Abstract
China-fir was a key building material used in Taiwan before 1894 and reached Taiwan by import from Fuzhou, China. However, at the start of the period of Japanese governance (beginning in 1895), the China-fir market in Taiwan appeared to gradually reduce as a result of an attempt by the Taiwanese Governor General's Office (TGGO) to develop the market for Japanese timbers in Taiwan. After an investigation of the Japanese consular office in Fuzhou, the anti-termite property of China-fir was announced in October 1916. Some former studies concluded that the report was one of the reasons for China- fir's renewed dominance in the building material market in Taiwan from 1917 to 1925. However, in contrast to the period before 1916, when the TGGO boycotted China-fir by every means, why did the TGGO announce news about China-fir as an anti-termite material, and allow it to overwhelm the market of Japanese cedar again? By reviewing the TGGO's South China Policy and other historical materials, this paper shows that the 1916 report can be seen as encouragement for Japanese and Taiwanese merchants to invest in the China-fir market in Fuzhou, which would be of benefit to the colonial government by allowing it to develop economic and political power in South China. Keywords: South China policy; Fuzhou; timber market 1. Introduction through a high customs duty and the publishing of Taiwan is located in the Western Pacific Ocean, reports showing China-fir as a poor building material . between Japan and the Philippines, and is separated This strategy was initially successful and the TGGO from the southeast coast of China by the Taiwan Strait. gradually reduced the China-fir market in Taiwan up to Due to this geographical relationship with southeast 1916 (Ogino, 1965, 507-508). China, Han immigrants from the Min-Yue region of However, from 1917 to 1925, China-fir overwhelmed China (nowadays Fujian and Guangdong Province) Japanese cedar again in the building material market. now form the main population of Taiwan. The announcement of China-fir as an anti-termite China-fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) was an material by the TGGO in 1916 was concluded as important building material produced in the Fuzhou one of the reasons for the resurgence of the China-fir area of Fujian Province, China, and was also a market (Lin, 2006, 5-12). Additional factors were the commonly used building material in Taiwan before increasing price of Japanese timber due to the First 1894. However, during the initial period of Japanese World War beginning in 1914, and a supply decline governance, Japanese timber materials (mainly caused by the Kanto Earthquake in 1923 (Ogino, 1965, Japanese cedar with the same grade as China-fir) 514). gradually replaced China-fir in Taiwan. Former studies But according to historical evidence, there are showed that the Taiwanese Governor General's Office factors which have not been discussed in the former (TGGO, the colonial government) intended to develop studies: a Ja panese timber market in Taiwan by reducing (1) The anti-termite property may not have been demand for China-fir. This was to be accomplished the main reason for using China-fir. According to the building standards specified by the Ministry of Building and Repairs of the TGGO in 1920, it was *Contact Author: Yu-Hua Tsai, Post Doctor, noted that both China-fir and Japanese cedar used for Architecture Department, National Cheng Kung University, new buildings should be treated by preservatives . No. 1, University Road, Tainan City, Taiwan (2) The long-lasting property of China-fir had been Tel: +886-921700009 Fax: +886-62083973 reported to the TGGO by Kitaro Moroto in 1899. E-mail: n76914122@gmail.com During 1898 to 1899, Moroto, a forestry expert, had ( Received October 4, 2013 ; accepted March 6, 2015 ) Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering/May 2015/224 219 been sent by the TGGO to Fuzhou to conduct a survey reduce the price and also secure the supply of timber to of the forest's resources. It appears that through the Taiwan. local users' experience, Moroto had learned of the In fact, the TGGO had begun to survey the forest long-lasting property of China-fir . However, not until resources and the market situation of China-fir in 1916, after an investigation on the Japanese consular Fuzhou since 1898, as exemplified by Kitaro Moroto. office in Fuzhou, was the anti-termite property of In