A century-old Hakka residence in Guoxing Township, Nantou, has officially begun restoration work — good news for the preservation of local culture.

• The "Lin Family Compound" (Lin Wu Huofang) in Nangang Village, Guoxing Township, is the birthplace of Taiwan's deer farming industry, as well as the best-preserved Hakka tiled house in Nantou. It has already been designated a historic building.
• The old residence was built in 1911 by a Hakka couple who relocated from Beipu, Hsinchu, and it bears witness to the history of Hakka migration in Nantou.
• The wooden structure has been eaten away by termites, the wiring is aging, and the roof leaks; on top of that, it is 13 kilometres from the nearest fire station, so this phase will first focus on disaster prevention and emergency repairs.
• The project costs about NT$8.14 million and will include the installation of a fire detection system and initial firefighting equipment to reduce the risk of fire.

Looking ahead: once the first phase is complete, efforts will be made to secure funding for a second phase, with the goal of turning the century-old residence into a community hub combining culture, industry, and education.