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2024.07 Issue 58 |
National Archives NewsletterIn order to implement the legislative spirit of the Archives Act, promote public access of archives, and optimize evidential functions of archives in administrative and historically aspects for researching archives, the National Archives Administration (NAA) acquires and transfers the government agency archives within permanent preserved value based on the Archives Act. The NAA also accepts donations, trusteeship and acquisition of valuable documents from individuals or private sectors to ensure treasurable archives could be properly preserved and utilized after charting description, arrangement and conservation. So far, the NAA has collected 25 categories within approximately 29.5 kilometers of archives, including those related with government policies, legislative and control affairs, judicial and legal affairs. To facilitate public access to the archives, the latest information about the archives has been provided since 2010 quarterly. There were 245.893 meters of archives in total (16 major categories) preserved between July and September 2024. The source authorities, content summaries, information period and lengths of these acquisitions are listed below: |
1. Government Policy：The total length of archives is 0.88 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Yuan | Social welfare policy framework and action plan, termination of battlefield government affairs in Kinmen and Matsu Areas, etc. | 61-81 | 13.55 |
2. Judicial and Legal Affairs：The total length of archives is 9.88 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judicial Yuan | Law Interpretation applications, etc. | 78-85 | 9.4 |
| Taiwan Yunlin District Prosecutors Office, etc. | No. 59 of Zhen 3935 homicide case, criminal cases investigation, agreement on the status of U.S. Forces in China, etc. | 40-64 | 0.48 |
3. National Defense and Veterans Affairs：The total length of archives is 20.235 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force Command Headquarters, MND | Management of privately owned guns for self-defense in Air Force, etc. | 53-60 | 2.045 |
| Bureau of Military Intelligence, MND | Preparing to build SPOT satellite ground receiving station, employee corruption and malfeasance cases, compilation and printing of code books and financial report, etc. | 74-81 | 5.79 |
| Military Police Command, MND | Coast guard safety control, combat exercises, etc. | 39-81 | 11.61 |
| Air Force Command Headquarters, MND, etc. | Facilities management, no.7 Wan-An exercise guidance plan, etc. | 61-75 | 0.79 |
4. Fiscal and Financial Affairs：The total length of archives is 68.715 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Supervisory Commission, ROC | Amending article of Central Reinsurance Corporation, etc. | 67-80 | 2.43 |
| Jhunan Brewery, Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation | Alcohol research project, quality control standards, etc. | 81-91 | 28.56 |
| Taoyuan Printing Plant, Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation | Materials management, etc. | 87-91 | 15.325 |
| Chiayi Office, Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation | Tobacco and alcohol promotion, anti-smuggling, etc. | 87-91 | 22.4 |
5. Education and Sports Affairs：The total length of archives is 0.193 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Taipei University, National Academy for Educational Research, etc. |
The response measures after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, admission applications review of foreign students, collection of common folk characters, etc. | 35-81 | 0.193 |
6. Economic and Trade Affairs：The total length of archives is 6.862 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Region Water Resources Branch, Water Resources Agency, MOEA | Food bond financing and dispatch, etc. | 54-60 | 5.81 |
| Water Resources Planning Branch, Water Resources Agency, MOEA, etc. |
Attending international water resources conferences, personnel staffing, etc. | 36-74 | 1.052 |
7. Transportation and Public Works Affairs：The total length of archives is 16.527 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highway Bureau, MOTC | West Coast Expressway improvement project, Zhongxing Bridge improvement project, etc. | 77-79 | 15.2 |
| Northern Region Branch Office, Highway Bureau, MOTC; Civil Aeronautics Administration, etc. |
Road land appropriation, purchase and registration, new provincial highway bridge construction project, application for new air route opening, air terminal operation survey, etc. | 36-81 | 1.327 |
