Reflecting on the Master Mason's Legacy - Commemorating the National Living Treasure, Su Cing-liang

Su Cing-liang（蘇清良）was the first mason from Kaohsiung to have been esteemed by the Ministry of Culture for his restoration and cultural preservation of numerous traditional Han and foreign-style landmarks. He is also one of the few craftsmen in Taiwan skilled in both domains. Regretfully, he passed away this year on July 20th at 89.

Master Mason Su Cing-liang had  devoted over 70 years to the field. He worked with meticulous techniques on all his projects and used only his self-made tools. In Kaohsiung, he restored numerous cultural heritage sites, such as the Ciaotou Sugar Refinery（橋頭糖廠）, Fongyi Academy（鳳儀書院）, Kaohsiung Museum of History（高雄市立歷史博物館）, Former Patriotic Women's Association Hall（原愛國婦人館）, Fongshan City Fong-Yi Gate（鳳山東便門）, and the Former Sanhe Bank（舊三和銀行）.

In June, during his last interview before his passing, Master Su Cing-liang discussed his restoration work at Fongyi Academy. Built in 1814, Fongyi Academy is the largest preserved academy in Taiwan. In 2013, after four years of restoration, it was officially reopened. He recounted meticulous details about the project, such as how he had restored the decorative swallowtail roofs.

"I have restored buildings from northern Taiwan to southern Taiwan, from Danshuei to Hengchun," he said. Taihoku Public Auditorium (Taipei Zhongshan Hall)（臺北公會堂）was his first historical landmark restoration project. He also refurbished numerous other historical landmarks around Taiwan, including Fort San Domingo (aka Hongmaocheng)（淡水紅毛城）, Taipei Guest House（臺北賓館）, The National Taiwan Museum's (NTM) Railway Department Park（國立臺灣博物館鐵道部園區）, Hsinchu Municipal Government Hall（新竹州廳）, Wufong Lin Family Mansion and Garden（霧峰林家花園）, Kaohsiung's Fongyi Academy and Kaohsiung's Museum of History, among others. 

His work has brought historical landmarks back to their original splendor and glory.

Born in 1935 in Hunei District, Kaohsiung, Su Cing-liang began working in the mason industry before graduating from elementary school. At 16, he became an apprentice. He recalled that his teacher made him a stool to stand on while plastering walls due to his shorter stature. In 2018, he began teaching construction techniques to pass down his important knowledge.

The legend was the Su family's third generation to be involved in restoration. His legacy, lifelong dedication, and contributions to restoring Taiwan's traditional architecture and cultural heritage must be commemorated.

　　由文化部認證，高雄市首位重要文化資產保存技術「土水修造技術」保存者蘇清良匠師，於今（112）年7月20日辭世，享壽89歲。

　　蘇清良匠師從事土水行業逾70年，是臺灣少數漢式傳統建築及和洋式近代建築兩大系統兼擅之傳統匠師，曾參與國立臺灣博物館鐵道部等國定古蹟修復工程，高雄許多名聞遐邇的文資景點，如：橋頭糖廠、鳳儀書院、高雄市立歷史博物館、原愛國婦人館、鳳山東便門、舊三和銀行…等，都是由已故人間國寶蘇清良匠師以自製工具及細膩工法，恢復古蹟原先優美的面貌。

　　蘇清良匠師於今年6月接受採訪，這是他生前最後一次受訪，在由他親手修復、古色古香的鳳儀書院中細數修復軌跡，例如屋頂的燕尾翹脊，興建於1814年的鳳儀書院是臺灣現存規模最大的書院，經過4年修復，2013年正式重啟門扉，展現昔日風華。

　　「我從臺灣頭做到臺灣尾，從淡水一直做……，做到恆春。」蘇清良匠師修復的第一件古蹟為臺北公會堂，爾後足跡遍及全臺，包括：淡水紅毛城、臺北賓館、國立臺灣博物館鐵道部園區、新竹州廳、霧峰林家花園、高雄的鳳儀書院及高雄市立歷史博物館等等。

　　1935年出生高雄湖內，小學尚未畢業就接觸土水工作，16歲正式拜師學藝，由於個子小，師傅還特製一張矮凳讓他站著抹牆。2018年起，蘇清良匠師逐漸轉型為土水修造技術教學業師，將重要技術傳承下來，蘇清良匠師一家三代投身臺灣傳統建築修復工作，更是傳為佳話。讓我們藉由回顧一代大師的身影，緬懷蘇清良匠師對臺灣文化資產保存與傳承的貢獻。