(English version on the bottom.)
(註： 這篇文章【窮得只剩下感情】來自林 野(溫德生)先生。原文刊載於金門日報副刊，2023.10.01。照片是我 在2021 年 9 月 27 日照的，那天當我走路去北醫看爸爸的時候，路經四四南村，就去瞧瞧。我也在 2024 年 5 月 2 日試著把這篇文章翻成英文。我的先生小的時候也住在眷村，眷村文化漸漸消失，我想記錄翻譯下來，讓我的女兒們能了解一些那段歷史。)
1948年11月底，國共內戰告急，青島兵工署的聯勤四四兵工廠先將機械設備以「泰康輪」分成六批運往臺灣，利用日軍留下的臺灣供應局第三修械所復廠，繼續生產彈藥，準備反攻大陸。12月，後到的廠工和眷屬落腳在松山，暫時安頓於前日軍的興雅庫房，拉起布幔當作每個家庭的隔間，當時的景況是「窮得只剩下感情」。
次年，纔開始在今信義路五段搭建四四南村的丙字眷舍，為臺灣第一個眷村，住戶大多數為山東人，容積很小，像是蝸居一族，但總算有了立錐之地。1951年，四四東村(今吳興街260巷)和四四西村(今基隆路一段)相繼落成，概以兵工廠的相對位置而命名，但沒有北村。
高中的軍訓課來三張犂打靶，眷村的周遭還是稻田，儘管同為聯勤的眷村，但配住有階級的區分，將校級住西村、尉官級住東村，非軍職的技工則住在南村，後來纔有稍大的乙字和甲字房屋，我的一位初中老師是頂下兩間眷舍，打通後勉強夠一家人四口居住。
大學讀北醫的時候，時常路過南村，看到住戶為了爭取空間，屋前屋後的擴建造成巷道狹窄，有的人家向上築起閣樓，非常突兀。黃昏時刻，藍制服的男女廠工下班，如潮水般淹沒了基隆路。記得附近也有一個叫汽車基地勤務處(五級保養廠)，堆放一些從越戰買回來的軍用卡車；兵工廠的大門伸出一條軍用鐵道，從國父紀念館旁經過，通往樺山車站。
打響四四南村名氣的，不外乎是它的「四四巨龍」(後改稱中華巨龍)，這條龍是在1964年縫製，長兩百多公尺，共有44節，共需要45人來舞動，成員來自南村的子弟和兵工廠的員工。首次演出是在這年的元宵節。為了國慶日的徵祥獻瑞和春節的軍民聯歡，6月就開始訓練，每次上場，鑼鼓罄鈸，震天價響，場面極為壯觀。可惜政黨輪替，加上軍方不支持經費，最後的演出在1996年李登輝的就職典禮，從此巨龍不再叱吒風雲了。
1980年，原本荒闢的東區發展快速，因市政府需要土地致使四四兵工廠(已改名206廠)必須遷往三峽，東村被疏散到青年公園的「忠貞國宅」，西村原地改建為「忠駝國宅」。於此時，兵工廠的舊址許多高樓拔地而起，包括「世貿中心」(1985)、「國際會議中心」(1989)、「君悅酒店」(1990)、以及日後高聳入雲的「101大樓」(2004)，三張犂有如地牛翻身，忽然變成臺北的蛋黃地帶，形成繁榮的信義商圈。
四四南村的廢村命運早在預料之中，1983年為配合莊敬路的擴寬，甲字眷舍和公共設施全被拆除，接着乙字和丙字眷舍多次遭到祝融之災，這種事情就像興建中正紀念堂前，發生疑似人為的縱火，住戶逼迫搬遷，如出一轍。1997年，南村悉已遷離，次年丙字眷舍被夷平為信義國小的運動場，不久即從地表上消失。
眷村是胼手胝足築巢的家園，風風雨雨中有哀愁，也有歡樂，是一個世代的鏤心刻骨記憶，於是老住戶紛紛響應保留眷村文化的抗爭運動，在關心臺灣社會的加拿大友人史康迪(Curtis Smith)，施明德的前妻及人權工作者艾琳達(Inda G. Arrigo)的奔走下，他們比原住戶還要積極，如同螳臂擋車，以肉身阻擋開來的怪手。
2000年10月，北市政府終於點頭，保留四連棟的丙字房舍，以及機槍堡和防空洞。2003年10月25日，「信義公民會館」開館，轉型為文教特區；門牌為松勤街50號。四四南村出過幾位名人，包括前空軍氣象聯隊上校副聯隊長，電視臺的氣象主播李富城，藝人李立群和凌峰，立委費鴻泰和他的哥哥費鴻波(前國防大學校長)等。
2004年12月，市府公告四四南村登錄為歷史建築，光陰的故事在此被人重新閱讀，多年後的週末我再來此，發現四排活化的老房子已規劃為展館、書肆、文創商店、休閒咖啡館，室外的防空洞則鋪上如茵綠草，取名為「好丘」(Goodchos)，意謂：「好的人事物聚集成丘」。2022年起，一群影像藝術家以光為顏料，以廣場為舞臺，演出「LIGHT UP 南村有光」的光雕藝術活動，它迷人的夜景不輸101的跨年煙火。
令人欣慰地，四四南村從不被人正眼看待，轉化為懷舊的歷史，以五十年的生命(1948~1999)見證臺北東區意想不到的繁榮。
(Note: The article titled “I'm so poor that all I have left is emotions.” is authored by Mr. Lin Ye (Wen Desheng). Originally published in the supplement of Kinmen Daily on October 1, 2023, it reflects a poignant perspective. The photos in this post were captured by me on September 27, 2021. On my way to Taipei Medical University Hospital to visit my father, I happened to pass by Four Four South Village and decided to explore its surroundings. I also tried to translate this article into English on May 2, 2024. My husband also lived in a military dependents' village when he was young, and the culture of the military dependents' village is gradually disappearing. I want to translate it so that my daughters can understand that part of history.)