Moroto's report, he concluded that it might be China-fir recognized by the TGGO. worthwhile encouraging Japanese merchants to invest Thus it is important to understand why the in the China-fir market in China, not only because of government allowed the import of high quantities the Japanese long-term plans in Taiwan (i.e. the South of China-fir to Taiwan from 1917 to 1925, which China Policy), but also because the business could be overwhelmed the market of Japanese cedar, despite profitable. The reasons for this were two-fold: boycotting China-fir by every means in the previous (1) The China-fir forest resources in Fuzhou were period. rich and cheap. This paper tries to provide an alternative (2) In contrast to the Chinese merchants who had interpretation of the key 1916 report which announced to pay duties to their own local governments, the the anti-termite property of China-fir. By following Japanese had the duty free right in transporting goods the ideas of the South China Policy, a policy which in China . (This was due to the unequal bilateral Treaty the TGGO implemented to develop its political of Shimonoseki between Japan and China after the and economic power in Southern China (mainly in First Sino-Japanese War). the Min-Yue regions of China) by geographic and Parts of Moroto's report appeared in the Taiwan cultural relationships between Taiwan and China, Daily News in 1899 and appear to be a public it is clear that the TGGO always backed the import advertisement with the goal of attracting Japanese of China-fir in Southern China during the period of m e r c h a n t s t o i n v e st i n t h e C h i n a - f i r m a r k e t i n Japanese governance (1895 to 1945). In particular, the China . Furthermore, news in 1901 also tried to government's support reached its peak from 1916 to persuade Japanese and Taiwanese merchants to form 1923 (Nakamura, 1988, 5-6). This paper will discuss partnerships with Chinese merchants. The reports the South China Policy and historical materials tried to show that if a Chinese China-fir merchant concerning the China-fir market in both Taiwan had no connections with a foreign company, then the and China before and after 1916, in an attempt to Chinese local government would be more likely to explain the meaning of the 1916 China-fir anti-termite ignore the frequent robbery of timber within the China- experiment and the associated report. fir transportation process. By joining with a foreign company, it was possible to place more pressure on the 2. The Period before 1916 (1895-1915) local government to act in this matter . During the period of 1895-1915, the government's Based on the historic evidence presented above, the customs policy and the news reports appeared to be ban on the use of China-fir for government buildings in unfriendly towards the China-fir market in Taiwan. Taiwan does not appear to be the choice of the TGGO. However, there was no obvious decrease in the total Following this argument, this study proposes that quantity of China-fir imported during this period . the customs policy was imposed by the TGGO as a Moreover, there is evidence that during this period strategy to adjust the market structure of China-fir and the Japanese were engaged in the China-fir business. to help the Japanese merchants control the economic A 1908 government report stated that the majority power in the Fuzhou area, rather than boycotting the of Chinese-fir was imported using a fleet of wooden import of China-fir. ships monopolized by Chinese merchants (TGGO, Si nce Ja pa ne se m e rc ha nt s e nj oye d dut y fre e 1908, 29-30). However, an article in the Taiwan transportation in China, and were able to further reduce Daily News in 1906 reported that China-fir was operating costs by utilizing their own steamships, their the primary cargo carried by Osaka Shosen Kaisha business was still profitable despite the fact that some (OSK Lines, a Japanese steamship company) sailing customs duties were taken by the TGGO. between Fuzhou and Taiwan, which was supported by With relatively powerful capital and the unequal the TGGO. In addition, from 1911 to 1913 , another bilateral Treaty of Shimonoseki, Japanese merchants Japanese company, Mitsui & Co. Ltd., cooperated with gradually entered the China-fir market in Fuzhou Chinese merchants to operate one of the two biggest during this period. However, the occurrence of a wood manufacturing companies in Fuzhou (another