SU Publishes Taiwan’s First Book of Shilin’s Crucial Water Resource

At a book launch event in its Waishuanghsi Campus on May 3^rd, 2022, Soochow University celebrated the release of Reading Shilin: Exploring the Lost Memories of Fudeyang Canal, the first-ever book in Taiwan that fully explored the history of an important canal in Taipei’s Shilin District.

Authored by Professor Hin-Chung Wong of the Department of Microbiology with over a year of research efforts, the masterpiece was the result of part of the USR (University Social Responsibility) project of SU’s School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences named “Past and Present: Recreating Shilin’s Heyday.”

Notable guests, including Director of the Chising Management Office Shih-Wen Chou and Principal of Taibei Senior High School Chien-Yu Chen, joined SU’s President Wei-Ta Pan, Dean of School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Shiow-Duan Hawang, Professor of the Department of Sociology Ter-Hsing Cheng, and Head of Research Affairs Division Hsiu-Chuan Liu in revisiting the water history of Shilin.

Fudeyang Canal, an important water resource that had nurtured Shilin’s farmland and households in the early days, has a close connection with SU as its water intake is located right next to the Second Academic Building on the campus. To pass on the culture of the Fudeyang Canal, Professor Wong and the USR Project team published this book, which not only has historical value but preserves Shilin locals’ collective memory.

Besides the book launch, an exhibition displaying a number of images, audio-visual materials, and an old cadastral map collected by Professor Wong attracted citizens to witness the golden days of the Fudeyang Canal.