For decades, Chien Ming-shih and his family have grown water chestnuts on a farm inherited from Chien's father. But the family operation has come under threat after local authorities lifted building restrictions that could see their farm filled in due to construction.
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00:00This water chestnut farm in Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan was given to Jian Mingshi by his father.
00:06Every autumn and winter, he and his family work tirelessly to harvest their crops.
00:11In the off-season, Jian works as a car mechanic, which earns him more money than his water chestnuts.
00:17But he says the farm has a special place in his heart.
00:21Every day, he would sit by the fire and watch me pick the water chestnuts.
00:28When I sold the chestnuts, my income was good, so I gave him all my money.
00:34He was very happy. He said this was the happiest thing for him.
00:37So I took over my father's work. Now I can see the spirit of my father.
00:43But the Jian family farm has come under threat.
00:46Kaohsiung's Daliao district once boasted over 50 hectares of water chestnut fields.
00:51But two decades ago, many of these were filled in during the construction of a major highway.
00:56And now only around six hectares remain.
00:59Jian Mingshi's son says development proposals continue to jeopardize the family's livelihood.
01:06We've been planting chestnuts for a long time.
01:09One of our water chestnuts was confiscated.
01:11What do we do next year? We have to re-plan the land.
01:14We're going to cut the land in half.
01:16What are we going to do next year? It's all gone.
01:19Development in Daliao district was once limited due to the area's proximity to a nearby airport.
01:25But local authorities have recently lifted the building restrictions,
01:29prompting concern from the local community,
01:31who are keen to protect the neighborhood's centuries-old family homes and its unique agricultural history.
01:37Now that the airport restrictions have been lifted,
01:40I'm a little worried.
01:44I think we can record the history of this area,
01:47and record the history of the industry, even the stock market,
01:51before it's taken down.
01:54Faced with the threat of encroaching development,
01:57the Jian family continues to stay put,
01:59tending to their water chestnuts on a precious piece of land passed down through generations.
02:05Andy Hsu and Wesley Lewis for Taiwan Plus.