serious movement boycotting Japanese goods in the one was operated by Siemssen & Co, a Germany South China regions from 1908 to 1909 (Xu, 2005, company). Mitsui & Co. Ltd. employed their own 104-105), and a political revolution led by Yat- fleet of steamships to transport the company's China- Sen Sun, resulted in a negative effect on Japanese fir products . By comparing the cost of transportation merchants' business in China. Furthermore, the TGGO and the quantity of timber carried by the wooden ships, had to face pressure from traditional Japanese timber the usage of the company's own steamships could manufactures (the timber manufacture groups in Akita, 220 JAABE vol.14 no.2 May 2015 Yu-Hua Tsai 11 Wakayama (Kishu) and elsewhere in Japan), due to experiments conducted on China-fir . In contrast, fear that the new policy may reduce the profit of inland experiments had been conducted on Japanese cedar Japanese timber businesses. and pine in 1913. Regarding China-fir, Masamitsu The following example shows the influential power of Oshima, the director of the official research group, Japanese manufacturing groups in Taiwan. During the did hear of the anti-termite property of China-fir from economic recession between 1912 and 1913, a major Taiwanese folktales. However, he did not believe it Japanese company, Mitsui & Co. Ltd, still imported a according to his field research in Taiwan. Furthermore, vast quantity of timber material to Taiwan, consisting Oshima also considered the Japanese cedar and pine mainly of China-fir and other timber materials from as poor anti-termite materials and recommended that Hokkaido. However, the growth of Mitsui & Co. Ltd. they should have preservatives added . One of the affected the business of traditional Japanese timber areas of research focused on by Oshima's team was the manufactures, such as those in Wakayama and Akita. development of chemical methods for preserving the This resulted in a boycott by the traditional Japanese timber materials adopted in Taiwan. timber manufacturers, which lead to a depression in Later, in July 1916, when Oshima was sent by the Mitsui & Co. Ltd.'s business in Taiwan, and eventual TGGO to investigate the Japanese consular office in reduction of investment in the timber manufacturing Fuzhou which was damaged by termites, he found industry . the impact of termite-eating on the China-fir built In conclusion, the support for Japanese merchants section was not as serious as he predicted. After some to invest in the China-fir market was a policy chosen chemical analysis, the anti-termite property of China- by the colonial government, because of the TGGO's fir was announced in October 1916 . eagerness to develop its economic and political power However, the 1920 building standards specified by in South China. But at the same time, the position of the Ministry of Building and Repairs of the TGGO inland Japanese timber manufactures should also be stated that preservatives should be added to both taken into consideration. Since the need of China-fir the China-fir and Japanese cedar in new buildings . originally existed in Taiwan, there was no need for This is one of the key pieces of evidence to support the colonial government to adopt more China-fir in this paper's argument that the anti-termite property their new official buildings with western or Japanese may not have been the main reason for the colonial styles, so that it could be left as a market for inland government's use of China-fir. Japanese timber manufactures. Moreover, inland Moreover , in October 1915, an anti-Japan Japanese timber manufactures intended to expand their atmosphere had just cooled down in China (Xu, Taiwanese market. This may be the reason why news 2005: 105-106). This might have resulted in more reports frequently showed China-fir as a poor building opportunities for Japanese engagement in the China- material, but without any supporting experimental fir business. Starting from March 1916, a series of evidence. reports about events in Fuzhou could be found in the Taiwan Daily News. Among them, the market situation 3. The Peak Period of the South China Policy (1916- of China-fir in Fuzhou was reported from the 9th to the 1923) and the 1916 Report 11th of August. This report concluded that the colonial The explosion of the First World War (1914- government should encourage the Japanese to invest 1918) gave Japan a chance to become a new colonial more in the China-fir business, in addition to forest empire by expanding its power in China and East management in Fuzhou . Asia. As the military conflicts occurred mainly in Simultaneously, this was the same period in which Europe, Western empires struggling in the war had Oshima stayed in Fuzhou to investigate the Japanese no resources to devote to maintaining control of the consular office. The content of these news reports was markets in East Asia. The intention of the TGGO to also mentioned in Oshima's final report presented in develop its political and economic power in Southern 1917 . Therefore, Oshima's report was not simply an China reached its peak in the period of 1916 to 1923 anti-termite investigation. according to the previously mentioned studies. The In the Taiwan Daily News, the development of shortage of Japanese timber, accompanied by the Japanese merchants in the China-fir market during this increasing price in 1916, provided further opportunities period also was reported. For example, a joint venture for the China-fir market to be developed. between Mitsui & Co. Ltd and Chinese merchants Based on the historical background, this study asked resulted in the Kenshin Wood Manufacturing if it is possible to interpret the 1916 China-fir anti- Company, and in 1916 this was still one of the two termite experiment and report as an expression of the biggest timber manufactures in the Fuzhou area. Its TGGO's eagerness to develop its economic power in the main competitor was another Germany merchant Fuzhou area. The study begins by reviewing the history operated company, Siemssen & Co . Later, during the of the anti-termite study conducted by the TGGO. First World War, the Japanese empire took control of The anti-termite study of the TGGO was started Germany's economic power in Shandong China. In in 1908, but until 1916 there were no anti-termite June 1917, as the Japanese army occupied the German JAABE vol.14 no.2 May 2015 Yu-Hua Tsai 221 controlled concession of Shandong China, the manager 4. Conclusion of Siemssen & Co was incarcerated by the Japanese By discussing the TGGO's South China Policy in army. Meanwhile, the wood-manufacturing factory combination with historical materials regarding the operated by Siemssen & Co was "accidentally" burned China-fir market in both Taiwan and China before and down at approximately the same time. It resulted that after 1916, this study argues that the announcement Kenshin Wood Manufacturing Company rose to be the of China-fir as an anti-termite material by the TGGO dominating timber manufacture in Fuzhou . in 1916 was based on the eagerness of the TGGO to From the viewpoint of the TGGO, allowing a vast develop its political and economic power in Fuzhou, quantity of China-fir to be imported from China may China. The TGGO never ceased the attempt in have been able to solve the timber supply problem in Southern China during the whole Japanese colonial Taiwan. In addition, in an atmosphere where Japan period (1895 to 1945), as China-fir continued to be a intended to develop its economic and political power significant export good of the Fuzhou area. in China, the TGGO was glad to see a vast quantity of During the period 1895 to 1915, the TGGO imposed China-fir imported from China to Taiwan. One of the import customs duty on China-fir and limited the use reasons is that the goods imported from China could of China-fir in constructing official buildings, thus help to stabilize prices in Taiwan. In addition, trade helping to build the Japanese timber market in Taiwan. across the Taiwan Strait could benefit both Japanese At the same time, the Japanese government also Zaibats u (lar ge bus ines s conglomerates w hich encouraged Japanese merchants to enter the China-fir controlled significant parts of the Japanese economy) market. and Japanese-Chinese joint ventures that had already Japanese merchants obtained support to monopolize gained a powerful position in the marketplace. This steamship lines connecting Taiwan and Fuzhou from was a way to expand economic power as well as the TGGO. The opportunities were also improved by consolidate the ties between the business sector and the the unequal Treaty of Shimonoseki which provided colonial government, which served to fit the purpose of duty free imports to foreign merchants who transported the TGGO's South China Policy. goods within China. On the other hand, Chinese However, after the First World War (from 1919 wooden ships did not possess the same advantages as onwards), Japanese ambition to expand its power in Japanese merchants. Thus Japanese merchants were South China was challenged by the recovering western able to gradually penetrate into the China-fir market. countries. A combination of the slow-selling of Japanese Then, in 1916, the TGGO's South China Policy timber materials, a vast quantity of China-fir imported accelerated and reached its peak during the period of from China, and the fact that the officials' newly 1916 to 1923 due to the reduction in Western influence constructed buildings in Taiwan adopted China-fir in resulting from the First World War. Historical material contrast to the prior period, resulted in a petition being shows Japanese merchants were deeply involved in proposed by Japanese timber manufactures in 1920. One the China-fir market after 1916. They cooperated of the Japanese merchant requests was to implement a with Chinese manufactures in a mutually beneficial stricter audit of the declared China-fir export price in partnership perusing both profit and political power. Fuzhou. Since the import customs duty was decided by The anti-termite studies conducted by the TGGO the declared export price, merchants would generally from 1908 onwards were performed with the goal supply custom officials with an under-valued market of developing chemical methods to preserve the price to benefit themselves. Another request was to timber building materials used in Taiwan. However, conduct scientific experiments which compared China- even though the long-lasting property of China- fir with Japanese cedar and other materials, since the fir was reported by the TGGO's experts in 1898, it Japanese merchants generally believed that the physical was not until 1916 that the anti-termite experiment quality of China-fir was inferior . was performed on this type of timber. Furthermore, It can be assumed that the TGGO still intended to despite the positive results of this experiment, there develop the South China market even in the post-WWI was no difference in the treatment of the China-fir and period according to the experimental report performed Japanese cedar adopted in the new buildings; both by Kikuo Nagayama in 1922, an official researcher timber types had preservatives added as can be seen in working in the Forestry Bureau of the Central Institute the TGGO's 1920 building standards. Thus, showing founded by the TGGO . This document, also published the anti-termite property of China-fir was not the key in the Taiwan Daily News, seemed to be an official reason for the TGGO to adopt the usage of China-fir. response to the Japanese timber manufactures' petition. Instead, the announcement in 1916 can be seen as an By emphasizing the anti-termite property of China- encouragement for Japanese and Taiwanese merchants fir and the fact that there was not enough experimental to invest in the China-fir market, which would be of evidence to confirm the statement that China-fir's advantage to the colonial government. physical characteristics were weaker than Japanese cedar, Nagayama's report claimed that the ban against the use of China-fir was unnecessary . 222 JAABE vol.14 no.2 May 2015 Yu-Hua Tsai Building and Repairs of the TGGO, Ichiro Nomura, in his opinion, References Japanese Pine, Japanese-fir and China-fir are all timber materials 1) Lin, S. L. (2006) The Experiences of Climatic and Environmental which can be seriously attacked by termite. Termite attacks are Modification on Colonial, Ph. D. National Cheng Kung University. seldom seen on the materials of Japanese cedar, Japanese Cypress 2) Ministry of Building and Repairs of TGGO (1920) Documents and Camphor." of the Newly Built Tainan Teacher's College, Archives of Former Reference to the Ministry of Building and Repairs of the TGGO, Taiwanese Governor General's Office, 3124(2). 1920. Documents of the Newly Built Tainan Teacher's College. 3) Moroto, K. (1899) The forest survey report in Qing (China) by Archives of the Former Taiwanese Governor General's Office, Kitaro Moroto. Archives of Former Taiwanese Governor General's 3124(2), p.204: "The timber materials used as trusses, and those Office, 371(18). materials attached to the wall or covered by ceiling should all be 4) Nakamura, K. (1988) The Participation of Japan in South-East preservative treated by using Terumoru (a kind of anti-termite Asia and the relationship with Taiwan, Nara: Tenrikyo Doyusha. sol ut i on i n ve nt e d by Ma sa m i t su Oshi m a )", p.2 09: "Unl e ss 5) Nagayama, K. (1922), Characteristics of China-fir, an Important otherwise noted, Timber materials used in this building should be Building Material for the Building Industry of Taiwan, Journal of Japanese cedar, but it can be substituted by Taiwan red cypress. Taiwan Forest Association, (5), pp.47-52. The circular cross-section timbers are under the same conditions 6) Nagayama, K. (1922), Characteristics of China-fir, an important as above, but China-fir can also be used)." building material for the building industry, Taiwan Daily News, Reference to Moroto, K., 1899. The Forest Survey Report in 8-11 July. p.3. Qing (China) by Kitaro Moroto. Archives of Former Taiwanese 7) Oshima, M. (1909-1917), Termite Survey Report, no. 1-6, Taipei: Governor General's Office, 371(18): p.14: "Timber material: Taiwanese Governor General's Office. Without research result, it is hard to assert the long-lasting 8) Ogino, T. (1965) Historical Discussion in Forest Industry property of China-fir, but it seems likely that China-fir can be kept Development Around Korea, Manchu, Tokyo: Foundation of for longer than other timber materials." Rinya Kosai Kai. Reference to the TGGO, 1908. Consumer Survey Report about 9) Taiwan Daily News (1899) About the Timber Building Materials the Timber Market in Taiwan, pp.29-30., and Productive Industry in Taiwan, Taiwan Daily News, 8 Mar. p.2. Bureau of the TGGO, 1921-1941. Forestry Industrial Statistics of 10) Taiwan Daily News (1901) China-fir and the Foreigner's Power, Taiwan. Taiwan Daily News, 13 Mar. p.2. Reference to 1906. Sailing Lines among South China. Taiwan 11) Taiwan Daily News (1902) A Comparison between China-fir and Daily News, 21 Apr. p.2: "About the triangle of sailing lines Japanese cedar Taiwan Daily News, 10 Apr. p.1. between Fuzhou, Amoy and Tamsui, quite a number of goods from 12) Taiwan Daily News (1906) Termite and the Building Technique, Fuzhou to Taiwan are timber and paper." Taiwan Daily News, 30 May. p.6. Reference to 1911. Traveling in Fuzhou by ship Fu-Shun Maru - 13) Taiwan Daily News (1906) Sailing Lines among South China, Day Two. Taiwan Daily News, 29 Apr. p.2: "A lot of timber is piled Taiwan Daily News, 21 Apr. p.2. up along the river bank in Fuzhou. There are three timber mills 14) Taiwan Daily News (1911) Traveling in Fuzhou by ship Fu-Shun on the river bank. One of them is Kenshin, operated by Chinese Maru-Days Two, Taiwan Daily News, 29 Apr. p.2. merchants, but Mitsui & Co., Ltd. have gained the monopolization 15) Taiwan Daily News (1913) The Future of Timber Manufactures in right for selling the product, Mitsui also have many shareholders." Taiwan, Taiwan Daily News, 16 Apr. p.1. Reference to Moroto, K., 1899. The Forest Survey Report in Qing 16) Taiwan Daily News (1913) Business Depression of Mitsui & Co., (China) by Kitaro Moroto. Archives of the Former Taiwanese Ltd's, Taiwan Daily News, 31 Dec. p.1. Governor General's Office, 371(18): p.23. 17) Taiwan Daily News (1916) Fuzhou (1), Taiwan Daily News, 26 Reference to 1899. Concerning the Timber Building Materials Apr. p.1. in Taiwan. Taiwan Daily News, 8 Mar. p.2: "China-fir is cheap 18) Taiwan Daily News (1916) News about Fujian Province: China- in the original cutting area, but when it is transported to Fuzhou, fir, Taiwan Daily News, 9-11 Aug. p.3. the price becomes higher due to the custom duty. However, the 19) Taiwan Daily News (1916) The anti-termite materials: China-fir Japanese have the duty free right in transporting goods in China, and Lunta-fir, Taiwan Daily News, 15 Oct. p.7. thus the Chinese naturally cooperated with the Japanese merchants 20) Taiwan Daily News (1917) Fuzhou News: Timber Manufactures in transporting the China-fir goods." in Fuzhou, Taiwan Daily News, 19 Jun. p.3. Reference to 1901. China-fir and the Foreigner's Power. 21) Taiwan Daily News (1921) The Problems of China-fir Importing, Taiwan Daily News, 13 Mar. p.2: "Fuzhou is well known as the Taiwan Daily News, 25 Jan. p.3. origin of China-fir. However, before the China-fir arrives to be 22) Taiwanese Governor General's Office (1908) Consumer Survey shipped, it may be attacked by robbers. To avoid that, Chinese Report about the Timber Market in Taiwan, Taipei: National merchants make administrative appeals to the government, but Taiwan Library. the government sometimes does nothing regarding the complaint. 23) Taiwanese Governor General's Office (1921-1941) Forestry However, if Chinese merchants fell timbers in the name of foreign Industrial Statistics of Taiwan, Taipei: National Taiwan Library. merchants, they could negotiate with the government through 24) Xu, S. R. (2005) Customs Duty and Trade between Taiwan foreigners. Then they could force the government to act more and China from 1895 to 1945, Ph. D. National Taiwan Normal strongly." University. Reference to 1913. The Future of Timber Manufacturers in Taiwan. Taiwan Daily News, 16 Apr. p.1: "In past times, the Notes majority of timber was imported to Taiwan from Wakayama (Kishu) Before 1916, China-fir was reported on frequently by the Taiwan via the Katsura Harbor, and Akita via the Nosiro Harbor. Recently, Daily News, the most powerful newspaper in Taiwan in the period Mitsui & Co., Ltd. imports China-fir from Fuzhou, they also send of Japanese governance, as a poor building material because of its China-fir to the North and the Midst of China for a long time, and physical characteristics and the fact that it is vulnerable to termite now they are expanding the Hokkaido timbers market in Taiwan. damage. The following reports are examples: 1902. A Comparison While the other timber importers oppose Mitsui's entry into their between China-fir and Japanese cedar. Taiwan Daily News, 10 Apr. business area.", and 1913. Business Depression of Mitsui & Co., p.1: "On the other hand, China-fir, the timber material continuously Ltd. Taiwan Daily News, 31 Dec. p.1. imported by Taiwanese merchants, which is worse in physical 11 Reference to Oshima, M., 1909-1917, Termite Survey Report, no. property." and 1906, Termite and the Building Technique. Taiwan 1-6. Daily News, 30 May. p.6: "According to the chief of Ministry of JAABE vol.14 no.2 May 2015 Yu-Hua Tsai 223 12 Reference to Oshima, M., 1911, Termite Survey Report, no. 2, pp.31-32: "Japanese pine is a favourite type of timber for termites, and Japanese cedar is close to it. Generally, people think Japanese cypress is an anti-termite material. But the Taiwan Shrine, constructed of Japanese cypress, is still attacked by termites. Therefore, it is no basis for the anti-termite property of Japanese cypress. China-fir is imported from Fuzhou; people say that the houses constructed of China-fir can avoid the damage of termites. But we can still find the termite attacked constructions everywhere, just like the Japanese cedar." Reference to 1916. The anti-termite materials: China-fir and Lunta-fir. Taiwan Daily News, 15 Oct. p.7. See the Endnote 2. Reference to 1916. News about Fujian Province: China-fir. Taiwan Daily News, 9-11 Aug. p.3. Reference to Oshima, M., 1917, Termite Survey Report, no. 6), pp.43-55. Reference to 1916. Fuzhou (1). Taiwan Daily News, 26 Apr. p.1: "The main timber fabricating factory: Kenshin Sawmill, Siemssen & Co. Sawmill." Reference to 1917. Fuzhou News: Timber Manufactures in Fuzhou. Taiwan Daily News, 19 Jun. p.3: "The timber businesses were rising along with the heydays of tea export. But now it rests with three companies: Kenshin, Siemssen & Co. and Hoshin- Suzuki. When the previous operator of Siemssen & Co. died, the latter was captured by the Japanese in the Siege of Tsingtao. So now the Chinese manage the company. But last year, on purpose or accident, the whole factory was damaged in a fire. Its position is replaced by the companies Kenshin and Suzuki, and they process night and day." Reference to 1921. The Problems of China-fir Importing. Taiwan Daily News, 25 Jan. p.3. Reference to Nagayama, K., 1922, Characteristics of China-fir, an Important Building Material for the Building Industry of Taiwan. Journal of Taiwan Forest Association, No. 5, pp.47-52. Reference to Nagayama, K., 1922. Characteristics of China-fir, an Important Building material for the Building Industry. Taiwan Daily News, 8-11 July. p.3: "Although the physical characteristic of China-fir is just 87~88% the strength of Japanese cedar, China- fir has large crops and a cheaper price. Furthermore, China-fir has a great quantity of anti-termite Serquiterpene Alcohol in the heartwood part. From the viewpoint of reasonable timber with value, China-fir should not be excluded from use." 224 JAABE vol.14 no.2 May 2015 Yu-Hua Tsai
Journal
Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering
– Taylor & Francis
Published: May 1, 2015
Keywords: South China policy; Fuzhou; timber market
