Remains of Japanese era in Houbi, Tainan

It's the second post about visiting Houbi. In the previous one, Jingliao Old Street was introduced. Due to the bad weather, we didn't see much in that area, so there are still a few places on my "to visit list."

Houbi Elementary School Japanese Dormitory (後壁國小日式宿舍)

The principal's dormitory and the teacher's dormitory of Houbi Elementary School had been "haunted houses" for students due to their disrepair. Those buildings were uninhabited for over 15 years and covered with grass. Until 2017, when plans for renovations started. A wooden Japanese-style dormitory was built in 1942. Although it cannot be listed as a historical building, thanks to a private old building plan proposal by the Ministry of Culture, the renovation was closer to achieving. After the case was approved, 70% of the funds were subsidized by the Ministry of Culture and the Municipal Cultural Bureau, and the remaining 30%, 1.7 million yuan, was self-raised by teachers and students. After purchasing materials, the two buildings opposite the entrance of Houbi Elementary School have been renovated.

See also: Jingliao Old Street 

Farmers Association Octagonal Warehouse (後壁農會八角倉庫)

Tainan’s Houbi District Farmers Association has an octagonal warehouse that is more than 50 years old. The farmers' association hopes to make use of it so that the younger generation in the hometown can understand the characteristics of the rice warehouse in Houbi. The Cultural Affairs Bureau pointed out that it will send staff to assist and deepen the artistic and humanistic characteristics. The Yunlin Tuku Farmers' Association also repaired the octagonal warehouse many years ago. Under the guidance of Luo Zhengzong, the director of the Southern District of the Agriculture and Food Administration, Lin Yixin led the colleagues of the farmers' association to observe last Friday. The number of preserved octagonal warehouses is quite rare, and some of them have even been demolished long ago.

Huang Family Ancient House (後壁黃家古厝)

The Huang Family Ancient House was announced as a historic site on April 9, 2008. It's one of the few intact Hokkien-style courtyard houses in Taiwan. Although it was raining, and there was information that due to Covid-19 the place is closed, so I barely took any pictures. Hexing’s generation, he still lived in Jingliao (now the area of Molin Village, Houbi District) to farm for a living. Later, Huang Hexing’s four sons Huang Mou, Huang Dong, Huang Zhenlong, and Huang Zhende moved in together. The ancient house is currently maintained and managed by the descendants of the four Huang brothers. The Huang Family ancient house on the back wall is a courtyard house covering an area of more than 6,000 pings. After the ancient house was declared a historic site in 2008, it was partially damaged in the Jiaxian earthquake in 2010 and was repaired afterward.

Shianli Signal Station (仕安里 長短樹信號所遺址)

The small bungalows are surrounded by old railways. There are no trains to take here, but it's the intersection with the most five-minute train lines in Taiwan and has the only remaining five-point signal control station. This signal station has existed here since the Japanese occupation period. The railway can go north to Keelung, south to Pingtung, Baihe, and Chiayi in the east and west. In the past, when sugarcane was abundant, if the sugarcane harvested by the surrounding sugar mills had nowhere to put it, they would be transported here to park first. The surrounding Shi'an Transfer Station also won the 2019 Architectural Garden Award for Public Landscape Type. It was raining heavily when we arrived, and the building was closed as well, so there was not much to see here.

Address:

1. Houbi Elementary School Japanese Dormitory: 731022台南市後壁區198-1號璞育塾文創園區
2. Farmers Association Octagonal Warehous : 731台南市後壁區後壁農會八角倉庫
3. Huang Family Ancient House: 731台南市後壁區後壁里40號
4. Shianli Signal Station: 731台南市後壁區39之6號仕安里長短樹信號所遺址

Read More

Tainan Travel: Jingliao Old Street in Houbi

Despite the rain, we went out for a drive, which was a rare occurrence during those busy months when my husband was mostly in Hsinchu. Due to the continuous rain, we mostly stayed indoors. We drove to Houbi, which was our first time visiting. Although the weather prevented us from seeing much, as it would start raining each time we left the car, we managed to see the old street, an old wooden school (unfortunately, no pictures as it was during school hours), an old wooden Japanese-style dormitory, and many old houses along the way. There were still some things we couldn't see, so I hope to return another time, perhaps on a weekend instead.

