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Mingde New Residential Quarter — The Admirals' Village

◎Written by Li Guei-sian

◎English translation by Hou Ya-ting

◎Photos by Carter

　Mingde New Residential Quarter in Zuoying District was built to house admirals and other senior navy officers along with their families. It was one of hundreds of military dependants' villages that became a unique feature of Taiwan's urban areas after 1949, when the Kuomintang (KMT, Chinese Nationalist Party) government retreated from the Chinese mainland.

　Unlike most military dependants' villages, Mingde New Residential Quarter has a number of distinct features, such as Japanese-style individual houses, each with its own yard. The residential quarter is like that of an elegant villa community. Its survival is remarkable because, in 1996, the Act for Rebuilding Old Quarters for Military Dependents began a process of razing these communities.

　To preserve the cultural and architectural heritage of veterans' villages, the Cultural Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government and Kaohsiung Museum of History collaborated to convert houses nos. 2, 3, 4, 10 and 11 in Mingde New Residential Quarter into an attraction named Farewell, 886: Cultural Park of Taiwan Military Veteran Village.

　In addition, in 2020, house no. 5 was transformed into the Admiral's Residence. It features a veteran-themed exhibition space equipped with AR devices. The exhibition presents amenities and images from the past, as well as interactive games, so visitors can immerse themselves in the unique culture and atmosphere of a military dependants' village.

　The Admiral's Residence aims to present daily life through displays of cooking equipment, apparel, entertainment equipment, and architecture. The exhibition covers navy cadets' childhoods, naval clothing, home-cooked delicacies typical of veterans' villages, high school students' lives, household appliances, and ladies' clothing, such as the qipao (also known as the cheongsam).

　As they observe items that featured in daily life, visitors will gain an appreciation for the almost-disappeared culture of military dependants' village.

　The culinary exhibition within the Admiral's Residence will fascinate those interested in food and food history. Military dependants' villages included servicemen and their spouses from every corner of the Chinese mainland. They created a unique array of dishes that fused Taiwanese ingredients with mainland cooking techniques.

　Dumplings were often eaten. At Lunar New Year, dumplings were seen as an auspicious food that should be enjoyed in that season. The recipes and food models on display reveal a rich culinary culture. In addition, visitors can learn how the ladies who lived in military dependants' villages were able to tailor their own qipao.

閱讀中文版：

將軍好宅 眷村生活懷舊開箱

https://takao.kcg.gov.tw/article/646