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Grain Head Team--Stories of Interviews

--True presentation of the four interviews, please select accordingly--

[Fuxing Silo Vounteers]   [Mr. Shih]   [Surrounding Area]   [Ms. Weng]

Date: Dec. 8, 2013

Location: Fuxing Silo

Guide: Mr. Wu-lang Cheng

Interviewees: Mr. Chi-chang Lin (volunteer),  Ms. Li-yun Shih (volunteer), Mr. Yi-you Ke (volunteer)
 

Report (part 1): (by Chi-yan)

        Up-to-date, Fuxing Silo is the largest and best preserved Japanese silo in Central Taiwan. It is also the most afterthought heritage site of the area. As a matter of fact the Silo attracted not only the people of Taiwan, but also many Japanese tourists. It was not until after the guided tour had we realized the significant value of this old silo. There wasn’t a single one of us who wasn’t in awe of its magnificence! The picture of a barn overflow with grains had become a moment of the past, and before us is a room of emptiness. When I first laid my eye on Fuxing Silo, it looked old but it possessed a trace of the reminiscence of the past. Through the detailed introduction of the guide, we learned that the Silo may not look like much but it played an important role in history.  Just as the name suggested, the silo is a place where people store grains. In the early period, rice had always been a crucial element to the lives of the people in Taiwan.  In Taiwan, rice is our staple and a lot of foods were the product of processed grain. Whether it’s just plain rice or cakes for worshiping deities or blood rice cake, a favorite of the local Taiwanese or sushi, they’re all made from rice.

        Taiwan’s rich soil, vast irrigation facilities and water canals built during the Qing dynasty were elements which led to its rich grain production. However, it was impossible to use up all these grains. They must be put in storage.  Due to Taiwan’s humid climate and problematic pests made the silo a critical facility to the farmers. The harvested paddy rice must be properly prepared, expose to the sun, and stored. Furthermore, Taiwan’s warm humid climate became a problem for rice storage. In fact, the humidity made the rice susceptible to mold and bacteria growth and even spoilage. The Silo had used many methods and concepts to deal with these annoying problems; such as the dormer window, the earth walls, the sloping roof along the corridors and the conveyor belt overhead. The Japanese used their wisdom in the making of the Silo which was still used by our people to this very day. We had learned a lot from this trip. We also learned that the wisdom of ancestors is not to be taken lightly. The making of the silo required a lot of planning, money spent and manpower. Therefore, through these historical heritages we should learn to feel and follow the spirit and wisdom of our ancestors. The images of these historical heritages will stay in our hearts forever. Visiting Fuxing Silo has been an interesting and meaningful experience for me. Never had I ever realize the rice we eat everyday had to go through such length to get to our table. This reflected the saying, “who knows that each grain of rice on our plate is the fruit of extreme hard work.” From seedling to fertilizing to cultivating to harvesting and then to processing, it took a lot of work for a seed to become the rice we eat at our table. Behind all this, the farmers gave their heart and soul, their sweat and their wisdom into the making of rice. It’s not something which we can imagine! The phrase, “The Great Wall of China remains, but Qing Shi Huang is nowhere to be seen” readily reflected the role of the farmers!  Although the old machines were repaired and had lost the rusts which represented their time, the newly improved machines, and interior décor made this historical space alive.

Report (part 2): (by Su-tian)

        As the wind breezed through the room, there stood our interviewee senior volunteer Mr. Lin. He spoke of the past, with warmth in his eyes. Maybe, it wasn’t something that we could quite comprehend. Today we came to Fuxing Silo, and I realized that everything was carefully planned. Whether it’s the design of the visitor’s route or the rice milling facilities, all of which left us in admiration. Looking up, is the conveyor belt our ancestors used to save manpower. It was an excellent helper which helped cut down time and space. I could only imagine how spectacular Fuxing Silo would have been during full operation. Fuxing Silo was completed in 1926 during the Japanese colonial period. During this time, Taiwan was rich in rice production and the Japanese in the hope to store and increase rice production designed this well functioned exquisite silo. Fuxing Silo is the biggest Japanese silo in Central Taiwan. The main elements of the silo consisted of the barn, the silo, and the milling machine room. There were as many as 16 barns and from this one can see the importance of Fuxing Silo’s role at the time. Although the glamour of Fuxing Silo is long past and the barns empty, the well preserved architecture and facility gave us a chance to explore the cultural of the past. Also, the Changhua County Cultural Affairs Bureau made the old silo into an industry exchange center. All sorts of cultural assets and arts were blooming in the silo. Now, not only can we see the barns we can also enjoy the works of modern artists. Fuxing Silo is no longer just a place for discovering historical culture; it is a passing down of the tradition of creative arts. As my companion and I strolled within the silo my brother like a curious little mouse asked” The silo in the past with so much grain. Wouldn’t it explode?” We laughed at his childish talk, but suddenly realized the importance of Fuxing Silo at the time. It must be magnificent. Today, we learned a lot! Mr. Lin said,” When I was young, I brought rice to the silo!” No wonder he’s dedicated to work here, because the silo contained the lives of many people. Therefore, we should preserve it forever.

Report (part 3): (by Tze-an)

        History is an important evidence of human development. By visiting historical buildings, we can have a better understanding of the living environment and method of our ancestor. Fuxing Silo is a vessel which allows us to experience the practical rice storage method of the Japanese Colonial period.
        In the past, I thought nothing of the rice we have at our table, but after Mr. Cheng’s detailed introduction, I realized that there is so much more to the milling and storing of rice. Firstly, in order to maintain temperature within the barn, its walls must be made of sturdy earth bricks. The surface of the walls was then plastered with hulls and mud which caused pores in the wall; hence, allow the wall to have low thermal conductivity.

        Secondly, in order to allow good air circulation, the bamboo strip tube and the dormer window was introduced. I really admire the wisdom of our ancestors. Mr. Cheng explained to us how the concept of hot air goes up and cold air goes down is applied here. The humidity inside the barn is carried up and through the bamboo strip tube and out the dormer window. This design is implemented for the purpose of keeping the barn dry. Therefore, the rice storage barn is very cool and comfortable!
        In order to achieve continuous operation, Fuxing Silo is equipped with a milling machine room, a transport system which consisted of rod belt spinning method and bucket elevator for grain transport, plus beam conveyor belt. It really opened my eyes and I learned a lot.
 

First time coming close with Fuxing Silo	Let me be the next to have my art exhibition here