In late November 1948, as the Chinese Civil War intensified, the Joint Logistics 44 Arsenal of the Qingdao Arsenal urgently transported machinery and equipment in six batches to Taiwan aboard the ‘Tai Kang’ ship. They utilized the Taiwan Supply Bureau’s Third Repair Workshop, which had been left behind by the Japanese military, to resume ammunition production in preparation for a counterattack against the mainland. In December, the factory workers and their families arrived in Songshan and temporarily settled in the former Japanese military’s Xingya warehouse. They partitioned their living spaces with cloth curtains, and the prevailing situation at the time was one of ‘I'm so poor that all I have left is emotions’.
The following year, the construction of the “C” Unit dependents' houses in Four Four South Village began at present-day Xinyi Road Section 5. It was the first military dependents' village in Taiwan. Most of the residents were from Shandong. The houses were small in size and seemed to live in snails' nests. But they finally had a place to stay. In 1951, Four Four East Village (now Lane 260, Wuxing Street) and Four Four West Village (now Section 1, Keelung Road) were completed one after another. They probably were named after the relative location of the arsenals, but there was no North Village.
During the military training class in high school, we went to Sanzhangli for target shooting. The military dependents' villages were surrounded by rice fields. The housings were differentiated by ranks in military dependents' villages for Combined Service Forces. Generals lived in the West Village, lieutenants lived in the East Village, and those with non-military technicians lived in the South Village. Later there were slightly larger “B” Unit and “A” Unit dependents' houses. One of my junior high school teachers had two dependent houses. After being connected, it was barely enough for a family of four.
When I was a student at Taipei Medical University, I frequently walked past South Village. I observed that residents had expanded their houses both in the front and back to gain more space, resulting in narrow lanes. Some even added upward attic structures, creating an unusual architectural mix. At dusk, male and female factory workers, clad in blue uniforms, poured out onto Keelung Road, creating a bustling scene akin to a tidal wave. Nearby, there was an automobile base service office (a fifth-level maintenance plant) where surplus military trucks from the Vietnam War were stacked. Additionally, a military railway extended from the arsenal gate, passing by the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall and leading to Huashan Station.
