Taiwan Military Dependent Village Culture: Nostalgic Memories of the Mainlanders and the Taste Politics of Military Village Cuisine
Subtitle: From the 1949 Retreat to Community Revitalization: How Military Villages Became Taiwan's Most Unique Cultural Enclaves
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1. The Formation of Military Villages: How the 1949 Million-Strong Army Took Root in Taiwan
After the 1949 defeat in the Chinese Civil War, the Republic of China government began systematic relocation, with an estimated 600,000 to 1 million military personnel and civilians arriving in Taiwan, forming what would later be known as the "Mainlander" population. These soldiers and their families from various provinces of China were assigned to live in rudimentary village housing, initially named after military unit numbers such as Baojing Road and Guanggu New Town, gradually evolving into the military village settlements we see today.
According to Ministry of Defense archives, during Taiwan's peak period, there were 789 military villages distributed across all cities and counties, with the highest concentrations in Taipei County (now New Taipei City), Taoyuan County, and Kaohsiung City. Most of these villages were located around military bases, forming highly enclosed community units clearly separated from surrounding local Taiwanese communities.
The military village system was run on military management lines, with village chiefs volunteer positions filled by military families. The supply system guaranteed basic living needs, creating a unique "quasi-military" lifestyle.
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2. The Identity Politics of Military Village Cuisine: Shandong Steamed Buns, Hunan Cured Meat, and Sichuan Pickles Fusion in Taiwan
The core characteristic of military village cuisine is the "melting pot of provincial flavors" — military families from different provinces transformed their homeland memories into餐桌上的滋味, creating a unique taste landscape that could only be replicated in military villages. The large steamed buns brought by Shandong veterans emphasized flour fermentation time and kneading technique. After steaming, they had to meet the standard of "smooth exterior and evenly distributed air holes" — and there was simply no equivalent substitute in local Taiwan.
The making of Hunan cured meat embodied "the preservation technology of nostalgia" — hanging pork after salting in a ventilated area to dry. This traditional technique required adjustment in Taiwan's humid climate. Many military village families developed an improved version of "charcoal grilling before air-drying." This "Taiwan-style Hunan cured meat" is no longer the original flavor but carries deeper significance of taking root in a new land.
Sichuan pickles (mustard greens, spicy cabbage) were the favorites of military village mothers. The proportion of chili powder, salt, ginger, and garlic each family had their own "secret recipe." This "family secret not to be shared" became an identity symbol for military village daughters-in-law — only those who could make pickles were truly considered to have "entered" the family.
The "taste politics" of military village cuisine manifested in: these dishes served as markers of ethnic boundaries while also functioning as mediums of cross-provincial integration. A Sichuan wife taught her Shandong neighbor to make pickles, in exchange for learning steaming bun techniques. This "flavor exchange"构成了眷村內部獨特的人際網路.
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3. Famous Military Village Natives: Teresa Teng, Chu Tien-wen, and Hou Hsiao-hsien's Military Village Memories
Teresa Teng was born in an air force military village in Baozhong Township, Yunlin County. Her father, Teng Shu, was a Kuomintang air force officer. Her childhood was spent in the military village, and her early entertainment career also benefited from the community's social network — the village uncles and aunts were her earliest audiences and initial supporters. The "sweet honey" image in Teresa Teng's singing actually originated from the warm yet enclosed human warmth of the military village.
Chu Tien-wen's father, Chu Hsi-ning, was a Mainlander writer who came to Taiwan with the Kuomintang. Her mother, Liu Musha, was a local Taiwanese literary translator. Chu Tien-wen grew up in this special family composition of "Mainlander father, local mother." This cross-ethnic marriage form was extremely rare in military villages, providing her later writing with a unique identity perspective. The identity issues she explored in 《荒人手記》 are closely related to the "夹缝感" of military village experiences.
Hou Hsiao-hsien was born in Meixian, Guangdong. In 1949, he came to Taiwan with his family and settled in a navy military village in Zuoying, Kaohsiung. His film language, that kind of "静静觀察" narrative method, is said to be related to his childhood experience of "看大人下棋" in the military village. The slow sense of time in Hou Hsiao-hsien's films is actually a reappearance of military village time perception — in the Mainlander community, "waiting" itself was a way of life.
These cultural figures' military village memories tell us: military villages were not just living spaces, but also bases for cultural production, a unique "exile aesthetics" training ground.
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4. Demolition Wave and Preservation Controversies: The Fates of Four-Four South Village, Matsu New Village, and Taoyuan Xian-Guang Second Village
The military village demolition wave that started in the 1990s was one of the fiercest battlegrounds between urban development and cultural preservation in Taiwan. Four-Four South Village (Xinyi District, Taipei City) faced the greatest demolition pressure due to its prime location in the Xinyi business district. However, thanks to the efforts of preservation activists, części was preserved as a "Military Village Museum," becoming the first successful preservation case in Taiwan. Its significance lies in "讓城市記住歷史" — under the shadow of Taipei 101, the low-rise village houses created a time dimension of irony.
