Spectral Codex

Linkou Shengtai Brick Kiln (林口勝泰磚窯)

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Linkou, now the fastest-growing suburban district in the greater Taipei area, was once home to more than 30 brick factories, the highest concentration in northern Taiwan. Shèngtài Brick Kiln (勝泰磚窯), at the far northern extent of the Linkou Plateau, is one of the last remnants of this once-flourishing brick-making industry. Numerous ruins can be found across the sprawling site but the most impressive is a Hoffmann kiln, easily identified by its broken chimney. Hoffmann kiln technology was introduced to Taiwan during the Japanese colonial era but this particular kiln only dates back to the mid-1960s. It has now been abandoned for several decades.

A broken chimney rises over the fog-shrouded Linkou Plateau.

Overgrown entrance.

From the inside.

Within the dark remains of a brick kiln on the Linkou Plateau.

Around the bend at one end of a derelict Hoffmann kiln.

Banyan trees colonizing the kiln.

Another look at the distinctive chimney.

Shengtai Brick Factory Co., Ltd. (勝泰磚廠股份有限公司) was registered in 1965 and remained in operation until 1983 when the introduction of modern, mechanized brick manufacturing made traditional Hoffmann kilns obsolete. This timespan roughly corresponds to the peak of the brick industry on the plateau, after which brick production moved downslope to dozens of facilities in rugged valleys further south in neighbouring Guishan. Since then it doesn’t appear as if the site has been used for much apart from community gardening, although a blue delivery truck whizzing around the bend in one of these photos indicates sustained activity in the backroads beyond.

A sign warning visitors about the dangers of entering the kiln.

Decorative brickwork on the long end of an old Hoffmann kiln.

Detail above an entrance to the kiln.

One of many portals along the perimeter.

Apart from making bricks and cultivating tea, Linkou was also home to an American military base in the post-war period, Shulinkou Air Station. Former personnel have made numerous photos and videos available online, opening an uncommon window into everyday life in rural Taiwan.

Most ruins on site are completely unidentifiable. This could have been an office or a toolshed or a dormitory or something else entirely.

A red brick land god shrine near the kiln.

One of many outbuildings scattered around the area.

The abandoned Shengtai brick kiln from the far side.

This is not the only remaining brick kiln in Linkou. Another one exists along Jiālín Road (佳林路), much closer to the commercial center of the district. Unfortunately this other kiln is in poor condition and appears to have collapsed, although the chimney was still standing in 2017. Many more kilns remained on the Linkou Plateau as recently as 2010 but the rapid pace of urban development has caused this industrial legacy to vanish almost overnight.

Broken chimney beneath an ominous sky.

What will come of this place? Several local blogs and news reports suggest the site could be transformed into a brick industry museum but this seems farfetched given the disinterest of the current landowner. This kiln is also in poor condition and located far from the center of town so it’s hard to imagine it becoming a heritage property and tourist attraction. The other kiln’s fate is likely sealed by its proximity to lucrative urban developments. See them while you still can.

Changle Theater (大樹昌樂大戲院)

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 16:00:00 GMT

The imposing ruin of Changle Theater (昌樂大戲院) towers over the somnolent streets of central Dashu, a suburban district of Kaohsiung sprawling along the right bank of the silty Gaoping River (高屏溪). Its predecessor, Guangming Theater (光明戲院), was built in the 1950s and later purchased by Xǔ Kāichuán (許開傳), the former chairman of the township mediation committee. Dashu was booming in those days, buoyed by the presence of numerous military bases in the area, so Xu purchased land behind the existing theater to construct a larger, more modern theater in 1960. Guangming Theater was soon demolished, clearing space for a small yet bustling entertainment district to form around the plaza, likely featuring billiard halls, restaurants, teahouses, and dessert shops catering to the raucous crowds spilling out from the theater night after night.

A first glance at Changle Theater from the street.

The imposing ruin of Changle Theater.

An oblique look at the hulking ruin in the heart of this old town.

Changle Theater adheres to a pattern of design typical of 1960s Taiwanese cinemas with a ticket booth and commercial space on the ground floor and a large, singular auditorium capable of accommodating approximately 750 patrons upstairs. The façade is plain and unremarkable as hand-painted signs would have been displayed out front, advertising the latest films and performances. Ventilation shafts line the corridors on the second floor, providing some respite from the oppressive heat of summer, but the interior was likely air conditioned.

Colorful vintage tiles adorn the former ticket booth.

Ventilation typical of 1960s architecture in Taiwan line a corridor on the second floor.

Faded traces of a movie poster for Superboy (新飛天神童), released in 1982.

Business boomed through the 1960s and into the 1970s but the introduction of the Three Old Channels (老三台), free-to-air television stations introduced from 1962 to 1971, and the popularization of home television slowly eroded audiences. Regular film screenings were still held into the 1980s, as evidenced by the faded remnants of a movie poster for Superboy (新飛天神童), released in 1982, still clinging to an interior wall, but the theater might have also turned to more risqué forms of entertainment as consumer habits changed. The final curtain fell in 1987 after nearly three decades of operation.

Blood red paint indicates we’ve arrived at the “screening room” (放映室).

Rusty old projectors in the dark.

This one lacks the carbon arc lamp.

Light switches in the projection room.

Peeking through one of the portholes.

The view from the projection room.

A closer look at the ruined stage. The name of the old theater is prominently displayed on the banner at the top.

Looking back at the main hall. All the seats have been removed.

Old theater seats in the outer corridors.

