Dongyin Zhonglu Living Room

Dongyin is a small island only 18.5 nautical miles from China. It is not only our northern border but also the frontline of cross-strait tensions. These geopolitical factors have profoundly shaped the island's cultural development, which is deeply intertwined with fishing and military influences. Outside the Gate of Loyalty is the fishing boat pier, essential for the island's livelihood. Inside the gate is a long, seemingly endless staircase called "Zhonglu," which extends from the Gate of Loyalty all the way to Dongyin National Elementary and Junior High School. Before 1966 (Republic of China Year 55), this was the island's "town center." Many businesses lined both sides of Zhonglu, and fishermen would rest in shacks by the stairs. During the period of military administration, even the military government was located around Zhonglu. The island's vitality and livelihoods all revolved around this staircase. However, after the devastation of typhoons and the construction of public housing, the community center gradually shifted from Zhonglu towards the island's interior. Zhonglu, once prosperous due to its port and bustling with people, succumbed to population loss and gradually became a periphery of the settlement. The once-bustling shops, factories, and fish shacks subsequently became empty and abandoned. In 2019, Salty Island Co-op emerged, like mushrooms after rain. Local residents and various government agencies alike spontaneously felt a sense of mission to revive Zhonglu. Today, through collective effort, Zhonglu has shed its old, faded clothes of decline and transformed into a place that carries the island's stories. You are invited to explore Zhonglu's staircase, one step at a time. If you get tired, don't forget to visit the "Salty Island Co-op," Dongyin Zhonglu's living room, to enjoy a cold drink and chat with us about the island's tales. "Salty Island Co-op" is not a true cooperative but a local youth group founded by several returning young women in an abandoned shrimp oil factory. They use design aesthetics, creative dining, environmental theater, and other mediums to build bridges between the public and social-environmental issues. They aim to call upon new and original islanders to collectively establish a community brand on this island full of mystery and "slow" energy. At the end of 2019, the world faced the lockdown of the pandemic. The young women returned home to Dongyin from their aspirations of studying/living overseas. Amidst long and endless waiting, they established an island paradise for like-minded youth, based on design, local revitalization, and dining. Salty Island Co-op centers on cross-domain integration, enabling young people from different fields to "find their place" through mutual cooperation. Thus, from an initial 8 unpaid partners, it has grown into a medium-sized organization with 20 members and 8 full-time partners by early 2025. Salty Island Co-op is divided into three business units: 1. "Salty Island Studio," which champions art and public welfare. 2. "Tuyatu Creative Integration Co., Ltd.," responsible for design and curation. 3. "Salty Island Coffee House," which gathers people around its tables. This trinity is like sailing on a giant ark, requiring helmsmen who can control thoughts from different dimensions, navigating together while simultaneously expanding their horizons. At the beginning of each year, Salty Island Co-op sets an advocacy theme for that year (2021 Dark Sky Issue, 2022 Military Zone Deactivation, 2023 Sea Transport, 2024 Slow City Heritage, etc.). All activities and projects revolve around these themes, aiming to revitalize the island with a new industrial ark, enabling Dongyin—a "slow city" located on the border in a unique area—to enter the international spotlight within 10 years and become Taiwan's contemporary representative local brand.