What happens when a typhoon delivers hundreds of tons of driftwood to your doorstep? In the village of Dapu near Zengwen Reservoir in southern Taiwan, residents have found an extraordinary answer: make violins.
In part four of our five-part series “Where’s the Chiayi County Chief Taking Us?” Andrew Ryan explores how a tight-knit community turned disaster into art. Guided by a skilled violin maker, locals are crafting exquisite instruments that blend Italian tradition with Taiwanese innovation. But they’re not stopping there—they’re also learning to play their violins, creating music of their own.