Living quarters in the old theater. It wasn’t uncommon for the projectionist to reside at the theater in those days.

Film reels turning into mulch.

An old ticket found in a dark room.

This way to the emergency exit.

One last visit to the restroom.

The old theater hall in black and white.

Around back at the old theater in Dashu.

Following the closure of the theater it was sold to a developer who subsequently absconded without completing payment. This triggered a property rights dispute that remains unresolved decades later. Such legal complications inhibit any attempt at revitalization or demolition, leaving the old theater in a state of limbo, preserving it as a time capsule of Taiwan’s cinematic past.

Dahu Little Tianmu Villas (大湖小天母別墅)

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Little Tianmu Villas (小天母別墅) was developed by Jili’an Construction Company (吉利安建設公司) in a joint venture with local landowner Zhan Yigong (詹益恭). The county government issued a building permit in September 1993 and construction began with considerable fanfare. The project, taking its name from an upscale district in Taipei, promised 54 three-storey townhouses with underground parking, a rare luxury in rural Dahu. In late 1996 the county issued usage permits even though the structures were little more than concrete shells with no water or electricity.

Entrance to the complex from the street. No name appears above the gate.

Some residences appear professionally renovated, others use whatever materials were laying around.

The extent of the ruined community is quite impressive.

At the far end of the L-shaped courtyard.

Some effort has been made to make this area more habitable.

Most units are filled with discarded junk and debris.

Investigators later discovered that the developer had secured millions in loans using forged signatures of homeowners then transferred property titles to purchasers while pocketing the funds. Around 28 buyers found themselves saddled with mortgage debt for uninhabitable ruins. The landowner, having lost his family’s ancestral property to the scheme, reportedly died of depression in 2007, shortly before prosecutors raided the county building management office on suspicion of improperly issuing permits. The case made headlines that year, but attention faded and the legal disputes were never publicly resolved. The construction company has since been dissolved, leaving no one to complete the project nor fund its demolition.

The view from the third floor of one of the units around the bend.

Overlooking the complex from the rooftop. The view is quite serene.

I wonder what might be found behind this door?

Exiting the ruined complex.

Nowadays the complex remains mostly in ruin, although several units are now occupied, perhaps by the original owners doing what they can to recoup their losses, or perhaps by squatters who have taken advantage of the abandoned state of the project.

Xinglin General Hospital (杏林綜合醫院)

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Xìnglín General Hospital (杏林綜合醫院) is perhaps the most famous ruin in downtown Tainan, Taiwan. It opened for business in 1975 as the largest and most modern hospital in this part of the city and catered to the burgeoning middle class during the boom times of the Taiwan Economic Miracle. In 1993 the hospital was ordered to shut down after being plagued by a number of scandals involving fraudulent records, medical malpractice, and allegations of wrongful death. Ongoing legal battles and fragmented ownership have left the building abandoned and neglected since then.

Exterior shot of Xinglin General Hospital on Ximen Road, Tainan.

Much like the so-called Minxiong Ghost House, this hospital is widely rumored to be haunted. In fact, it regularly appears on lists of spooky places in Taiwan and has been featured on national television. It eventually became the subject of two feature-length horror films: Hospital (杏林醫院), released in more than 70 theaters nation-wide on the last day of 2020, and Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital, a Filipino found footage film released in 2024. This fame and notoriety has made it next to impossible to separate fact from fiction, especially through the smoky lens of machine translation. As such, this entry in my catalog of abandoned places in Taiwan will be rather light on history for a change.

The front desk is one of the first things you’ll see when you enter the abandoned hospital. It is also visible from the street.

The floor plan of the hospital is a rectangle with a central courtyard open to the skies above.

One thing I appreciate about urban exploration in Taiwan is the often pristine condition of the ruins. Urban exploration culture in Taiwan is typically respectful of the state of abandonment and most people tend to abide by the axiom “take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints”. Not so in this hospital, which has seen countless visitors in the decades since it was abandoned. No doubt teenagers and university students regularly dare one another to enter the “haunted house”, particularly at night, and more recently streamers and other content creators have made regular use of the space.

Vintage style in a room on the fifth floor.

Not much to see on the rooftop of the abandoned hospital except for the surrounding cityscape.

Peering down a utility channel running through the core of the building. Careful you don’t fall down here.

Here the false ceiling has caved in, making it somewhat difficult to pick your way through the room to the other side.

The main counter on one of the higher floors. You can imagine nurses and orderlies going about their business here.

A beaten-up tube of the infamous “Darkie” brand blackface toothpaste.

A children’s storybook in the wreckage featuring space cats and dogs.

Many of the walls have been gutted by scavengers, wires torn out and strewn about in a heap.

A medicine cabinet in a private room that must have been used for long-term care.

Dating the abandonment to the summer of 1992.

Pharmacological decay.

Several of the private rooms contained personal effects.

I was interested in finding many of the artifacts visible in previously published explorations, particularly the operating room equipment, but the building was almost completely gutted by the time I visited in 2014. Almost anything not nailed down had already been stripped away and sold for scrap. At least I found a tube of the original blackface toothpaste I’ve heard so much about since first visiting East Asia!

Another view across the central courtyard.

The decrepit hallway leading to the operating room.

The only thing remaining in the operating room is a shelf with a bunch of syringes and saline solution.

The weathered remains of one of the old hospital beds.

A garden of ferns in the courtyard of the abandoned hospital.

