Kaohsiung's 'Whampoa Hakka Station' Inaugurated, Transforming Hakka Cultural Governance Model

Central News Agency (Reporter Chang Yi-lien, Kaohsiung, April 22) The Hakka Cultural and Creative Center in Fengshan District, Kaohsiung, known as 'Whampoa Hakka Station,' officially opened today. Yang Jui-hsia, Director of the Kaohsiung City Hakka Affairs Committee, stated that 'Whampoa Hakka Station' represents a transformation of the cultural governance model and hopes to build an urban Hakka cultural platform with a diffusion effect. The Kaohsiung City Hakka Affairs Committee explained that the 'Come, Hakka - Whampoa Hakka Station Opening Tea Party' was held in Whampoa New Village in the morning. The event kicked off with a Bayin welcoming ceremony, and interactive experiences such as indigo dyeing were arranged on site. Former resident 'Sister Kang' was invited to witness the transformation of the space and deepen historical emotional connections. According to the news release from the Kaohsiung Hakka Affairs Committee, Director Yang Jui-hsia stated that 'Whampoa Hakka Station' not only revitalizes historical spaces but also represents a transformation of the cultural governance model. Through private operation mechanisms and diverse experiential designs, Hakka culture is integrated into daily life and connected with local resources, creating an urban Hakka cultural platform with a diffusion effect. Architect Shih Shun-wen mentioned that this building is like a time machine, having undergone different periods of transformation, from a Japanese-era military officers' dormitory to a post-war military-civilian living space, and now transforming into 'Whampoa Hakka Station,' showcasing multiple historical layers. Shih Shun-wen stated that the design deliberately preserves repair traces and life textures, allowing people to experience the atmosphere of past life in the space. In the future, 'Whampoa Hakka Station' will not only be an architectural venue but will also extend to connect the public living room and cultural classrooms of the community, becoming a node where people encounter Hakka culture. The Kaohsiung Hakka Affairs Committee added that 'Whampoa Hakka Station' will be operated by the Kaohsiung City Hakka Cultural Affairs Foundation, planning to promote Hakka language, literature, skills, cuisine, and cultural and creative courses, and serve as a platform for integrating cultural resources and promoting inter-ethnic exchanges, gradually establishing a new type of urban Hakka cultural base in Kaohsiung. (Editor: Hsieh Ya-chu) 1150422