Department of Cultural Affairs

Illustrated by Lee Chien-Lang

Taipei City Archives Commission Collection

Taipei City Archives Commission Collection

Completed in 1908, the Red House is now celebrating its centennial anniversary. This building from the Japanese colonial era has been shaped by a diverse blend of cultures from Japan, Shanghai, and the West. Initially, it served as a public market for daily shopping, then in the 1950s and 1960s it saw the convergence of various cultural industries from China. In the 1970s, it became a window onto Western civilization, a multifaceted crucible of culture, commerce, and history. Over its hundred years, the Red House has always carried rich imagery of the avant-garde, modernity, novelty, and diversity.

In the past, the Red House was a meeting spot for Japanese, Chinese, and Western cultures. The changes in its surrounding environment reflect the development of Taipei’s Ximending area. A wide variety of popular entertainment traditions have been passed down, steering economic trends and tracing the trajectory of Taiwan’s commercial growth. Bridging the old and the new, this historic landmark stands as testament to the harmonious coexistence of history and today, forming a triad of cultural heritage, culture, and commerce. The Red House, an iconic structure in Ximending, has been renewed, more vibrant than ever.