8. Health Care Affairs：The total length of archives is 13.865 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Health and Welfare | Personnel dispatch to Japan for parasite prevention and curing, five-year promotion plan for tuberculosis prevention and control, etc. | 56-71 | 13.615 |
| Chia- Yi Hospital, MOHW | Real estate management, etc. | 34-38 | 0.25 |
9. Environmental Resource Affairs：The total length of archives is 0.02 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radiation Monitoring Center, NSC | Nuclear reactor safety maintenance, etc. | 70-80 | 0.02 |
10. Labor and Human Resources Affairs：The total length of archives is 0.04 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Labor | Espionage case uncovered, etc. | 39-56 | 0.04 |
11. Humanities and Technology Development Affairs：The total length of archives is 4.067 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Science and Technology Council | Policies and regulations to promote cross-strait communication, etc. | 81-84 | 4.067 |
12. Agricultural Affairs：The total length of archives is 0.5 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiayi Branch, Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, MOA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency, MOA |
Alishan Forest Recreation Area construction design project, amending wild animal quarantine conditions, etc. | 35-73 | 0.5 |
13. Local Affairs：The total length of archives is 5.099 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Legal Affairs, Taipei City government | Organization regulations, etc. | 60-81 | 1.2 |
| Department of Rapid Transit Systems, Taipei City Government | Comprehensive planning and assessment of medium- and long-distance road networks, etc. | 79-80 | 2 |
| Sioulin Township Office, Hualien County; Department of Education, Taipei City Government, etc. | Mountain reserve management regulation and legal interpretations, public land rental and release, cooperative treasury business management, new zoo construction project, etc. | 61-81 | 1.899 |
14. Political Affairs：The total length of archives is 82.06 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Women's League of the Republic of China | Newspaper clippings related to armed forces entertainment donation, list of foreign exchange settlement and armed forces entertainment donations for importers and exporters, etc. | 50-78 | 51 |
| Executive Yuan | Overseas compatriots' reaction to the violence in Kaohsiung's "Formosa incident", etc. | 39-87 | 9.27 |
| Yilan County Government | Cultural censorship and suppression of prohibited publications, etc. | 70-74 | 1.05 |
| Ministry of National Defense | Taiwan-Penghu area defense operations guidance, security inspection, coastal control, etc. | 38-78 | 13.94 |
| Air Force Command Headquarters, MND | Preventing criminals from smuggling, military law interpretation, etc. | 55-60 | 2.09 |
| Lyudao Prison, Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice, ROC Air Force Academy, etc. |
Inmates' registration books, suspension due to criminal conduct, confiscation of land from rebels, special intelligence doctrine, survey on manpower mobilization and establishment of wartime agencies, loyalty survey, military medical equipment procurement, political intelligence, criminal case investigation, etc. | 39-96 | 4.71 |
15. Civic groups：The total length of archives is 3.81 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (the Republic Era/RE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wu-Feng District Farmers' Association, Taichung City | Minutes of the Wu-Feng District Farmers' Association Member Congress, etc. | 35-74 | 3.81 |
16. Individuals：The total length of archives is 0.47 meters
| Source Authority | Summary | Year Range (Common Era/CE) |
Length (Meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Man Jun, Yu | Taiwan tourist attractions tickets and brief introduction, adoption contracts signed in 1950, etc. | 1941-1988 | 0.47 |
The quantity and ratio of new archives under each category collected in Apr. – Jun. 2024 are illustrated in the pie chart and the table below:
| Category | Length (Meters) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government Policy | 13.55 (5.51%) |
| 2 | Judicial and Legal Affairs | 9.88 (4.02%) |
| 3 | National Defense and Veterans Affairs | 20.235 (8.23%) |
| 4 | Fiscal and Financial Affairs | 68.715 (27.95%) |
| 5 | Education and Sports Affairs | 0.193 (0.08%) |
