*
Homepage

 

11/06 (Thu)

Opening Hours 9:00-17:00

*
Listening to the World Locally – The Homecoming Tour of Taiwanese Musicians

Publication date: 20 Aug 2024
Author: Lee Yi-ling, Wang Li-Chiao | Staff member at the Archives of Institute of Taiwan History

Ninety years ago, in August 1934, a group of young Taiwanese musicians embarked on the first Western music concert tour in Taiwan’s history. The Homecoming Concert Tour began with great fanfare during the scorching summer of the South Island, kicking off at the Taipei Medical School Auditorium. With a packed itinerary, the tour traveled southward, stopping at public assembly halls in Hsinchu, Taichung, Changhua, Chiayi, and Tainan, before culminating in a final performance at the Kaohsiung Youth Hall. Despite the demanding schedule, the musicians delivered exquisite piano melodies and harmonies to audiences across Taiwan, sparking widespread acclaim.

This article focuses on Taiwan’s first “Homecoming Concert Tour,” which was rapidly organized in just over a month. The program primarily featured Western musical compositions. During the scorching summer of the South Island, this grand musical feast unfolded with enthusiasm, traveling from north to south with seven performances. It offered audiences across Taiwan an auditory delight, broadened their horizons, and brought Western music closer to the local population. This tour marked the beginning of Taiwan’s musical diversity and led to Taiwan’s music being recognized on the Olympic stage, where Taiwanese music shone brightly on the global scene.

*
Qiu Hui collection has Released
2024-06-20

The "Qiu Hui collection" (秋惠文庫) primarily consists of ancient documents from the Qing Dynasty and Japanese Colonial Period, spanning from the 31st year of the Qianlong Emperor (1766) to the 36th year of the Meiji Era (1903). It includes official correspondence documents between the Anli (岸裡社) and Maoluo (貓羅社) tribes and the authorities. There are also land lease agreements from Jiaoxi and Toucheng in Yilan, involving transactions with communities such as the Chiwulan (淇武蘭 社) and Qiwulao (奇武荖社) tribes.

Additionally, the collection features Sinkang Manuscripts during the Qianlong period, educational records from the Jiaqing period, and maps of Taipei City Wall during Qing Dynasty. Documents related to the construction of Yunlin County in and land reclamation in central Taiwan are also included. These encompass cultural records like Chen Shile's "Eight Views of Yunlin" and resume-related documents for Chen Shangda, alongside maps of Nantou and Yunlin County.

The catalog of these archival documents is now accessible through the "Taiwan Archival Information System," where visitors are welcome to inquire and access digital images in person at the archives.

Figure 1: "Deed of Sale for Land Reclamation Contract" in November 1864
This document records the sale of irrigated fields by Lin He-fa, a Han Chinese, to the Qiwulan tribe. The deed is marked with handprints and seals, illustrating the land transactions between Han Chinese and the local aboriginal community in the development process of the Yilan region.
 
Source: "Deed of Sale for Land Reclamation Contract by Lin He-fa Purchasing Fields in November 1864," "Qiu Hui collection" (T1092), Digital Collection of Archives of Institute of Taiwan History, Academia Sinica.

Figure 2: "Deed of Sale for Land Contract" in March 1782
This document is written bilingually in Chinese characters and Romanized Pinyin. It records the sale of fields located within the Banziqiao Pond by members of the Madou tribe (蔴荳社), including the woman Tuo Zaidat in Nashi, to Xie Zongyang.
 
Source: "Deed of Sale for Land Contract by Xie Zongyang Purchasing and Selling Fields from Tuo Zaidat and Others in March 1782," "Qiu Hui collection" (T1092), Digital Collection of Archives of Institute of Taiwan History, Academia Sinica.

Figure 3: The map of Lin Yipu, the old county town of Yunlin
The map of Linyipu (林圯埔), the old county town of Yunlin (now within the jurisdiction of Zhushan Township, Nantou County), is centered around this area, which was established by Chen Shile (陳世烈), the first Yunlin County Magistrate, under orders to construct the county seat. The map depicts the surrounding mountains, hydrology, villages, boundaries, and the locations of aboriginal communities.
 
Source: "Map and Public Documents," "Qiu Hui collection" (T1092), Digital Collection of Archives of Institute of Taiwan History, Academia Sinica.


11F., South Wing, Building for Humanities and Social Sciences, 128, Sec. 2, Academia Rd., Nangang Dist., Taipei City 11529,
Taiwan Tel: +886-2-2652-5181 Fax: +886-2-2652-5184 【Contact us
Copyright © 2010 Institute of Taiwan History, Academia Sinica. All Rights Reserved