Taiwan Church News
3883 Edition
27 July ~ 2 Aug, 2026
Weekly Topical
Writing a New Mission History, Sinkang Community’s Dutch Church and School Launched
Reported by Dalul from Tainan
To commemorate and cultivate a significant historical site initiated with a brand new writing system around 400 years ago, a press conference – “Restoring Sinkang Community’s Dutch Church and School” – sponsored by “Preparatory Committee for Celebrating both the 130th Anniversary of Sinkang Church and the 400th Anniversary of the Mission in Taiwan” was held at Sinkang Church of Tainan Presbytery in the morning on July 25. Elder Lee Der-chang, general secretary of Tainan Sinkang Cultural Council, indicated “the project aims to lead the public to appreciate the Christian mission’s legacy by restoring the vivid stories buried in the past.”
Tainan’s New City District, known as “Sinkang Community” in ancient times, was the first missionary parish of the Dutch Reformed Church in Eastern Asia amid the 17th century. It was also the headquarter of the church mission during the Dutch ruling period in Taiwan. In 1627, Rev Georgius Candidius arrived at Sinkang community, lived with the indigenous and left the “Sinkang Manuscripts” to witness the mission.
In 1630, the Dutch built the first church in Sinkang area; in 1636, the first ever school was established to educate the indigenous to write, which brought in a brand new writing system with its education. And this is a history-breaking moment of enlightenment in Taiwan. In 1897, picking up the Christian faith after two and half centuries’ suspension, Sinkang Church developed by the British missionaries was officially re-opened in the Fan-Ah-Chu tribe,
The Sinkang Community as a historical site, symbolizing a cultural inheritance with its root in Christian faith, its past glory seems gradually blurred due to the passage of time. To restore people’s memory of its history, many renown local leaders jointly launched the project of restoring the Dutch Church and School. At the press conference, Mr Lee Der-chang read the statement and invited everyone to sign, symbolizing a union across ranks and files to promote this project of historical restoration.
Local leaders attending the press conference are as follows: Rev Lin Chi-yuan, president of Sinkang Community Cultural Council and pastor of the New City Church; Rev Tsai Chi-yuh, pastor of Spring of Life Church; Rev Luo Ren-guei, president of both Siraya Churches Council and Taiwan Human Rights Cultural Association; Mr Luo Chao-teng, president of the Tainan Siraya Cultural Association(TSCA), and Mrs Uma Talavan, executive director of TSCA; Mr Lee Hong-dao, a representative of the Lee’s Clan of Kong-Ah-Nah in Chuo-Chen District, and Mr Lee Der-chang, a representative of Lee’s Clan in Fan-Ah-Chu, New City District.
Prof Kaim Ann, a former Academia Sinica research fellow at Institute of Taiwan History, pointed out that the Siraya people have been fighting for rectifying its indigenous name and identity for more than 30 years, and now the sweet success did finally come. He stressed that Sinkang Community occupies an indispensible position in the history of Taiwan’s church and indigenous culture. It has made significant contributions in Taiwan history since the Dutch period.
“Not only there is Sinkang Manuscripts left to the public, but also very likely the first ever school and the first ever church in Taiwan were established here,” said Prof Ann, “ there are still many untold stories of Taiwan history that need to be discovered and reported. Rank and file in Taiwan society should care about this jewel to preserve and proclaim the rich cultures of the Sinkang Community, so that more people can appreciate the precious value of this amazing period of Taiwan history!”
Intending to transform the historical site of Sinkang community into an international cultural heritage, Mr Su Huan-chi – former magistrate of Tainan County, called the government to invite Southern Taiwan Science Park and the Dutch government and set up a historical museum. Mrs Uma Talavan affirmed Mr Su’s plan as a “movement of consciousness revival”, which links Sinkang community and Southern Taiwan Science Park via the fusion of history and education, facilitating the future generations to embrace the open and vibrant historical reality of Formosa island.
Elder Lee Der-chang stressed that the goal of the historical project is not only restoration of visible buildings with Dutch Church and School, but also showcase a systematic review and respect of our common historical memories. “In the future, Sinkang Dutch Church and School will jointly become a cultural site that combines historical exhibition, local lives and in-depth education to witness a historical museum in the mission can always dialogue with modern culture,” Elder Lee sincerely wished.
Translated by Peter Wolfe