Eventually I worked up a little courage to descend into the basement in search of the morgue. There wasn’t much left to see in this partly flooded underworld but it was still a bit of a thrill to creep along the dark corridors, pointing my torch this way and that. Alas, there were no blood-curdling screams, no spooky apparitions. What gives? Maybe I need to return by night.

A spiral staircase descending into the basement from behind the front desk; presumably this was for shuttling medical records back and forth.

Stalking through the basement of a haunted hospital in Tainan. Nightmare fuel, for those inclined to such things.

The basement was partly flooded but otherwise empty. I imagine this room might have once been the morgue.

Most likely the X-ray room, but that’s just a guess.

One final look at the small fern garden in the courtyard of Xinglin General Hospital. One plaque reads “divine medicial skill” (醫術如神), another references “benevolence and assistance” (仁心濟世).

Despite the rather anti-climatic exploration it was still interesting to scope out this famous old hospital in downtown Tainan. It is remarkable to ponder the second life this building has enjoyed, particularly in the 2020s, as it became the backdrop for horror films and no shortage of content creators seeking to juice engagement. Don’t expect much should you visit these days; even in 2014 the site was little more than a hollow shell, but at least the scale of the building remains impressive, and it makes for some decent photos here and there.

A sidelong perspective on this infamous abandoned hospital in downtown Tainan.

Tainan Guanghua Theater (台南光華戲院)

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Guanghua Theater (光華戲院) was established on Dongmen Roundabout (東門圓環) in Tainan in 1946. It operated though the 1960s, regularly hosting traveling acts such as the Sun Moon Garden Opera Troupe (日月園歌劇團) and screening films. According to my sources it closed around 1970 only to be converted into retail space. Later on it was converted into a clothing store. It is among the oldest surviving theaters in this historic city but any attempt at revitalization would be frustrated by complex property rights; there are something like 40 shareholders, many of whom are no longer residing in the country.

The former theater from the middle of the traffic circle. Nothing would indicate that this was ever a cinema.

An oblique view confirms the original theater remains intact behind the advertising banner out front. See the stepped corner of the façade in grey and the vaulted rooftop?

The interior of the theater has been completely obscured behind a metal substructure.

From certain angles a small part of the original façade can be seen behind the metal advertising banner out front. The theater building was also connected to the shophouses curving around the bend of the street to the left. Nothing of the original interior remains visible; everything has been covered by a metal substructure increasing floor space for the shop. Nevertheless, this is indeed the original theater building. Perhaps some day it will emerge from the shadows.

Tainan Minzu Theater (台南民族戲院)

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Minzu Theater (民族戲院) was established on the street of the same name in Tainan in 1963. This golden age cinema specialized in Western films and prospered into the 1980s. After a nearby night market was relocated business declined. The owners gambled on an extensive renovation to remain competitive, but for reasons that are not exactly clear the original theater building was only partially demolished in 1988. A high-rise cineplex housing seven screens was built on two-thirds of the footprint of the original theater, leaving a third of the building intact. Unable to resist changing consumer habits, this cineplex was sold to Scholar Multimedia Ltd. (學者電影公司) in 1996 and ultimately went out of business sometime in the early 2000s.

A broad overview of the current state of the former theater and cineplex. Advertising banners now dangle where movie posters would have been shown.

This golden statue is a throwback to when this cram school was a cineplex!

Sometime later the former cineplex was renovated into Yuda Cram School (育達補習班), which continues to occupy the site into the 2020s. For a period of time it was still possible to see characters for Minzu Theater on the top of the third of the building still standing, but additional reconstruction efforts consigned this trace to the dustbin of history. Nowadays only the twin statues of Atlas flanking the high-rise indicate this was ever a place of entertainment.

The original name of the theater could still be seen on the top of the building up until 2020.

In an interesting twist of fate, Minzu Theater’s design was also used for the now-abandoned Zicheng Theater (自成大戲院) in Yunlin, also documented in this project.

Hunei Wenxian Theater (湖內文賢戲院)

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Founded by members of the Yè (葉) family by the early 1950s, Wenxian Theater (文賢戲院) was a small town theater catering mainly to local farmers in an era before television became widespread. It began as a simple enclosure with a thatched roof that was later expanded into a more permanent structure with a brick façade. Screenings and performances were typically held twice nightly. As with many rural theaters of that time the programming was a mix of film, glove puppetry (布袋戲), and traditional opera. By the 1970s business was declining due to the impact of the Three Old Channels (老三台), free-to-air television stations introduced from 1962 to 1971. It was briefly managed by Ye Guochang (葉國昌) before going out of business in 1973.

The distinctive façade now serves as a backdrop to a popular noodle shop.

Several restaurants and a billiard hall fronted onto this small plaza back in the day.

After the theater went out of business the original building was repurposed as industrial space. Later still it was transformed into a dormitory for migrant workers at a nearby battery factory (電池廠), evidence of which can still be seen on the building’s façade. More recently, perhaps around 2013, the building has been gutted and demolished, leaving only the façade and part of what must have been the projection booth with a long grassy field out back. Some sense of nostalgia seems to guide the decision to preserve the façade, which is now a local landmark.

A closer look at the façade reveals layers of history.

Although blurry and indistinct, the characters from the name of the theater are still discernable on the façade. Wenxian (文賢) was written in larger characters on the inside while “theater” (戲院) was written in smaller characters on the outside, both running right-to-left. Additionally, the characters for “battery” (電池) were obviously added later, as they occupy a marginal position on the façade.

Power switches on the left side of the old theater.

Upstairs where the old projection booth would have been located.

All that remains of the body of the old theater from the newly planted grass out back.