What brought fame to Four Four South Village was its “Four Four Dragon” (later renamed the Chinese Dragon). This magnificent dragon was meticulously crafted in 1964. Stretching over 200 meters, it comprised 44 distinct sections. A total of 45 people participated, including children from South Village and employees of the arsenal. The dragon made its debut during the Lantern Festival that year. To commemorate National Day and celebrate the Spring Festival alongside military and civilians, rigorous training commenced in June. Each performance was a grand spectacle, accompanied by resounding gongs, drums, and cymbals. Unfortunately, as political tides shifted, military funding waned. The dragon’s final appearance took place during Lee Teng-hui’s inauguration ceremony in 1996. Since then, it has gracefully stepped out of the limelight.
In 1980, the once barren East District experienced rapid development. Driven by the city government’s land requirements, the Four Four Military Factory (later renamed 206 Factory) was relocated to Sanxia. The East Village residents were resettled in the “Zhongzhen Public Housing” in Youth Park, while the West Village transformed into the “Zhongtuo Public Housing.” During this period, numerous high-rise buildings emerged on the former arsenal grounds, including the “World Trade Center” (1985), “International Convention Center” (1989), “Grand Hyatt Hotel” (1990), and the iconic “101 Building” (completed in 2004). Sanzhangli swiftly evolved into Taipei’s bustling Xinyi business district.
The fate of Four Four South Village was foreseen. In 1983, to accommodate the widening of Zhuangjing Road, all the “A” Unit dependent houses and public facilities were demolished. Subsequently, the “B” and “C” Unit dependent houses suffered repeated fire damage. This situation eerily mirrored the suspected arson incident that occurred in front of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, compelling residents to relocate. By 1997, all South Village residents had been relocated. The following year, the “C” Unit dependent houses were razed to create a sports ground for Xinyi Elementary School, and soon after, they vanished from existence.
A military dependents' village is a place where people build their nests with their hands and feet. Within its walls, both sorrow and joy intertwine, etching unforgettable memories for a generation. Consequently, the original residents have rallied in response to the protest movement aimed at preserving the cultural legacy of military dependents' villages. Notably, Canadian Curtis Smith, who holds a deep concern for Taiwanese society, and Inda G. Arrigo, a human rights advocate and former wife of Shi Mingde, have been even more fervent in their activism than the village’s original inhabitants. Their commitment is akin to a mantis blocking a car with its body, steadfastly defending against any encroachment.
In October 2000, the Taipei Municipal Government granted approval for the preservation of the four contiguous buildings in“C” Unit, along with the machine gun fort and air-raid shelter. On October 25, 2003, the “Xinyi Civic Hall” opened, transforming into a cultural and educational special zone located at No. 50 Songqin Street. Four Four South Village has been home to several notable figures, including former Air Force Meteorological Wing Colonel and Deputy Wing Commander, TV weather anchor Li Fucheng, entertainers Li Liqun and Ling Feng, and legislator Fei Hongtai and his brother Fei Hongbo (former president of the National Defense University).
In December 2004, the city government officially designated Four Four South Village as a historical building. Here, the stories of time are revisited. Many years later, I returned on a weekend and discovered that the four rows of revitalized old houses had been repurposed into exhibition halls, bookstores, cultural and creative shops, and cozy cafes. The outdoor air raid shelters were now covered with lush green grass and given the name “Goodchos,” signifying a gathering of good people and things. Starting in 2022, a collective of video artists will use light as their paintbrush, transforming the square into a stage for the “LIGHT UP” projection sculpture art event. Its enchanting night view rivals even the grandeur of Taipei 101’s New Year’s Eve fireworks.
It is heartening that Four Four South Village, once overlooked by many, has now evolved into a cherished piece of nostalgia—a living witness to the unforeseen prosperity of Taipei’s East District during its fifty-year existence (1948–1999).
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