The grand opening of the Zhuzihu Ponlai Rice Foundation Seed Field Story House on December 23, 2015 was celebrated with a lion dance performed by students from Hutian Elementary School, marking an exciting event for the Park's newest attraction. 

Located in Yangmingshan National Park, the Zhuzihu area was set to be the original rice field to plant Japonica rice in 1923 and the harvested rice was given a new name, " Ponlai rice", in 1926. Established in 1928, the Zhuzihu Ponlai Rice Foundation Seed Field Office and Warehouse in Shichisei District of Taihoku Prefecture, as this area of Taipei was known during the period of Japanese rule, was the operational center for farming management of Ponlai rice and center for the seed bank, distribution, and delivery of Ponlai rice and related business. Constructed during the Republican era, the building was reinforced twice to be the venues of educating the leaders and training exercises for the Military Police of the Ministry of National Defense, and renamed the "Plum Lotus Study Center". 

Because the office is an important building in the history of the production of Ponlai rice and stands as a testament to the historic value of Zhuzihu as the origin of Taiwan Ponlai Rice, the Taipei City Government Department of Cultural Affairs declared the Zhuzihu Ponlai Rice Foundation Seed Field a historic building in 2009. After negotiating with the Ministry of National Defense, handling the housing and land allocation procedures, the Park Headquarters facilitated the design and planning of the Zhuzihu Ponlai Rice Foundation Seed Field Story House, aiming at developing the historic building to conserve the history of local industries and promote environmental education. The Story House features two themed pavilions: "The Past and Present of Zhuzihu", which introduces the history of local development, and "The Homeland of Taiwan Ponlai Rice", which presents an inside look at the history of the origins of Ponlai rice in Zhuzihu. 

The Park Headquarters held the grand opening ceremony for the Zhuzihu Ponlai Rice Foundation Seed Field Story House on the morning of December 23. Participating guests included Legislative Yuan legislator Ting Shou-chung; director of the Ministry of the Interior's Department of Civil Affairs Huang Li-hsin; Construction and Planning Agency Director-General Hsu Wun-long; former representative to Japan Lo Fu-chen; Director of the Japan Interchange Association Kotatsu Nishino; Lin Chuanqi, Division Chief of the Food Industry Division under the Agriculture and Food Agency; Mei-Li Li, Chief Executive of the Beitou District Office; Prof. Guang-Long Lai, Prof. Zhao-Shu Hsieh, Prof. Yun-Ming Peng from the Department of Agronomy in National Taiwan University and the Eikichi Iso Historical Association, representatives of the Eikichi Iso Memorial House; Chang-Zheng Cao, village representative of Hutian Village; local elders and members of the “Restoring the Glory of Ponlai Rice Club” led by Yong-Ru Chen, President of Community Development Association. 

Unlike conventional opening events which rely on ribbon-cutting ceremonies, the grand opening was led by Chen Mao-Chun, Director of the Park Headquarters, and honorable guest representatives who "harvested rice grain" as a symbol of the opening and to wish the Story House and revival of Ponlai rice a bright future. 

During the opening ceremony, Prof. Zhao-Shu Hsieh from the NTU Department of Agronomy donated the “Nakamura” seed to the Story House, boosting the implementation of rehabilitating the original field in Zhuzihu. According to Prof. Hsieh, as the "Nakamura seed" no longer existed in Taiwan, the Eikichi Iso Historical Association of NTU received 10 "Nakamura seeds" donated by the National Institute of Genetics （NIG） in Japan. However, since the seeds had been stored in the freezer for more than 30 years, the first attempt to revive the seeds failed. Owing to the unique and important role of "the Nakamura strain" in the farming history of Taiwan, NIG further donated 50 more seeds. Eventually, 3 seedlings grown from seeds frozen for more than 30 years were acquired. Together with the first failed attempt, the actual germination rate was only 5.76% （whereas the theorized germination rate is 30% according to the research of Japan）. The revival of "Nakamura seed" was almost not to be! 

Another meaningful activity in the opening ceremony was the unveiling of statues of "Eikichi Iso, the Father of Ponlai Rice" and "Suenaga Hitoshi, the Mother of Ponlai Rice" which were donated by Wen-Long Shi, founder of the Chimei Group. Fu-Quan Luo, a former representative in Japan, then delivered a speech about the statues on behalf of Mr. Shi, who also donated exclusive " Zhuzihu Ponlai Rice Foundation Seed Field Story House" notebooks. The donations are sure to enrich the exhibits in the Story House and help bring in more fascinating stories. 

In the afternoon, the public was led by Park Guides to discover the Zhuzihu area （including the Donghu, Dinghu, and Xiahu areas）. Visitors gained a new understanding of the diverse natural ecology and unique culture of the Zhuzihu Area. 

Yangmingshan National Park has officially added another attraction which will provide a platform for the public to understand the story of Taiwan Ponlai rice and the history of its homeland, Zhuzihu. Visitors are welcome to embark on a fun and educational trip to explore the new attraction. For more information about the Story House, please call +886-2-2861-3601 or visit the official Yangmingshan National Park website at http://www.ymsnp.gov.tw.