Huwei Jianguo Military Dependents' Village

Huwei Jianguo Military Dependents' Village is characterized by its rural village setting, World War II Japanese military relics, military dependents' village life, and remnants of Japanese barracks. Huwei Jianguo Villages 1 and 2 form a significant architectural cluster in Yunlin County, preserving an area of up to 30 hectares. It is currently the only rural-style military dependents' village preserved in Taiwan. The area has evolved through three distinct periods: a Qing Dynasty rural village, barracks for a WWII Japanese military training base, and a post-war Air Force military dependents' village. Today, the village still retains numerous WWII Japanese military relics and traces of military dependents' village life, such as air-raid shelters, Japanese military turning circles, vehicle repair ditches, and irrigation facilities. Each historical period holds unique stories and memories, and the existing relics and structures reveal diverse influences from different eras. Below are the features presented by period: 1. **Rural Village Period (-1943):** The predecessor of Huwei Jianguo Military Dependents' Village was an old rural community in Taiwan. Houbi-liao (today's Huwei Jianguo Village 1) and Zhubei-zai (today's Huwei Jianguo Village 2) can be found on Qing Dynasty maps. In the autumn of 1943, due to urgent Japanese military training needs, the residents of Houbi-liao and Zhubei-zai were forcibly relocated to make way for the construction of Japanese military barracks. The villagers, carrying their bamboo houses, left their homes at night to restart their lives elsewhere. The story of this forced relocation is a shared memory among residents near the military dependents' village. The current agricultural landscape in the village dates back to this rural period. 2. **WWII Japanese Military Period (1944-1945):** After the forced relocation of the rural residents, the village was developed into the barracks area for the Huwei Airfield. In May 1944, the Huwei Naval Air Group began training, and many young pilots from Japan completed their initial flight training in Huwei. Besides the airfield training and barracks, memories from Japanese veterans reveal pilots' connections to the Huwei area, linking their entertainment and daily lives to the locality. After 1945, as the training missions of the Huwei Airfield changed and pilots were transferred, the period leading up to the end of the war even saw the training of special attack units deployed to the Pacific front. The war ended in August 1945. Although the Japanese military trained in Huwei for less than two years, it remains a collective memory for the older generation of Huwei residents. The park retains numerous Japanese military relics and landscapes from this wartime period. 3. **Air Force Military Dependents' Village Period (1949-2006):** After the war, the Huwei Airfield and barracks were taken over and became the Huwei Air Force Base and a military dependents' village. In 1949, as the KMT government retreated to Taiwan, military personnel working at the airfield and their dependents settled in the village. Residents lived in the barracks left by the Japanese military. As living needs evolved, organic additions and renovations occurred, and air-raid shelters and vacant spaces within the village became areas for auxiliary businesses. Dependents from all over China brought diverse living habits and a fusion of culinary cultures. The village showcases life experiences and journeys, from the hardship of the post-war period to the stability of later years. Today, many traces of the post-war military dependents' village's use of Japanese military housing are still visible. From the three historical contexts mentioned above, it is evident that the historical development process is closely intertwined with the local area. All three historical periods are linked to war, marked by movements, departures, and arrivals. It is hoped that Huwei Jianguo Military Dependents' Village, through its deep connection to wartime memories and the preserved agricultural landscape that adapted to war, can advocate for anti-war thinking and food and agricultural education. By connecting the stories of different eras with the international community, Huwei Jianguo Military Dependents' Village can achieve diverse development and applications for its cultural heritage and significance.