The ‘Fugue of Memory’ special exhibition at Chang-Yuan Hospital Lukang Historical Image Museum transforms the arcade space into a time corridor, reviewing Taiwan’s history through the theme of music, and presenting the integration and evolution of ordinary life and Western culture through the intertwined life trajectories of five generations of the Hsu family with music. This special exhibition uses historical images, news reports, and oral interviews to organize family music stories. It also displays antique musical instruments, vinyl records and other cultural relics from the collection. There is an audio area that invites people to put on headphones and immerse themselves in the island’s musical chapters.

The Fugue of Memory exhibition is divided into three main areas: ‘Family Music Stories’, ’33 RPM Time Machine’, and ‘Music Experience Area’. These recreate the moments, important events, and songs of the Long Yuan Hsu family music gatherings under the arcade of the main house on Minzu Road. The exhibition starts from the microscopic perspective of the family and extends to musical changes that have occurred from the Japanese rule period to the present. It offers a glimpse of ordinary people adapting themselves to the currents of the times, and their passion for life that has been passed down for a hundred years.

The semi-outdoor exhibition space set up with hollow boards preserves the hustle and bustle of Lukang’s streets, while guiding viewers into a historical tunnel to listen carefully to the silent movements captured in the film negatives. Starting with Dr. Hsu Tu’s introduction of Western culture to his hometown, the curatorial team displays programs and news reports of his participation in the grandest concert in Tainan Prefecture as part of his 20 years as a violinist in the Taiwan Medical College Symphony Orchestra and his organization of the Lukang Music Research Society. Through old photographs and their stories, they meticulously outline the profound context of family members’ later music learning and appreciation. Among them is Taiwan’s well-known realist photographer Hsu Tsang-tse, who was also an instrumental music enthusiast. The Suzuki violin he once played will be featured in the special exhibition, becoming one of the highlights of this exhibition.

Echoing the Hsu family’s music story, the wall on the other side of the exhibition space is covered with vinyl records. These musical pieces, treasured by Dr. Hsu Cheng-yuan, the honorary director of Chang-Yuan Hospital – Lukang Image Museum, not only symbolize the Hsu family’s consistent love for music but also profile the social atmosphere of Taiwan in the 1970s-1980s. The limitation of 6 songs per side of a record forms a stark contrast with the convenience of today’s music streaming platforms, yet it highlights the profound significance that each song could carry at that time.

Adjacent to this is the music experience area, equipped with cassette tapes and players. These invite visitors to personally select and play songs from a playlist. Combined with old photographs and stories spanning three generations, visitors can feel the role music played in the lives of the Hsu family and even the residents of Lukang. We sincerely welcome everyone to enter the Fugue of Memory exhibition, to listen to the eternal melodies in the flow of time, and to feel how music connects the shared memories of family, city, and era.