In the Taiwanese television series “Uncle” (阿叔), a family carpentry business is being passed on to the next generation. The man in charge of the business hesitates to pass the baton to his niece Yi-wen (怡雯).
Actress Grace Lin (林玟誼), who plays Yi-wen in the television series, has rehearsed a great deal for her role off camera. Lin says she isn’t worried about cutting wood in front of the lens, but the director was quite nervous.
The series is filmed in Chiayi, which was the cypress capital during the Japanese colonial period. The Chiayi Lumber Factory became East Asia’s largest lumber powerhouse.
This historical industry has continued and is evident in the furniture used to film the series. Screenwriter Chang Wen-liang (張文樑) says that they borrow furniture from many masters. Chang says each piece of furniture is valued at hundreds of thousands of New Taiwan dollars. Some pieces are priced up to millions.
Hopefully, this television series will allow the audience to become more curious about Taiwan and its history.