Since it was a weekday and raining heavily, Jingliao Old Street was actually empty.

Jingliao Old Street (菁寮老街)

Jingliao was a small village in the mid-Qing Dynasty, known for its dyeing and weaving crops. It served as an important halfway station on the ancient official road between Fucheng (Tainan) and Zhuluo County (Chiayi). It became the most prosperous settlement along the Bazhang River and was commonly known as "Beishi Street." During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, the street was renovated, and the buildings facing the street were converted into commercial street houses.

The Jingliao Old Street in Houbi District is a historic street that dates back to the Qing Dynasty. It's known for its well-preserved traditional architecture and is a popular destination for tourists interested in experiencing Taiwan's rich cultural heritage.

The street is lined with old brick buildings, wooden houses, and storefronts that have been restored to their original condition. You can explore the narrow alleyways, which are filled with shops selling traditional handicrafts, snacks, and souvenirs.

One of the main attractions of Jingliao Old Street is the Jingliao Temple, a Taoist temple dedicated to the god of war - Guan Yu. The temple dates back to the Qing Dynasty and is known for its intricate wood carvings and colorful murals.

Another popular attraction is the Jingliao Ecological Park, which is located just outside of the old street area. The park offers a chance to explore the local flora and fauna, including rare bird species and freshwater turtles.

See also: Japanese-era Remains in Houbi

Jingliao Jin Dexing Pharmacy (菁寮金德興藥舖)

Jingliao Jin Dexing Pharmacy, also known as the Jingliao Ruan Family Ancient House, is a traditional wooden loft-style street house on Jingliao Old Street. It was moved to Jingliao in 1910 and is adorned with exquisite craftsmanship. It is also recognized as one of the top 100 scenic spots in southern Taiwan. In 2005, it was registered as a monument in Tainan City.

The building has changed ownership several times. It originally belonged to a prominent Lin family in Dingtan Village, Lucao Township, Chiayi County. It was later sold to Xu Qian in Houbi. In 1910, the building was dismantled and relocated to its current site in Jingliao, where it was sold to Ruan. Ruan opened a Chinese pharmacy, and the building also became the ancestral residence of the Ruan family. The plaque above the gate beam, "Jin Dexing Qian Ji," was inscribed by the calligrapher Jing Tang in 1925. One of the paintings on the wall, "Twelve Precepts of Tao Zhugong," was written by the owner of the house, Ruan Qian, in 1917. Admission to see the building and courtyard inside is 50NT.

Jingliao Holy Cross Catholic Church (菁寮聖十字架堂)

Jingliao Holy Cross Catholic Church, built from 1955 to 1960, was initially managed by the Franciscan Order but was later transferred to the Convent of St. John. The church building was designed by German architect Gottfried Bohm, who won the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1986. The church's architectural value and significance in Taiwan have been recognized. The church is dedicated to St. Rudek, and inside, there is a niche on the left side of the sanctuary containing a small cross with fibers from the True Cross and the relic of Santa Maria Greti. The building of the Holy Cross Church features four pyramid spires, known as the "Bell Tower," "Baptistery," "Temple," and "Holy Body Chapel." Its distinctive feature is the aluminum skin covering the pyramid spires, with different Christian symbols at the top, including a "rooster," "dove," "cross," and "crown," representing the special meaning and function of these ceremonial spaces. The four pointed structures also resemble a tabernacle, symbolizing "the tabernacle where God dwells on earth."

厲園衍派

Unfortunately, the building is not accessible at the moment, but its architectural style is quite unique. I couldn't find much information about it. I don't know how to translate Chinese names into English either.

Address:

1. Jingliao Old Street: 731台南市後壁區262號菁寮老街
2. Jin Dexing Pharmacy: 731台南市後壁區墨林里菁寮191號

Read More