One last look at the gritty textures on the inside of the old theater.

As an aside, this old theater was also informally known as Yecuojia Theater (葉厝甲戲院) after the name of the surrounding village. Also note that the grassy field behind the theater is private property and now fenced off to causal inspection.

Zuoying Qingshui Theater (左營清水大戲院)

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 16:00:00 GMT

In the 1960s a bustling shopping and entertainment district formed along Xiling Street (西陵街) in Zuoying, Kaohsiung, not far from the gates of the ROC Naval Academy (中華民國海軍軍官學校). The street became famous for its many suit shops, teahouses, and hotels, all catering to the many military personnel in the area. It was anchored by a pair of movie theaters established in quick succession by local entrepreneur Tseng Ching-shui (曾清水) starting in 1966. The first of these was the eponymous Qingshui Theater (清水大戲院), soon followed by the larger Guanguang Theater (觀光大戲院) later that same year. Both theaters were operated with business acumen, leaning into more diverse forms of entertainment not showcased at the navy’s official venues, Zhongshan Hall (海軍中山堂) and Zhongzheng Hall (海軍中正堂).

Exterior shot of the old theater under dusky skies in 2018.

A glimpse of the former lobby of the old theater, now completely exposed to the elements.

Tseng is a real-life rags-to-riches figure; he had no formal education and was functionally illiterate but went on to become a wealthy cinema tycoon in the Kaohsiung region. As a teenager he hustled to earn money through a series of small-time business ventures starting in the offshore fishing industry before opening a shaved ice parlor. His experiences there allowed him to enter the fruit wholesaling market and, as the money rolled in, he was able to raise enough capital to establish twin theaters along Xiling Street as well as a film distribution company. He opened several more theaters in the decades that followed, culminating with Shiquan Cineplex (時全影城), which only closed around 2022.

The view from the mezzanine level.

An oblique view of the main stage from the balcony extension leading to the restrooms.

While the navy offered patriotic programming and family-friendly fare, Tseng’s theaters featured more eclectic programming, screening a wide variety of Western and foreign films. Adult content was also shown here, increasingly so in its later years. This theater was also notorious for more risqué forms of live entertainment, particularly cabaret and striptease shows known by the euphemism “beef market” (牛肉場) for all the flesh that was bared. The nearby hotels provided rowdy soldiers a venue for additional services after the show.

Back on ground level.

An emergency exit on the left side of the hall.

The facilities on the second level.

Main stage vista.

Another look at the balcony level from below.

The projection room would have been located here but there’s no sign of it anymore.

The side of the building is painted blue and features the names of four of Tseng Ching-shui’s theaters.

One last glance at the old theater just off Xiling Street.

Qingshui Theater held its final screening sometime around 1995. Since then it has been stripped bare, exposing the interior to the predations of time and the elements. After Tseng Ching-shui passed away in 2007 his children have been embroiled in a bitter dispute over inheritance, but it seems that this specific theater was left to his son Tseng Jincheng (曾錦成), who still lives across the street. While its future remains uncertain, it is difficult to imagine the gutted shell of this old theater ever earning heritage status, so you should probably visit it soon should you ever wish to see it.

Waipu Airfield (福興外埔飛行場)

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 16:00:00 GMT

The former Waipu Airfield (外埔飛行場) is located in Fuxing, Changhua, on the southeastern side of historic Lukang. It was constructed in March 1943, part of a wave of airfield construction that coincided with the intensifying war effort. In the post-war period it was almost entirely dismantled and returned to farmland but several traces remain scattered across the plains.

An old World War 2 gun tower in the rice paddies of Changhua.

US military maps identified this airfield as Rokkō Airfield, after the Japanese name for nearby Lukang, but the official name was probably Shōka Airfield (彰化飛行場). Local residents refer to it simply as Waipu Airfield after the name of a nearby village, which is how its modern name is derived. Some sources also gave it the provisional name Lukang Southeast Airfield (鹿港東南飛行場), but this has no basis in history. It is worth noting that there was another training airfield immediately to the west of Lukang, likely the actual site of Rokkō Airfield.

Another look at the most conspicuous of the remaining gun towers.

The most prominent relics of this old airbase are a pair of specialized gun towers (防空降塔) originally located on either side of the main runway. They were built toward the end of the war to defend against allied bombing runs and paratrooper landings. The ruins of an old command and communications facility as well as another structure that might have been a bomb shelter can also be found in the vicinity.

A closer look at the old machine gun fort.

Fanpo Village (番婆村) is home to the more widely-known of the remaining gun towers, which is sometimes referred to as Gǔpàotái (古砲台). It was located on the northwest side of the former runway. Although registered as a historic building in 2004 very little had been done to preserve or explain its function when I visited in 2015.

The second gun tower is right next to a small factory. It is easily missed when driving along the nearby road.

A second gun tower is located next to a small factory in Waipu Village (外埔村) proper, originally on the southeast side of the airfield. It is shorter than the other tower and built with a slightly different design, more squat and close to the ground. As with the other gun tower it would have been mounted with anti-aircraft defenses on top and the body of the structure would have stored ammunition.

The open rooftop is less easily discerned on this gun tower. The portholes on the sides were more for defending against troops on the ground.

A closer look at the weathering of the reinforced concrete structure.

Parts of the steel substructure can be seen on the seaward side of the gun tower.

Apart from the relics remaining around the airbase the nearby Rixin Elementary School (日新國民小學) also features some murals related to the history of the area.