| 6 | Economic and Trade Affairs | 6.862 (2.79%) |
| 7 | Transportation and Public Works Affairs | 16.527 (6.72%) |
| 8 | Health Care Affairs | 13.865 (5.64%) |
| 9 | Environmental Resource affairs | 0.02 (0.01%) |
| 10 | Labor and Human Resources Affairs | 0.04 (0.02%) |
| 11 | Humanities and Technology Development Affairs | 4.067 (1.65%) |
| 12 | Agricultural Affairs | 0.5 (0.2%) |
| 13 | Local Affairs | 5.099 (2.07%) |
| 14 | Political Affairs | 82.06 (33.37%) |
| 15 | Civic groups | 3.81 (1.55%) |
| 16 | Individuals | 0.47 (0.19%) |
| Grand Total | 245.893 (100%) |
As of Mar. 31th, 2024, the National Archives collection totaled 29,298.64 meters in length (paper materials accounted for 28,356.32 meters; non-paper materials for 942.32 meters, including 249.76 meters of photographic materials, 663.945 meters of video and audio tape materials, 13.175 meters of electronic media, 15.44 meters of abolished seals restructured agencies). The numbers and proportions of the various categories of archives are shown in the table on the left and the pie chart below:
| Category | Length (Meters) |
|---|---|
| Government Policy | 473.91 (1.6%) |
| Legislation and Control Affairs | 238.81 (0.81%) |
| Judicial and Legal Affairs | 824.821 (2.79%) |
| Recruitment, Qualification and Personnel Affairs | 84.95 (0.29%) |
| Interior Affairs | 430.279 (1.45%) |
| Foreign and Overseas Community Affairs | 1062.705 (3.6%) |
| Cross-Strait Relations Affairs | 3.2 (0.01%) |
| National Defense and Veterans Affairs | 5166.647(17.49) |
| Fiscal and Financial Affairs | 6797.554 (23.01%) |
| Education and Sports Affairs | 638.371 (2.16%) |
| Economic and Trade Affairs | 3567.994 (12.08%) |
| Transportation and Public Works Affairs | 4759.669 (16.11%) |
| Ethnicity Affairs | 14.97 (0.05%) |
| Culture and Media Affairs | 336.476 (1.14%) |
| Health Care Affairs | 19.635 (0.07%) |
| Environmental Resource affairs | 103.815 (0.35%) |
| Marine Affairs | 1.33 (0.01%) |
| Labor and Human Resources Affairs | 19.822 (0.07%) |
| Humanities and Technology Development Affairs | 15.857 (0.05%) |
| Agricultural Affairs | 458.226 (1.55%) |
| Electoral Affairs | 2 (0.01%) |
| Local Affairs | 1539.907 (5.21%) |
| Political Affairs | 2859.205 (9.68%) |
| Civic groups | 113.79 (0.38%) |
| Individuals | 10.59 (0.03%) |
| Grand Total | 29,544.533(100%) |
Thinking About the Past：Remembering the Folk Song Collection Movement
Shih Wei-Liang, a composer and ethnomusicologist, journeyed to Europe in 1958 to pursue his studies. It was during this period that he encountered Father Alois Osterwalder of the Society of the Divine Word in Vienna (Figure 1). In order to promote cultural communications between East and West, Osterwalder and Shih, along with several other like-minded individuals, collaboratively founded the Arbeitsgemeinschaft China-Europa in Bonn, Germany, in 1965.
In August 1965, Shih established the “China Youth Music Library” in Taipei. During its initial stages of operation, a substantial collection was acquired through fundraising efforts led by Osterwalder. Shih and Osterwalder frequently discussed the library's operational policies and funding allocations through their correspondence (Figure 2). Additionally, the Arbeitsgemeinschaft China-Europa provided funding for the Folk Song Collection Movement initiated by Shih Wei-Liang and Hsu Tsang-Houei.
In early 1966, the Folk Song Collection Movement was launched, recording over 1,400 songs primarily originating from Taiwanese aborigines, Hoklo, and Hakka people. Shih once sent a copy of the recording results to Osterwalder. In 2013, Osterwalder handed over these 56 reel-to-reel audio tapes, along with over a hundred cultural relics related to Shih, to the Digital Archive Center for Music, National Taiwan Normal University. Later, in accordance with Osterwalder's last wish, all the records were transferred to the National Archives Administration, National Development Council, for preservation and open access in 2023.
Welcome to the Archives Access service(A+) online system to further explore the history of the Folk Song Collection Movement.
Folder Title: Photos and newspapers related to Father Alois Osterwalder
ID Number: C2460346001/0024/000001/001
Transferring agency: Ostasien-Institut e.V. Bonn
Depository: National Archives Administration, NDC
Folder Title: Correspondence related to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft China-Europa
ID Number: C2460346001/0053/000001/002
Transferring agency: Ostasien-Institut e.V. Bonn
Depository: National Archives Administration, NDC