Matsu New Village (Taoyuan City) was another successful preservation case. After being used as a filming location for the movie 《KANO》, its exposure greatly increased, and it was eventually listed as a historical building. The preservation method adopted a strategy of "partial restoration, maintaining the ruin feel." This "imperfect preservation"反而创造了一種獨特的「時間膠囊」效果.
The fate of Taoyuan Xian-Guang Second Village was more tortuous — after being registered as a historical building in 2007, unclear management responsibilities led to years of abandonment. It was only in recent years that restoration work began, expected to reopen as a "Military Village Cultural Park." This long "preservation then restoration" process reflects the institutional dilemmas of Taiwan's military village preservation movement.
The tug-of-war between demolition and preservation is essentially a value conflict over "whose memories are worth preserving." Local Taiwanese may think "that's Mainlander history," while Mainlanders feel "this is our everything." This difference in identity makes military village preservation an even more complex issue beyond simply "preservation vs. demolition."
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5. Visiting Military Village Cultural Centers: Taiwan's Preserved Military Village Museums and Exhibition Spaces
Currently, Taiwan's larger-scale military village museums include:
Zuoying Navy Military Village (Kaohsiung City): The most completely preserved continuous military village settlement. Due to Kaohsiung Navy Base's special status, the military villages here are the largest in Taiwan. Some houses have been activated as "見城之道" exhibition spaces, combining military heritage with military village life memories. The参观重点在于自助眷村巷弄中的壁畫與老樹 — these informal "民间记忆"比官方展示更具真实性.
Qingshui Military Village Cultural Park (Taichung City): Originally an air force military village. After successful preservation, it was transformed into an art and cultural space. The park's特色是保留了眷村的鄰裡關係 — many original residents returned to serve as volunteer guides. This "living museum"形态在全臺首見. When visiting, it is recommended to join the "眷村媽媽的料理教室," to taste military village cuisine on site.
National Museum of Taiwanese Literature (Tainan City): Although not a dedicated military village museum, the museum's permanent exhibition includes several sections on Mainlander writers' military village writings, suitable for readers interested in military village literature.
Taoyuan Military Village Cultural Preservation Promotion Association (Taoyuan City): An informal exhibition venue, but the association frequently organizes guided tours and oral history interviews, suitable for readers who want deeper understanding.
The best time to visit military village museums is "during Chinese New Year" — at this time, many military villages hold "reunion dinner" events, and the Mainlander New Year cuisine flavors are most intense then.
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6. The Identity Dilemma of Second-Generation Military Village Residents: The Historical Weight of the "Mainlander" Label
The identity recognition issues faced by second-generation military village residents (born between 1950-1970) are extremely unique in Taiwan's ethnic history. They grew up in military villages but were identified as "Mainlanders" by the outside society (under labels of "taro and sweet potato"), creating a kind of identity tearing of "internal-external inconsistency."
This "dual identity" creates a unique social psychological phenomenon: speaking "Taiwan-style Mandarin" (mixed with various provincial accents) at home, while having to switch to "standard Chinese" or " Taiwanese" to integrate into local communities. Many recall that in childhood they "most feared being asked where their hometown was" — answering "I'm a Mainlander" often earned them strange looks.
In career choices, second-generation military village residents showed a clear "concentration toward the system" — taking civil service exams, joining the military or police. This choice一方面是繼承父業的家族期待,另一方面也反映了外面的世界對我們有限制的現實認知.
However, this dilemma also created unique "military village effectiveness" — second-generation military village residents have particularly strong cohesion, and their hometown associations and alumni associations have惊人的組織動員力. This "弱勢群體的互助網路" became important social capital for them in Taiwanese society.
In recent years, as the Mainlander/local labels gradually blurred, second-generation military village residents have begun to show a trend of "reinterpretation" of their identity — from "labeled Mainlanders" to "military village people with unique cultural assets." This change is a phenomenon that only emerged in the past twenty years.
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7. Military Village Cuisine Restaurant Guide: The Most Authentic Mainlander Restaurants in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung
Military village cuisine restaurants in the Taipei area are somewhat dispersed, but there are a few recognized by old Taipei residents:
Qianjing Restaurant (Zhongshan District, Taipei City): Famous for Hunan cured meat. The owner is second-generation military village,坚持「不加人工調味」的傳統做法. The cured meat fried rice is the signature dish, but advance reservation is required — the chef only makes a fixed amount daily.
New Dongnan Seafood Restaurant (Xinyi District, Taipei City): Although named seafood, it is actually famous for military village cuisine. The signature dishes are "cold sliced pork trotter" and "garlic mashed pork," affordable prices, making it the "懷舊廚房" for many military village descendants.
Xindian Shandong Steamed Buns ({zh}): A small stall hidden in alleyways. The stall owner is the daughter of a Shandong veteran. The buns are large, about 1.5 times the size of commercially available buns.