Phahonyothin Rama (พหลโยธินรามา)

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Phahonyothin Rama is perhaps the most notorious of the remaining vintage theaters in Bangkok. It originally opened in 1966, competing with several other theaters in the Saphan Khwai area, and became widely known for screening Shaw Brothers films. As with many other Thai theaters of its vintage it is located down a side street branching off from a busy road—but in this case there are twin entrances, both adorned with a large metal-framed marquee.

The southern entrance to the theater. Note the letter “P” formed by neon tubing on the border of the marquee, a common pattern for Thai theaters.

The signboard over the northern entrance is draped by an advertising banner but the rusty metal characters above evoke a sense of age and decay.

Approaching the old theater from the main road. Previously the name was also displayed above the building but this seems to have been taken down in the 2010s.

Sometime prior to the mid-2000s this theater began screening adult content, a common practice in the twilight of the vintage theater era. After a few run-ins with the authorities programming shifted back toward more mainstream films—but by now its reputation as a cruising spot was well-established. Toward the late 2010s it became notorious for sex workers soliciting customers in the lobby. Ticket prices more than doubled from 60 baht in 2018 to 200 baht in 2025 but the theater remains open according to reviews on Google Maps.

The charmless façade of the theater. These metal frames would have once displayed movie posters but nobody patronizes this establishment for the on-screen entertainment anymore.

An oblique view of the old theater. It is interesting to see how the surrounding area has been redeveloped into new condos and office buildings, yet this 1960s theater remains largely unchanged.

A variety of movie posters from 2011 to 2016 were displayed out front when I visited in 2018.

Several other movie posters are displayed in the lobby. At least some effort has been made to remain current.

The ticket booth displays the entrance fee and opening hours of the theater.

One last glance at the old Phahonyothin Rama.

Dajia Stone House (大甲石頭屋)

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 16:00:00 GMT

This three-storey residence on the outskirts of Youshi Industrial Zone (幼獅工業區) in Dajia, Taichung, became widely known in the early 2020s for its unusual collection of maritime detritus covering the exterior. The house’s septuagenarian owner, surnamed Liu (劉), spent several decades riding out to the coast by motorcycle to gather nautical buoys, hemp ropes, stones, and other castoff objects to decorate the family residence. The house features only one functional entrance, with the remainder of its surface area devoted to this elaborate assemblage of found objects.

An outlandish sight in suburban Taichung.

A closer look at the many colorful buoys and floats adorning the Liu family residence.

A large collection of discarded windowpanes can also be seen on the rooftop.

After going viral on social media the property earned nicknames such as the Dajia Stone House (大甲石頭屋) or Balloon House (爆紅氣球屋). Its outlandish appearance earned many comparisons to the Pixar film Up (天外奇蹟, 2009), as it almost appears as if the house might float away into the deep blue sky at any moment.

The side entrances of the residence are completely blocked by a towering pile of junk.

Plant life has colonized much of the exterior of the structure.

Of course, nearby residents have been none too pleased with the growing eyesore, and with public scrutiny came increased pressure to deal with the residence as a public health nuisance. These issues eventually prompted intervention from municipal authorities, who undertook a comprehensive cleanup of the site in late 2024.

Daya Theater (大雅戲院)

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Daya Theater (大雅戲院) is one of the more obscure former cinemas in rural Taichung. According to a brief discussion with a shopkeeper it likely operated in the 1950s or 1960s and was subsequently renovated for commercial use. The ground floor now hosts a hair salon (巧舍髮妝) and stationary and sewing supply store.

A former theater building, heavily modified, in suburban Taichung.

An oblique view of the state of the former theater in 2025. The upper levels were inaccessible but appear disused.

There is also a corridor running through the base of the building with former shops on either side, but most of these seem to have been converted for residential use, or perhaps storage. The actual cinema hall would have been on the upper levels but it appears to have been subdivided and turned into office space that is now underutilized.

Peering inside the corridor that runs through the base of the building. The sign at back left reads Liubao Department Store (六寶百貨行).

Kids playing in the corridor beneath the old theater.

Many thanks to Andrew Kerslake for the tip!

Zhongli Jiangxia Hall (中壢黃屋伙房江夏堂)

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Jiangxia Hall (江夏堂), constructed in 1925 during the Japanese colonial era, stood as one of the few remaining historic residences in Zhongli until it was demolished in 2024. Located near Renhai Temple (仁海宮) in the Xingjie (新街) area, it was the home of Huang Jingtang (黃鏡堂), a scholar of classical Chinese literature and an important Taiwanese civil servant born in 1893 in Shuiwei (水尾), a village to the north of Zhongli proper.

Jiangxia Hall under demolition.

The dark Japanese style roofing tiles really stand out.

The residence exemplified a fusion of traditional Minnan architecture with Japanese colonial elements, most notably in the uncommon use of dark Japanese roofing tiles. The exterior previously featured a stone-carved door lintel and decorative window lattices forming the character for “prosperity” (祿) on the left and “fortune” (福) on the right, although the latter was demolished along with half of the building at some point in the distant past.

The view from the front steps of the main hall.

A closer look at one of the windows on the main hall. The area above the window was gutted; one of the paintings salvaged from the house was likely displayed there until very recently.

Detail of the right side of the main hall. The building would have originally continued in this direction but it was lopped off at some point to make room for a more modern townhouse.

Gazing up at the rooftop in the main hall.

