Department of Cultural Affairs

 


Chen Dexing Ancestral Hall lies within the ancestral temple of the Chen family in Taipei City. Originally located in Taipei Prefecture during the reign of Emperor Guangxu during the Qing Dynasty, in the early days of Japanese rule the Japanese government confiscated the premises to build the Governor’s Office, exchanging it with land for military use in Dadaocheng. Descendants of the Chen family started rebuilding their ancestral temple in 1912, and it was completed and opened for use two years later.
Chen Dexing Ancestral Hall was designed and built by Chen Ying-Bin, a renowned Taiwanese architect. The front hall has a wooden, double-eaved hip-and-gable roof and a magnificent dougong. The smooth lines of the roof and eaves give them high aesthetic value. The stone pillar in the front hall is regarded as one of the best examples of twin-dragon patterns carved into a single pillar found in early modern Taiwanese architecture. It exerted a profound influence on temple architecture in later times.
The shrine in the front hall is huge in size and rich in wood carvings, characterized by finely carved railings with curved patterns. The tin candle stands in the shape of fairy miniatures and sacrificial utensils in front of the shrine remain intact. Finely carved and exquisitely shaped, they are rare examples in Taiwan.

 

Dadaocheng, along Tamsui River Pier, was the site of many western-style buildings starting from the late Qing Dynasty, some trading companies or embassies, and others the mansions of prosperous merchants.
The Gu House still stands today at No. 3, Lane 303, Guisui St., Datong District. It was built around 1902 by Gu Xian-Rong, who also built a Chinese–Western-style house in his hometown of Lukang. The one at Dadaocheng faces west across Tamsui River Pier.
Originally the first floor was used as an office, called the Yanguan (“salt hall”), while the second floor was used for residential purposes. In the back stood a traditional red-brick building that was used as a hall of worship. Unfortunately, it was demolished in 1963.
The design of this western-style building is an imitation of late Renaissance architecture. In front of the house is an arcade, and the outer wall is covered with elegant, light-colored tiles. The parapet and arcade are decorated with bas-relief in the patterns of complicated badges on top of the gable. This reflects the influence of western-style architecture, well received by people at the time. Inside, the stairs and ceilings, which remain intact, are made of red cypress. This well-conserved historic building is a valuable Taiwanese cultural asset.