as Du Ci, with pen names Jiaxi, Jiaxi Master, Jiaxi Weihang, Du Xiang-gu and Jiaxi Du Xiang-gu, was born in Dajia Town of Taichung County. Graduated from the Dajia Elementary School and the Taiwan Governor-General’s National Language school, he used to teach in the Dajia Elementary School, then followed his father footsteps to become a businessman in 1913 and serve as manager of Taiwan Securities Co., Ltd, president of Dajia Chamber of commerce, general manager of Penglai Paper Co., Ltd., supervisory manager of Zhongnan Industrial Co., Ltd., and executive officer of Dajia Credit Union. He also succeeded his father as the administrator of the Jenn Lann Temple after his father passed away.

Du Xiang-guo cooperated with Chen Huang, Wang Zhui, Chen Xin, Huang Qing-bo, and Guo Wu-ji to organize the "Dajia New Society" in 1926, which was a peripheral organization of the Cultural Association. The Dajia branch of the Taiwan People's Party had been set up in 1927, and Du Xiang-guo was elected to be one committee member of the Branch. In the following year (1928), he was listed in the Economy Committee of the Taiwan People's Party and chosen to be the backbone.

As for literary activities, Du Xiang-guo used to be the vice-president of the “Poetry Daily ", but also to work with Zhuang Long, Xu Tian-kui, Wang Qing-shui, Chen Yong, Guo Cai-Feng, Chen Zao-fen, and Chen Jia-yu to found the "Heng Society" , which was the earliest poetry society in Dajia Town. His works had been published on several newspapers and magazines, including the "Taiwan Daily Newspaper", "Poetry Daily", and the "The South News".

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