Department of Cultural Affairs

The Xie House, Mengjia

Built at the end of the Qing dynasty (prior to 1895), the Xie House was originally a sea-merchant's guild house of the Ouyang family, constructed in the antique architectural style of southern Fujian Province. Following World War II, it was sold to Mr. Xie Xizhen, whose family had learned the dry goods trade from the Japanese and made a fortune as merchants in Xiamen. The house's interior was decorated with furniture mostly imported from Fujian. The house stands as a testament to the arduous process through which Mengjia was built up in its early years.
In the post-war period, the Xie family ran the house as the Starlight Hotel and Moonlight Bathhouse, for use by travelers, laborers and soldiers. The fees were low, attesting to the landlord's egalitarian, tolerant spirit. Although the building has been rebuilt, the central courtyard and front lobby still retain the special architectural feel of the Qing dynasty. On January 7, 1999, the Xie House was designated Taipei City's 83rd official historical site.