A major metropolis in northern Taiwan, Hsinchu has endured vicissitudes over the last three hundred years of governance, but also kept up with the times and become widely known for high density of technology companies and academic institutions. This section primarily exhibits maps to demonstrate how the city has evolved from the Kingdom of Tungning (1661–1683) up to the present day.
There were few scholars in the early days when Tanshi Ting (淡水廳) was first established. It was not until the latter half of the 18th century when Ming-Chih College (明志書院) was founded that students had the opportunity to meet with learned teachers and study the Four Books and The Five Classics. The cultural milieu began to thrive in the city. Many students took classes during the day and practiced writing throughout the night, all hoping to attain the honor of passing the imperial examination. In the third year of the Daoguang reign (1823), Zheng Yongxi became the first Jinshi (進士) from Taiwan since the Qing administration governed the island. His feat sent waves of joy across Taiwan, immediately catapulting Tek-chhàm as the city of scholarly achievements. Later on Zheng taught at Ming-Chih College to inculcate the next generation of scholars after resigning from his official post and returning to his hometown. From Zheng Yongxi, Ming-Chih College to the imperial examination, this section consists of related artifacts to show the burgeoning of the true seed of intellectual development in Hsinchu.
The cultural scenes in Hsinchu flourished after Zheng Yongxi built Beiguo Garden and Lin Zhanmei built Qian Garden. Beginning from the mid-19th century, the two gardens had been gathering places for literati and artists in northern Taiwan. Calligraphy, a literal expression of the heart, and painting, a pictorial representation of the heart, by local residents are indicators of a city’s creative energy. This section presents calligraphies and paintings by literati in Hsinchu, as well as works arising from their friendship with the Chinese and Japanese from the period just before the Qing dynasty up to the time around the liberation of Taiwan in 1945. These works show Hsinchu as an important hub that connects the world and fosters interactivity among Taiwan, China, and Japan.