Author: CHENGJIA ZHENG

A forgotten coal mine history is hidden from people in Houtong, a silent little village in the mountain. Walking along at the right side of Houtong Station for ten minutes, we came into “Coal Miner Culture & History Hall”, a museum created by four retired miners. Without any help from the government, there are abundant and precious relics as well as the miner’s appliance in this museum. The forgotten history are able to be found here.

“Do you know where the coal comes from?” “From the underground, isn’t it?” “Wrong, from the blood and sweat of miners.” Zhou Chao-Nan, the miner who worked in Ruisan quarry for more than 30 years, told us. He was also the mine manager of the quarry and lived in Houtong.

“The electricity and gas system were not that popular in 50s and 60s. Anything you can think of is related to the coal. Military, households, and commercial uses, everything. How did the six hundred thousand people retake our Chinese Mainland if we did not have coal for cooking?”

The importance of coal brought the glorious history of coal mine to Taiwan, though it is the tragic history for miners. The exposure of high risk while working had created an local idiom: “Even though a half of one’s life has gone when he becomes a miner, he still has to work hard. If you work hard, one will die; but if you don’t work hard, the whole family will die”. According to Zhou, one miner died in an average of 35 thousand tonnes of coal mine production, not including those who are injured and suffering from sickness.

In the 1970s, the energy resources had transformed from coal to petroleum. The  competition of imported coal mines, the depletion of local quarries and more and more mining hazards have led to the closure of most quarries. Ruisan coal mine was also closed in 1980.

After more than thirty years, Houtong has become the well-known “Cat Village” nowadays, but noone knows the story of miners. Zhou was unwilling to be resigned to the fact that history has been forgotten. Therefore, he called the old miners (He Bing-Rong, Ke Mao-Lin, Chen Qing-Xiang) and spend their 3500 NTD monthly national pension to renovate the house and set up the exhibition. 

Picture: Mr. Zhou Chao-Nan, an old miner, explained the miners' equipment used at that time.

Many old miners donated their utensils, clothes, electric and maintenance equipments in the old days. At the same time, Zhou collected coal mine datas from the rubbish bins, such as proposals, salary forms and attendance records. 2019 August, “Coal Miner Culture & History Hall” opens next to the old Ruisan Coal Mine.

Zhou feels pity Taiwanese does not value these relics, while the university scholars from Waseda University and Chou University fly all over to Taiwan and interview old miners, who have only primary school degrees. “Although we get a little funds from the government to maintain the operation, it is not enough comparing to our costs. We are too old for another decade. For example, He Bing-rong suffers from stroke in our preparatory meeting, he is still in the hospital fighting for his life… I hope our government can realize the importance of these relics, and take over the preservation works”.

The museum opens on weekends regularly by the retired miners. They are not only museum guides, but also rebuilding Ruisan Coal Mine by themselves. They hope that one day, people can enter the quarry safely, understand the contribution of the miners, and realize the importance of coal mine culture.

Postscript: Zhou Chao-Nan and Ke Mao-Lin mentioned, their wives always complained that they come to the Culture& History Hall too often and did not take care of their families, so they almost divorced! If anyone is interested in mine culture, you are welcome to join as a volunteer on weekends!

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