Mailiao Township is located in the northwest corner of Yunlin County. To the north, it is bordered by the Zhuoshui River and Changhua County's Dacheng Township, to the south by the Xinhuwei River adjacent to Taixi Township and Dongshi Township, to the west it faces the Taiwan Strait. The northeast monsoon is strong in this area, and locals often describe Mailiao's natural environment as "the wind at the head and the water at the tail." Although the northeast monsoon, which carries salt, is not favorable for the growth of general crops, Mailiao Township is an important agricultural, fishery, and livestock production area in Taiwan. In terms of agriculture, Mailiao produces 80% of the nation’s pickled mustard greens and contracts to export lettuce to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia. In terms of aquaculture, Mailiao ranks first in Yunlin for the production of Taiwan snapper, and is also a key area for bass, clams, and cockles. In livestock farming, Mailiao has 153 pig farms with a total livestock number exceeding 350,000, which is the highest among all townships in Taiwan, far surpassing the second place, Yunlin Erlun with over 220,000, and the third place, Changhua Fangyuan with over 210,000. The "Taiwan Chuan Pork" brand has been developed to market the product widely. Mailiao has a solid foundation in local industries.

However, what Mailiao is best known for are not the various agricultural, fishery, and livestock products, but the Six-Party Chemical Industrial Zone located to the west of the township, adjacent to the settlement by an isolated waterway. The Formosa Plastics Six Party project chose to establish itself in Yunlin in 1991 and began land reclamation in 1994 in the waters south of the Zhuoshui River estuary and in the Mailiao and Haifeng areas, thereby changing the original coastal skyline of Mailiao. With the completion of the first phase in 1998 and the beginning of operations, Six Party gradually developed into an industrial park that includes 54 factories. Since the Six Party Industrial Zone obtained its site through land reclamation, it did not fundamentally change the local industrial base and social texture as many industrial or science parks do through land expropriation and reconstruction. However, due to the enormous scale and economic output of the Six Party Industrial Zone, it inevitably has a profound impact on Mailiao's natural environment and social culture, becoming a socio-economic entity that coexists with the existing local society of Mailiao Township.

After thirty years of operational layout, Formosa Plastics Six Party has become a structuring force influencing the functioning of Mailiao's local society, even evolving into another maternal system for the operation of Mailiao’s local society. The tax revenue brought by the Six Party has allowed Mailiao Township to possess significantly more financial resources compared to ordinary townships, enabling it to position itself as a "welfare township." However, on the other hand, the massive petrochemical production base has also brought concerns about environmental pollution and public health, leading to a variety of protests and subsequent adjustments in social relations through the process. What changes have occurred in Mailiao's local society since the establishment of Six Party over twenty years ago? How do agricultural, fishery, and livestock production bases coexist alongside the petrochemical industrial park? How do Mailiao residents live together with the Six Party?

Our goal is, while completing field training, to collaboratively produce a local chronicle of Mailiao with all members of the interview team, exploring the various changes that have occurred in Mailiao's local society since the establishment of the Six Party.