Zhaishan Tunnel: A Witness of War and a New Era

As one of many historical military sites in Kinmen National Park, Zhaishan Tunnel was an artificial tunnel built in 1963 for transporting military supplies. The entire tunnel is composed of a canal and a tunnel. Boats transporting supplies and weapons traveled in and out the tunnel on the canal and unloaded them inside the tunnel.

Today, military facilities in Kinmen have gradually changed into meaningful tourist attractions as cross-strait relations. To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou (1949), Kinmen National Park Headquarters specially held the “Guningtou Peace Concert” in 2009 and one concert was held inside Zhaishan Tunnel. The critical acclaim of that concert afterwards thus turned a commemoration event into an annual “tunnel musical festival.”

Kinmen Tunnel Music Festival initiator Chen-chieh Chang.

An Extraordinary Concert Hall

The Tunnel Music Festival was proposed by Taiwan’s most creative cellist Chen-chieh Chang. According to Chang, before concert halls became popular, musicians could play great sound in the courtyard of nobles. As technology popularizes and advances today, playing in outdoor space is like playing inside a concert hall to musicians.

When Chang was stuck at the airport by fog, he traveled to Zhaishan Tunnel. This was the origin of this great idea. “After walking into this tunnel, I was shocked by the atmosphere inside.” To musicians, a great performance venue requires appropriate echo and resonance effects. The irregular granite roof of Zhaishan Tunnel produces the effect of a speaker enclosure, and the canal inside resembles the felt damping material. Therefore, the tunnel is a natural concert hall in itself.

Fulfilling Musicphile Needs through Incessant Pursuit of Creativity

In 2016, Chan brought an unexpected program. “Change is what a good artist always pursues.” Besides operas, an attempt to present the brilliant contrast between Oriental and Western musical elements will be shown through the combination of the string quartet with traditional Taiwanese opera.

Chang emphasized, for each part to demonstrate its characteristics, they have spent extra efforts on composition. Therefore, the performances this year will surely impress and fulfill the needs of musicphiles.

Musical treat from Kinmen Tunnel Music Festival.	The perfect combination of the string quartet, soprano, and tenor turns Zhaishan Tunnel into an opera house.