In 2024, the century-old structure was sold by Huang’s descendants and slated for demolition. While the new owner showed no interest in preserving the building or its cultural artifacts, a group of local cultural workers attempted to salvage important elements. With the cooperation of the property owner they arranged for two paintings from the main hall to be preserved by professors from National Taiwan University of Arts (國立臺灣藝術大學), while parts of the door frame, lintel, and stone-carved “prosperity” character were relocated to Xingjie Elementary School (新街國民小學). Whether these artifacts are on display or kept in storage is presently unknown.

Gorgeous calligraphy over an entrance leading to the kitchen and bedroom at the back of the building.

A decapitated stone lion laying in the rubble outside this historic residence.

Hemei Chen Family Mansion (和美陳家洋樓)

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Mòyuán (默園), or “Silent Garden”, was completed in 1929 by Tân Sia̍k-kui (陳錫奎), a wealthy landowner in what is now known as Hemei, Changhua. This imposing mansion, the largest private residence in the county at the time, was built for his eldest son, the distinguished Taiwanese writer Tân Hu-kok (陳虛谷), a significant figure in the Taiwan New Literature movement in the later Japanese colonial period. Moyuan was both his home and a venue for meetings, literary salons, and other activities related to the Taiwan Cultural Association (台灣文化協會).

Peering through the gate at an old mansion on the outskirts of Hemei.

A closer look at thee eclectic Baroque-style façade of the mansion.

Architecturally, the mansion exemplifies an eclectic neo-Baroque style typical of prestigious residences from the Japanese colonial era. The two-storey Western-style building features a distinctive façade and ornate detailing. A particularly notable feature is the inscription above the main entrance, Leisurely Viewing The Southern Mountains (悠然見南山), a line from the poetry of Tao Yuanming (陶淵明) inscribed by Lukang calligrapher Cai Shoushi (蔡壽石).

Zooming in on ornate details at the top of the façade. Here the literary inscription is plainly visible, reading right to left.

The history of the mansion takes a darker turn in 2006, when it was repurposed by Tân Hu-kok’s granddaughter into the headquarters of a shadowy cult known as Sun Moon Ming Gong (日月明功). The organization attracted followers with promises of spiritual healing and enlightenment. However, in 2013, tragedy struck when the teenage son of a follower perished due to physical abuse and malnutrition. This incident, known as the Sun Moon Ming Gong Child Abuse Case (日月明功虐死案), led to the arrest and eventual imprisonment of the cult leaders, leaving the historic property abandoned and its future shrouded in uncertainty.

A closer look at the detailing above the entrance.

Despite its obvious historical and architectural significance, the mansion has yet to receive official heritage status. Local heritage preservation advocates and government officials have expressed interest in purchasing the mansion but with more than 30 descendants to consult it has been impossible to reach any consensus. Nowadays the mansion remains in a state of neglect, its important cultural legacy overshadowed by its more recent tragic history.

A guard dog patrols the gated property, which maintains its mystery for now.

While this building is generally known as the Chen Family Mansion (和美陳家洋樓) or Moyuan, as noted above, it is sometimes also referred to as the Former Residence of Tân Hu-kok (陳虛谷故居).

Danei Open-Air Theater (大內露天戲院)

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Open-air theaters were a common feature of the urban landscape of Taiwan in the 1950s and 1960s, especially in more rural areas where the cost of building a more permanent structure was prohibitive. Few physical traces of these theaters remain today, but a notable exception can be found in the town of Danei in Tainan. Here a red brick enclosure, ticket booth, and other features of the eponymous Danei Open-Air Theater (大內露天戲院) can still be found along a laneway in the heart of Neizhuang Village (內庄村).

Ticket booth for the open-air theater.

Behind the ticket booth, just inside the brick wall.

The ticket booth is the most salient feature remaining at this site. It is a simple structure with two small windows and a small counter on the other side. The entrance to the theater was to the left of the ticket booth, with metal doors on the right opened near the end of any performance or screening, a custom known as “watching the end of the show” (看戲尾). Although it isn’t mentioned in any account that I’ve consulted, there are toilets against the far wall of the enclosure, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they were original features of the theater.

A set of rudimentary toilets against the far wall.

This two-storey structure might have been where the projector was stationed.

Danei was home to three theaters in the 1960s: Danei Theater, established in a warehouse owned by the farmers’ association in 1941, and two open-air theaters. All three hosted a variety of performances—primarily traditional opera (歌仔戲) and puppet shows (布袋戲), but Taiwanese language film screenings in the evenings were also very popular. It seems nobody knows precisely when this particular theater was built, nor when it closed down, but there’s a good chance business began to dwindle in the early 1970s with the rise of home television and improved transportation links to nearby urban centers.

Back at the entrance to the open-air theater in Danei.

Although this open-air theater has long been known to history and theater aficionados, culture workers in southern Taiwan began promoting the site in 2023 as part of a broader effort to preserve the enduring heritage of rural Tainan. This site is unique in its state of preservation and I certainly hope some effort is made to officially designate it a heritage site worthy of protection. It offers a rare glimpse into rural entertainment during Taiwan’s period of rapid economic growth in the late 20th century.

Zilai Theater (自來大戲院)

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 16:00:00 GMT

The small town of Longquan (龍泉) is home to one of the last remaining vintage movie theaters in Pingtung, Taiwan. Precise details about the history of Zilai Theater (自來大戲院), also known simply as Longquan Theater (龍泉大戲院), remain obscure and imprecise, but its establishment almost certainly follows an influx of ROC military veterans in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Several bases and other facilities were built around Longquan in that time, and the population of this formerly sleepy agrarian settlement surged, and there was a newfound demand for entertainment.

