Travel Date: 2025/08/09
This weekend, we decided to explore a lesser-known part of Yunlin County — Taixi Township, a quiet coastal area with plenty of hidden gems. We started our day with some local food, which, compared to the cities, was incredibly affordable and came in huge portions. Afterwards, we visited a few historic buildings from the Japanese era, each with its own story and charm. To wrap up the trip, we made a final stop in Baozhong at Wunian Qiansui Park, a unique temple-themed maze park that was both fun and full of surprises — a perfect ending to our off-the-beaten-path Yunlin adventure.
Taixi Township (臺西鄉)
Tucked away on Taiwan’s northwestern shore, Taixi Township (臺西鄉) is a quiet coastal community that feels worlds apart from the bustle of city life. Bordering the Taiwan Strait to the west and sitting about 34 km from Douliu City, it’s a place where seafood farming, traditional temples, and a touch of Japanese-era history all meet against a backdrop of wetlands and seabirds.
Taixi’s flat, low-lying land has shaped its economy for generations. The township is famous for aquaculture, producing fresh clams, oysters, milkfish, and other seafood that end up on tables across Taiwan. If you wander near the coast, you’ll see tidal ponds, fishing boats, and the rhythm of daily life tied closely to the sea.
The township covers 54 km² and is home to about 21,000 residents (2025). Interestingly, a large portion share the Ding surname, with some tracing their roots back to Hui (Muslim) ancestry.
Historically, this area was known as Haikou, officially established as Haikou Village during Japanese rule in 1920. In 1946, after administrative restructuring, it became Taixi Township. Today, the town is made up of 15 villages — each with its own unique feel but connected by fishing traditions and community ties.
While Taixi is best known for its harbor and wetlands, it also hides two beautifully preserved Japanese-era buildings that speak to its past.
See also:
Wunian Qiansui Park’s Temple Maze LINK
Haikou Village Police Station (海口庄派出所)
Built in 1931, this was once the highest public security authority in Haikou Village during Japanese rule, staffed by a small but vital team. In a time when most homes were simple thatched or earthen structures, the police station’s brick architecture stood out as a symbol of authority and modernity.
In the 1940s, after World War II, administrative changes reshaped the region. When Haikou was divided into Dongshi Township and Taixi Township in August 1946, the Taixi Police Substation was officially established. At that time, most houses in the area were built with thatch or earthen walls, so the well-constructed police station — with its mix of colonial and traditional features — stood out as an architectural gem admired by locals.
In June 2000, during reconstruction of the new Taixi Substation, the old Haikou building was moved about 20 meters. Shortly after, Yunlin Deputy County Magistrate Kao Meng-ting suggested that since the building was under 100 years old and built with common materials, there was “no need to preserve it.” His remarks, made on February 5, 2001, sparked public outrage.
After months of debate, the Yunlin County Government finally decided to preserve the building. Yet, the process was far from smooth. During renovations, the red brick walls were covered with cement — a decision that frustrated preservationists like Professor Liu Chuan-chih, who had worked closely on the revitalization efforts. On February 10, 2002, he and volunteers from the Taixi Coastal Vitality Center took matters into their own hands and began removing the cement layer to restore the building’s original look.
Further restoration work faced bureaucratic hurdles — the township office failed to follow proper administrative procedures to change the land use classification, making it impossible to pass inspection or obtain a usage license. The building also suffered from severe water leakage over time.
Finally, in June 2006, the Yunlin County Historic Sites and Historic Buildings Review Committee officially listed it as a historic building under the name “Haikou Village Police Station.” Thanks to the persistence of local cultural advocates and support from successive county magistrates Su Chih-fen and Lee Chin-yung, the building underwent comprehensive restoration beginning on March 15, 2016, with funding from the Ministry of Culture.
Today, the Haikou Village Police Station stands not just as a relic of Taiwan’s Japanese-era policing system, but also as a symbol of community-driven heritage preservation. Its red brick walls and modest façade remind visitors that even small buildings can hold big stories — stories of resistance, pride, and the struggle to protect history in the face of modernization.
Haikou Village Chief’s Residence (海口庄長官舍)
Tucked away on Minquan Road in Taixi Township, Yunlin County, the Haikou Village Chief’s Residence (海口庄長官舍) — also known as the Taixi Township Magistrate’s Residence — is one of the best-preserved examples of Japanese-era official housing in the area. Built in 1937 from fragrant cypress wood, this elegant single-story structure has weathered decades of change and now serves as the Taixi Haikou Story House, welcoming visitors free of charge.
Designated as a registered historic building on June 20, 2006, the residence is managed and owned by the Taixi Township Office and stands as both a cultural landmark and a symbol of local revitalization.
Completed on August 14, 1937, the house originally served as the residence of Isaku Aimoto (相本伊作), the third Japanese mayor of Haikou Village during the Shōwa era. With its classic Japanese architectural layout, wooden structure, and two large banyan trees gracing the front yard, the residence reflected the simple yet refined aesthetic typical of official homes from that period.
When Taiwan came under the administration of the Republic of China in 1945, and local divisions were reorganized, the house was renamed the Haikou Township Mayor’s Residence. At that time, it lacked amenities such as a water tower, garage, and storage room, and the surrounding yard was nothing more than bare soil — quite different from the landscaped grounds visitors see today.
In 1950, when Haikou Township was split into Taixi Township and Dongshi Township, the building became the official residence of Taixi’s successive township mayors. However, since later mayors were all local residents who continued living in their own homes, the building gradually fell into disuse. For years, it was repurposed as a storage area for small garbage trucks and kitchen waste bins, its historic charm hidden beneath clutter and neglect.
Everything changed when Taiwan began promoting community development initiatives. The Taixi Township Office launched local cultural projects, and the long-forgotten residence found new purpose. It was once used by the Taixi Coastal Vitality Task Force and the Taixi Art Association, serving as a hub for community activities and creative projects.
Recognizing its cultural and architectural value, Yunlin County listed it as a cultural asset in 2006. Then, in 2015, the county government began major restoration work, aiming to transform the old building into a New Immigrant Story House — a community space celebrating diversity and local heritage.
To protect it from frequent flooding, engineers raised the entire structure by 70 centimeters using hydraulic jacks on September 19, 2015 — a remarkable engineering effort for a wooden heritage site.
After years of careful work, the house reopened on June 8, 2019, as the Taixi Haikou Story House. The opening event featured a doll and toy exhibition curated by local fashion designer Lin Guo-ji, breathing new life into the space and connecting the past with the present through art and storytelling.
The Haikou Village Chief’s Residence is a single-story cypress-wood house with a traditional Japanese tiled roof and a layout that reflects the elegance and order of pre-war Japanese domestic architecture. The wooden beams and sliding doors create a sense of warmth and harmony, while the surrounding banyan trees offer shade and a timeless sense of calm.
Other Notes
Beyond the town center, Taixi’s wetlands stretch along the coast, offering a sanctuary for migratory waterbirds. For birdwatchers, winter is the prime season to spot flocks of herons, egrets, and other species feeding in the shallows.
Taixi might not be Taiwan’s most famous destination, but for travelers who love coastal charm, local history, and authentic community life, it’s a place worth slowing down for. Whether you’re here for the seafood, the heritage buildings, or the sight of waterbirds at sunset, Taixi offers a quiet yet deeply textured slice of Yunlin’s story.