In the Taichung area, military village restaurants are most concentrated around "Qingshui Military Village Cultural Park":
Military Village Tofu Soup (Qingshui District, Taichung City): The signature dish is "military village tofu soup," using bone broth as base, adding slab tofu and egg flowers.看似簡單但工序繁瑣. Regular customers say "這裡的豆腐湯喝起來像小時候媽媽做的."
The Zuoying area in Kaohsiung has the highest density of military village cuisine restaurants in Taiwan:
Zuoying Gaodigao (Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City): The name comes from the "高低不平" terrain features. The owner is a retired navy veteran. The menu features "military village home cooking." It is recommended to order "braised pork" and "sour cabbage white meat hot pot," generous portions and affordable prices.
Military Flavor Sichuan Cuisine (Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City): The store owner is the daughter of a Sichuan veteran. The signature dish is "bean paste fish" — made with old bean paste brought from Sichuan, taste completely different from local Taiwan Sichuan cuisine.
The common特色 of these restaurants is "maintaining the military village's flavor memory" — not just the dishes themselves, but also that "family-style dining" atmosphere. It is recommended to call ahead to confirm business hours — some old shops are closed on holidays.
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To find authentic military village cuisine restaurants in Taiwan, the most direct method is to refer to recommendations on the "iCook" platform or search for the keyword combination of "military village cuisine + city name." Additionally, PTT food forum has many pocket lists shared by old Taipei residents, worth referring to.
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FAQ
Q1: What are military villages? Why does Taiwan have military villages?
Military villages are settlement communities of Mainlander military personnel and their families who came to Taiwan with the Kuomintang government in 1949, mainly distributed around military bases. At Taiwan's peak, there were 789 military villages. These villages were originally built by the government allocating land, run on military management, forming a clearly separated "state within a state" from surrounding local Taiwanese communities.
Q2: What are the characteristics of military village cuisine?
Military village cuisine is a fusion product of various provincial flavors, represented by Shandong steamed buns, Hunan cured meat, and Sichuan pickles. Its characteristic is "localized adaptation of homeland flavors." Because Taiwan's climate and ingredients differed from their original hometowns, military village mothers developed "improved" versions. This unique flavor that is "neither the original nor Taiwanese-style" became the marker of military village cuisine. Each military village family had different recipes, forming a tradition of "family secrets not to be shared."
Q3: Do military villages still exist? What happened to most military villages?
Most military villages were demolished during urban renewal projects starting in the 1990s. Currently, Taiwan has no more than 20 intact military village settlements. More famous preservation cases include: Four-Four South Village (Taipei), Matsu New Village (Taoyuan), Zuoying Military Village (Kaohsiung), Qingshui Military Village (Taichung). Some of these preserved military villages have been activated as cultural parks, while others are listed as historical buildings but not yet open to the public.
Q4: What is special about second-generation military village residents' identity?
Second-generation military village residents (born 1950-1970) face the dilemma of "dual identity" — viewed as "insiders" within the military village, but labeled as "Mainlanders" by outside society. This identity tearing creates unique social psychological phenomena, including the "language switching" bother and the tendency toward "career choices concentrated in the system." In recent years, this label has gradually blurred, and second-generation military village residents have begun to reinterpret their identity.
Q5: How to visit preserved military village cultural spaces?
Taiwan's larger-scale military village cultural spaces include: Zuoying Navy Military Village (Kaohsiung City, visit by reservation), Qingshui Military Village Cultural Park (Taichung City, free admission), Four-Four South Village Military Village Museum (Xinyi District, Taipei City, free admission). It is recommended to check each space's opening hours in advance, as some are only open on weekends or require advance reservation.
Q6: Where can I eat authentic military village cuisine?
Military village cuisine restaurants in Taiwan are most concentrated in Kaohsiung Zuoying. Representative restaurants include "Military Flavor Sichuan Cuisine" and "Zuoying Gaodigao"; in the Taipei area, refer to "Qianjing Restaurant" and "New Dongnan Seafood Restaurant"; in Taichung, "Military Village Tofu Soup" is recommended. Most of these restaurants are old shops, some only open on weekends or require advance phone confirmation.
Q7: What significance does military village culture have for Taiwan society?
Military village culture represents a forgotten period of Taiwan's history — beyond the binary framework of "local vs. Mainlander," military villages provide a more complex perspective: the Mainlander population was not monolithic; they had internal differences among provinces, interactions and barriers with local Taiwanese, and struggles to take root. The significance of preserving military villages is "preserving diverse voices" — letting Taiwan remember this unique historical experience.
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Further Reading
To learn more about military village culture, refer to:
- Zhang Ying's 《我們的小說：眷村生活與文學》 — An in-depth analysis of identity issues in military village literary works
- Huang Chunmei's 《落地生根：外省第二代的口述歷史》 — First-hand interview records presenting the life stories of second-generation Mainlanders
- Jiao Tong's 《臺灣味道》 — Exploring Taiwan's food culture composition from military village cuisine
If you want to personally experience military village cuisine, restaurant information in various cities can be found in each local government cultural bureau's military village guidebooks, or use Google Maps to search for the keyword "military village cuisine" to find nearby options.
