Making Violins from Driftwood: Chiayi County, Part 4
What happens when a typhoon delivers hundreds of tons of driftwood to your doorstep? In the village of Dapu near Zengwen Reservoir in southern Taiwan, residents have found an extraordinary answer: make violins. In part four of our five-part series “Where’s the Chiayi County Chief Taking Us?” Andrew Ryan explores how a tight-knit community turned disaster into art. Guided by a skilled violin maker, locals are crafting exquisite instruments that blend Italian tradition with Taiwanese innovation. But they’re not stopping there—they’re also learning to play their violins, creating music of their own. WATCH more episodes here. https://www.taiwanplus.com/news/taiwan-news/wheres-the-mayor-taking-us [Taiwan’s Mayors and County Chiefs] Taiwan is home to 13 county chiefs, six mayors of special municipalities (New Taipei, Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung) and three mayors of provincial cities. These elected officials serve a maximum four-year term, and can be re-elected for one additional term. The first episodes of the series aired prior to local elections in 2022.
*This AI-generated summary is based on reporting by TaiwanPlus and verified by newsroom fact checkers. Learn more about our policy here.
In the wake of Typhoon Morakot, which delivered tons of driftwood to Tseng-wen Reservoir in southern Taiwan, a small village in Chiayi County found a unique way to transform the debris into an art form: violin making.
Once displaced by the construction of the reservoir in the 1970s, residents of Dapu Village are now carving out a new identity through music and craftsmanship.
Former village chief Wu Yi-Hao sought to rejuvenate the community by harnessing the driftwood’s potential.
“When I heard the sound [of the violin], I felt it was exactly what I was looking for—the soul I had been searching for,” Wu said. Inspired by this realization, he envisioned a future where music could breathe new life into Dapu.
“I thought if there could be music drifting through this place, it would be beautiful,” he said.
Led by a skilled artisan, a group of about 20 villagers now crafts violins from local wood, including Taiwan's native spruce species, which rivals those used in traditional European violin-making. Huang Sheng-yen, a violin maker and musician, noted the significance of blending Western craftsmanship with Taiwan’s rich forestry.
“With time and continual refinement, we can create something uniquely Taiwanese,” he said.
The initiative has also inspired residents to learn how to play the instruments they make, turning the craft into a shared cultural and educational experience.
Seventy-four-year-old Chang Yung-pao moved from Tainan City to Dapu specifically to learn how to make and play a violin.
“A violin you slowly learn to make with your teacher is almost like your child,” Chang said. “When you’re finally able to play it, that’s truly something.”
The community has expanded its efforts beyond violin making. The local center now doubles as a venue where visitors can enjoy music and support local farmers by purchasing their products. The initiative has also encouraged young people to return to their hometown and fostered pride among residents.
“Although we live in a remote area, we’ve invested a lot of time and energy into nurturing people with skills and talent,” Wu said. “I believe this place is becoming something special.”
The village’s violin makers showcase their work each year at a music festival held on the reservoir’s banks. Plans are also underway to build a museum dedicated to the instruments and the people who create them, highlighting the resilience and creativity of Dapu Village.
What’s next?
In the final episode of “Where’s the Chiayi Mayor Taking Us?” the series ventures to the coastline to explore the world’s largest high-heeled shoe-shaped structure. What role does this glamorous icon play in rural Taiwan? Find out in the series finale.