Approaching the old theater from the street.

An oblique look at the garbled characters running along the center of the façade. The name of the town, Longquan (龍泉), is on top.

Full frontal view of the iconic façade.

While its operating history is not known with certainty, we can make some educated guesses based on broad trends. This theater was probably established shortly after the completion of the nearby military bases, perhaps as early as 1962, and there’s a good chance it continued to operate into the 1970s. It likely closed in the 1980s after succumbing to the usual factors: the proliferation of home television and video, improved transportation connections to urban centers with more modern theaters, and demographic changes. Whether it was still in business in the late 1980s, when striptease shows became a popular sideline business to boost revenue, is hard to tell, but it seems plausible that it had already shut down by then.

Several of the shops at ground level were repurposed as residences and remain occupied.

An advertisement for Jintaifeng Soda (金台豐汽水) over the name Longfeng Store (龍豐商店).

The original ticket booth can still be discerned along the corridor running through the base of the building.

Why is such an obviously dilapidated structure still standing in the 2010s? Zilai Theater is a large mixed-use building with a row of commercial shops lining the corridor leading to the ticket booth. While the theater was bustling those shops would have benefited from a steady stream of foot traffic, but after it closed the festering ruin up above would have driven away even loyal customers. Those shops were likely owned rather than rented—complicating the property rights of the building and inhibiting collective action to renovate the building or tear it down. Several of the ground floor shops are still occupied despite the scenes of absolute devastation upstairs.

First glimpse of the interior of the old theater after climbing the stairs. This place is a total wreck. Metal sheeting lines the ground in one area, probably to prevent water leaking into the units below.

The projection booth would have been straight ahead. Perhaps there was a wooden enclosure?

Perhaps a typhoon ripped the roof from this old theater, or maybe it was not particularly sturdy in the first place.

The view from around the projection booth looking toward the stage. If you look closely you might be able to see a fragment of the silver screen.

A closer look at the tattered remnants of the silver screen still dangling over the stage from a metal frame.

Scraps of the silver screen.

Frayed and decaying film.

The view from above the stage.

Gazing up at the broken rooftop and a solitary fan.

A parting glance in black and white.

Although impressive in scale, particularly for a small town theater, and almost majestic in its level of deterioration, the ruins of Zilai Theater are also quite hazardous, and should only be explored with great caution, if at all. Reputable reports of stray dogs and other menaces exist, so be sure to take care should you visit, and be sure to respect the privacy of the ground floor residents.

Keelung Tianliaogang Kenban (基隆田寮港檢番)

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Tianliaogang (田寮港) was home to one of more than a dozen legal red-light districts, or yūkaku (遊廓), in Taiwan during Japanese rule. Established in 1899 along the Tianliao Canal (田寮河), in what were then the sparsely-populated outskirts of eastern Keelung, it was among the first yukaku in the new colony, and soon became one of the most well-known. Only Japanese were permitted in the district’s many entertainment venues, which numbered around 15 according to most accounts. Many of those patronizing the district were members of the military; army barracks immediately to the west would have ensured a steady stream of customers, in addition to those arriving by boat along the canal.

An oblique view of the old management office.

In 1927 a dedicated kenban (檢番) was constructed near the entrance to the district to enforce regulations and administer the operation of the yukaku. This government building, referred to as a geisha management office (藝妓管理所) on the plaque next to the door, issued licenses, collected taxes, prevented the spread of disease, and otherwise monitored the health and well-being of those working in the district. It may have also coordinated training in the arts, as there are records of public performances by women working in this yukaku.

Standing in front of the old office.

A closer look at the stone-washed awning over the main entrance.

After the war all ethnic Japanese were expelled from Taiwan by way of the Port of Keelung. The former pleasure district emptied out, and every available structure was requisitioned as temporary lodging for soldiers newly arrived from the Republic of China. By 1949 there was a full-blown housing crisis, as approximately two million soldiers and refugees crossed the Taiwan Strait, fleeing the advances of the People’s Liberation Army. Many would have been allocated living space in the former management office, entertainment venues, and residences of the yukaku before continuing onward to other parts of Taiwan.

A sidelong view of the main entrance. A historic plaque is visible next to the door.

Looking alongside the old management office. A confusing jumble of elements indicates it has been renovated and expanded several times over the last century.

When the dust settled the former management office was repurposed as a police dormitory, or perhaps even an actual police station for a time. It was likely renovated in the 1950s, and it isn’t entirely clear which parts of the building remain untouched except by the ravages of time. The doorway certainly looks original, but the more functional reinforced concrete section on the right is probably a later addition, as is the red brick extension on the left. The wall running along the alleyway seems suspect, especially since it obscures several long windows. Although the interior isn’t readily accessible, a glimpse or two through broken windows suggests the space was indeed subdivided into small rooms and used as a residence before it was finally sealed and abandoned.

A closer look at the curved windows along the side of the building.

In 1995, after a long period of idleness, the land was auctioned off and is now privately owned. Since the kenban is not a historic building, nor does it appear to be under consideration, the new landowner may knock it down at any time. We may never know much more about this neglected and mostly forgotten ruin in the historic laneways of this part of Keelung.

Perhaps the only wooden houses still standing in the former pleasure district.

In addition to the old management office there are also several dilapidated wooden houses along Renyi Road Lane 37 (仁一路37巷), formerly known as Mingyue Lane (明月巷), that might date back to the colonial period. These structures don’t look much like those in archival photos, but it is plausible they were renovated over the many decades since. Most sources consulted for this entry agree these houses were likely in use by women working in the former red-light district.

