D-Type Dormitory of the Sixth Fuel Factory Revives the Memory of Oil Workers

Photo by Huang Jing-wun

【◎Written by Li Guei-sian　◎Translation by Lin Yu-ciao　◎Photos by Huang Jing-wun, Li Guei-sian】

During World War II, Japan constructed the Sixth Naval Fuel Plant（第六海軍燃料廠）in Taiwan, with its headquarters in Kaohsiung. It served as housing for officers and technicians. The government built four types of dormitories: A, B, C, and D. Just a short walk from Kaohsiung's MRT World Games Station（世運站）is the historic CPC Corporation's Hongnan housing complex. Once surrounded by high walls, the Sixth Fuel Factory（六燃）featured D-type dormitories, which consisted of rows of wooden townhouses reserved for CPC employees and their families. The compound has now been restored and opened to the public. Visitors can experience the daily life of generations of oil workers who lived there for over 80 years, beginning in the 1940s and continuing through Taiwan's economic boom.

Photo by Li Guei-sian

Today, the National Science and Technology Museum（國立科學工藝博物館）oversees the site, using interactive projections and guided tours to tell the story of the dormitory's origins and construction methods. Outside, visitors can explore the larger complex, which once included a hospital and swimming pool. The tall trees and wooden-framed windows evoke the spirit of a bygone era, while the nostalgic 'plum blossom popsicle' from CPC's former welfare store adds a sweet touch to the experience.

The D-Type Dormitory embodies both Taiwan's path to industrialization and its everyday cultural legacy. It is a symbol of Taiwan's industrial growth and heritage. It is also symbolic of the contributions the CPC's workers made and their role in Taiwan's industrial development.

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