Wude Martial Art Center in Taiwan

陳楚寒

Wude Martial Art Center， a Japanese architecture， lies in Qishan which is a district of Kaohsiung mixed with different kinds of culture. I was impressed the most by the Wude Martial Art Center， for its solemn architecture style. Furthermore， it shows both the Japanese martial spirit and Taiwanese tolerant toward foreign culture.

Wude Martial Art Center was built by Japanese in 1934， when Taiwan is under Japanese ruling. For one thing， Wude Martial Art Center is overall dignified and solemn because it was built for Jodo and sword practicing， which were the typical martial sports in Japan. The structure of the whole building shows integrated solemnity of Jodo spirit. For example， the tone of this construction is deep brown， which looks very calm and solemn on the whole. The entire structure of the Wude Martial Art Center was raised onto pillars to make the whole building tall and stately. The appearance of Wude Martial Art Center is grand and holy. However， inside of the building is a complete Japanese style. The most distinct feature is that a wooden clearing is set for shoes in the front of the foyer. People cannot enter the room without taking off the shoes， which is a typical style of Japanese architecture. Enter the foyer after taking off the shoes， you will find the beams， trusses and roof of interior are all made of precious Taiwanese cypress trees which is another Japanese architecture style because Japanese like using wooden material to build houses. The roof is built sophisticatedly. The woods of the roof were preciseness layers upon layers， which show the Japanese virtuosity of handwork. Besides， on the two sides of the main room was used as Jodo practice room with tatami flooring which is a classical element of Japanese architecture， too.

On the vast ground laying this solemn building is a gift for Taiwanese people to possess the foreign culture. It shows the Taiwanese tolerant attitude to exotic culture. Since Wude Martial Art Center was ruined by a fire in 1994， the government reconstruct the building in an entirely new look. However， the local people have regarded Wude Martial Art Center as a part of local culture， which should have been Japanese exoticism； as a consequence， they fought for its rebuilt consistently to restore its former appearance. With twice construction， now Wude Martial Art Center looks exactly the same as its original appearance. It reveals Taiwanese culture takes in kinds of characteristic of different countries. Taiwanese people are trying their best to protect this pluralism， which spirits makes Taiwan become a free， open and pluralistic society.

Wude Martial Art Center is a Japanese construction built by Japanese during its occupancy in Taiwan. It shows not only the Japanese Jodo solemnity but Taiwanese wide holding capacity toward foreign culture. Taiwanese do not regard it as a humiliation. On the contrast， it is precious for them to visit the Japanese architecture and feel the Japanese Jodo spirit without going abroad. Taiwan society becomes all the freer and more various for this tolerant capacity.endprint