Comparing this to old photos yields inconclusive results.

The entrance to one of the dilapidated wooden residences in the former yukaku.

Finally, it is also worth mentioning that this district once had its own shinto shrine set against the hills to the south. This Inari shrine (稻荷神社) was guarded by kitsune (fox) statues, two of which were later relocated to a hiking trail on Hongdanshan (紅淡山), further south. Taiwanese people imagined the fox spirits helped those working in the red-light district to beguile their clients. Nothing remains of the original site; apparently it was heavily damaged by allied bombing in the war and dismantled sometime thereafter.

Thanks to Josh Ellis for comments on an earlier draft of this entry.

Zhuifen Railway Station (追分車站)

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Zhuifen Station (追分車站) was established in 1922 as a transfer station between the Coastal Line (海岸線) and the Mountain Line (山線). Originally known as Oiwake Station (追分驛) in Japanese, the name simply means “forked road”, but it has taken on new meaning as one of a popular pair of auspicious tickets (吉祥語車票) along with the nearby Chenggong Station (成功車長). Together, these two station names imply a blessing for high scores in entrance examinations, and with some creative alteration of the sounds of the characters, may also be used for a successful marriage proposal.

A century-old railway station at the gateway to Taichung.

This station is also one of the Five Treasures of the Coastal Line (海線五寶), a nickname given to the set of wooden railway stations still in use today. It was designated a municipal monument in 2002.

An engine idles next to Zhuifen Station.

Liujiao Wufu Temple (六腳大庄舊五福宮遺址)

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Wufu Temple is an obscure site in the floodplains of Liujiao, Chiayi County, immediately opposite from the historic town of Beigang. The original temple, dedicated to the Five Emperors (五帝) and Xuan Wu (玄天上帝), served as a spiritual center for several villages in the area. Although the temple claims a history extending back to the early Daoguang (道光) period of the Qing dynasty the structure visible today dates to a 1960 reconstruction.

An extraordinary site in the scrubland of the floodplains outside Beigang.

Here the illusion of a buried temple is complete.

What appears at first glance to be a temple partially buried in farmland is actually just a discarded rooftop deliberately left behind when the building was dismantled in 1965. The temple’s relocation was necessitated by the construction of flood control measures along the Beigang River (北港溪). Due to financial constraints following the extensive flood control project, villagers salvaged building materials from the old temple to construct a new one within the protection of the levee, leaving only the ornate roof structure in the original location.

Detail of the left side of the temple roof showing a tiger.

Fu Lu Shuo (福祿壽), also known as the Three Stars (三星), are a common rooftop centerpiece on Taiwanese temples.

Presumably a lion on the right side of the temple rooftop.

The site was rediscovered in 2016 when photographs of the seemingly buried temple circulated widely, prompting investigation by cultural heritage experts. When I first visited I assumed there was an actual temple buried beneath the shifting soil of the floodplains, and only later did I learn this is an illusion. Apparently it was evaluated for its cultural value and found lacking, but local farmers seem content to leave it in place, and it has also served as a filming location for television productions.

Fallow fields on a return visit in 2022.

A closer look at the temple rooftop centerpiece in black and white.

Dongshan Niurouqi Police Station (東山牛肉崎警察官吏派出所)

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Niurouqi Police Station (牛肉崎警察官吏派出所) was completed sometime in the 1930s, midway through the Japanese colonial era. It was originally attached to the Baihe branch of policing under Xinying, and its jurisdiction was the surrounding villages in the hills of Dongshan, an area mainly known for petroleum production in those days.

The condition of the old police station in early 2018.

This wooden station was built with Taiwanese cypress and featured a gabled roof with black tile typical of the era. The inner walls are woven bamboo with a layer of mud plastered over them, a traditional wattle and daub construction method, all mounted on what looks to be a reinforced concrete base. One other feature worth noting is the red light dangling from a wire and resting on the wooden awning above the entrance; such globes remain a standard feature of police stations in Taiwan to this day.

An oblique look at the old police station. The signboard out front provides some historical information.

A sidelong view of the old station. Only the front was painted sky blue at some point decades ago.

A closer look at the ventilation beneath the old station. The underlying construction method of the walls is also visible here.

Not long after the war, with completely new staff, it was renamed Shuiyun Police Station (水雲派出所). Operations continued pretty much as before for many decades, but the station was closed in 1986 after a newer building was completed next door. The old building was converted into a residence for officers at the new station, and may have been allocated to an officer after retirement as well.

A peek inside the dimly-lit station in early 2018. The calendar is frozen on July 2003, indicating that the station continued to be used for decades after it was abolished.

Inside the former lobby of the station, no duty desk in evidence. “I.E.R” on the wall is short for “Invade Explore Record”, a southern Taiwanese urban exploration club.

This room off to one side was a kitchen. Police officers typically lived at the more remote stations they were assigned to back in the day.

Renewed interest in the cultural heritage of the country prompted a series of official visits from the Ministry of Culture, and the old station was formally recognized as a historic building in 2009. An plaque was installed to provide some information for passing motorists, but the site was otherwise left alone for another decade.

The newer station to the right entered into service in 1986. It also followed a standard design.

A closer look at the more modern police station on site, which was also decommissioned at some point.

On the highway near the old police station. There really isn’t too much out here anymore, but the scenery is nice.

Although smaller historic sites such as this one are often neglected indefinitely, local government did get around to restoring this old station around 2022, and it has since reopened to the public as a minor attraction along the highway.