Abstract: This is the English Abstract

Ming era tombstones are particularly rare in Taiwan. The islands of Penghu in the Taiwan Strait contain one such stone belonging to an individual with the surname HONG. This stone gives ethnographers and historians a special insight into cultural practices of the time. The orientation, stylistic choices, measurements, and placement of this stone can reveal details about the individual, their genealogical information, and even the industry and identity of community in which this individual lived. Details surrounding this tomb are scarce, and it is important to preserve information about this tomb site for investigation. Cultural taboos in Penghu and Taiwan at large regarding tombs have prevented thorough research from being conducted on most tombs. Especially problematic is the rate that tombs of historical relevance are disappearing. Natural erosion processes such as wind and rain, damage and destruction from typhoons, and demolition due to human land policies are making tombs across Penghu and Taiwan disappear in greater numbers. This research seeks to determine the particular details surrounding this tombstone as well as contribute to the lacking information on the subject of Taiwan’s tombstones and establish new methods for tombstone research all while digitally preserving a piece of Taiwanese history. This research applies previously established tombstone survey information with modern digital preservation techniques. Measurements of the HONG tombstone have been taken from site visits and have been archived including information on characteristics including its orientation, size, shape, and placement. This study finds that digital preservation of the HONG tombstone and other stones throughout Taiwan is a worthwhile endeavor. It also identifies many knowledge gaps that exist within previous non-digital tombstone studies. The new information and details discovered through digital archiving efforts have led to additional research questions that will add to the robustness of future studies. The examples highlighted in this research add to future tombstone methodology and serve to break new ground into digitization practices of Taiwan’s historical artifacts for future ethnographic and historical studies.

Keywords: Penghu, Xiyu, gravesites, Ming tombstone, Digital Humanities