A book recording the saving of one of the nation's major heritage sites -- the Lin Family home in Wu-feng -- from having its heritage status taken away will be published by the Control Yuan tomorrow.
The book, The Lins of Wu-feng Waiting for a New Tomorrow, came from the investigation papers of two Control Yuan members fighting the Ministry of Interior's handling of the heritage, is the fourth book in a Control Yuan series advocating human rights.
Control Yuan member Huang Huang-hsiung (
The Control Yuan investigation was initiated after an interior ministry official hinted that his ministry might consider annulling the heritage status of the compound after the earthquake hit the country.
The MOI official claimed that it might be difficult to restore the historic site after the disaster devastated 99 percent of the compound, a typical Ching-dynasty construction.
He disclosed that an estimate revealed it would cost NT$1 billion to repair the compound.
The estimate shocked Huang and Ma, who believed that the compound meant a lot to local history and was a symbol of Taiwanese culture.
The perception earned the endorsement of Huang Fu-san (黃富三), a leading Taiwanese historian. Huang said that "the family history of the Lins of Wu-feng was typical of Taiwanese history, since the clan's path synchronized with the development of Taiwanese society."
Historic-site expert Lee Chian-lang (
Lee said the compound's history represented an encyclopedia of Taiwanese architecture that illustrate the luxurious world the Ching elite lived in.
The first Control Yuan investigation ended with a reminder to the interior ministry months after the 9-21 earthquake that heritage conservation officials must improve their protection and restoration of the compound from.
The investigation also reminded the MOI to look out for changes to the architecture.
The MOI was urged by Control Yuan members to safeguard the well-being of the clan's descendents, since they had donated the property to the public.
The second investigation started in September, after the two members received a complaint from the clan descendents that an expected government fund contributing to the reconstruction was missing from the Cabinet's budgetary aids for 921 victims.
The problem emanated from the disunited jurisdiction of ministries for the restoration plan.
The special fund, when it was confirmed by the MOI, shrunk to NT$90 million from a promised NT$114 million.
The Control Yuan issued an official censure of such misconduct to conclude its second investigation. But the war between the Control Yuan and the ministry continued after a MOI announcement last April that struck part of the compound building from the heritage list.
The ministry annulled the decision due to enormous protests from clan offspring and the Control Yuan members.
A NT$650 million restoration project was ultimately settled for the compound's fate last year.
Huang was confident that the control power realized the preservation of the compound.
"We did safeguard one of the most treasurable cultural assets for Taiwan while we safeguard the clan's property rights in the meantime," he said.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS