Brick by Brick

This article was written by Oscar Chung and published by the Taiwan Review on September 1, 2005. It features Yi Jung-chang, who has played a major role in the revitalization of Taiwan's brick industry. Yi's brick kiln in central Taiwan's Miaoli County is all about the art of brick carving and construction.

Today there are 45 brick kilns in Taiwan, down from nearly 1,000 during the industry's prime. The industry is widely considered a major contributor to the destruction of the environment. Bricks have also become less popular because of not only the increasing popularity of other building materials but also the labor shortage in Taiwan.

But Yi has managed to turn all these negatives into positives. He believes that brick structures, if well designed, can last much longer than buildings made of wood and cement. He emphasizes that bricks perform just as well when it comes to absorbing heat or resisting fires. Brick structures also have an aesthetic and nostalgic attraction in Taiwan.

In 1996, Yi cooperated with Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) on a project to develop a new kind of brick made from waste materials. He also dedicates himself to helping establish his community in Miaoli County into a tourist attraction. In 2003, Yi's kiln in Yuanli Township, Miaoli County, was chosen by the Ministry of Economic Affairs as a "tourist factory" - one worthy of touristic interest. In September 2004, a brick museum constructed by Yi and financially assisted by the Council of Cultural Affairs was opened to the public.