Taiwan Taipei: From Huashan Creative Park to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall – A day of art and history Taipei, Travel to Taiwan 4 (2)After our first day of exploration, which mixed modern Taipei with old (see my article here), we start our 2nd day of sightseeing in the Taiwanese capital quietly. On the program, in particular, the unmissable and imposing memorial of Chiang Kai-shek, an inseparable personality of the contemporary history of Taiwan, forging its current identity.The rest is shared between Jitima's creative desires, my photographic curiosity and a touch of improvisation to finish. Namely that for this stay, we were really in vacation mode, so we didn't force ourselves to get up early.Despite this, with "only" a big half-day of sightseeing, we were still able to enjoy ourselves enough without feeling rushed and appreciate, like the day before, several facets of the city. Summary hide Artistic break at Huashan 1914 Creative Park Rongjin Gorgeous Time: A Taste of Japan Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall A bit of nature at Daan Forest Park Artistic break at Huashan 1914 Creative ParkOpening hours : from 11:00 a.m. to 21:00 p.m. for most shops and restaurantsFreeThe day started badly because normally the easiest way to get to Huashan 1914 Creative Park from our neighborhood (we were staying along Rahoe Street, Songshan district) was to take the metro to Zhongxiao Xinsheng station (located on the Brown line, or BR for Brown).Except that we missed our stop to change lines… (even though we slept well!) By taking an alternative route, we finally got off at Shandao Temple station, located on the Blue line. In doing so, we passed in front of a building with a deceptive appearance. At first glance, we can imagine a simple office complex with a little Asian touch.But some details betray its function, especially the door with the writings in front of the street, it is a temple, the one whose name the metro station bears, Shandao Temple. While it has a seemingly modern architecture, it is not entirely new either, having been built in its current location in 1926, during the period of Japanese control.In front of Shandao Temple.There are 3 buildings in total and it is a temple originally dedicated to a branch of Japanese Buddhism called Jōdo-shū. It is known for housing a significant number of Buddhist artworks including a thousand-year-old wooden panel and is most famously established as the largest Buddhist temple in Taipei.We certainly didn't go inside, but it can be a good thing to go to the wrong station. By the way, we were already arriving at brunch time so we also stopped to eat because we wanted to have our stomachs full before starting the visits of the day, and we weren't sure if we could eat there (in practice it's possible, I didn't pay much attention to it that day, but at least there's the SipSip Bar & Restaurant).We and our dogs, by Jitima.If you don't know yet (I don't think I've mentioned it yet, because I'm pretty discreet about my private life and Jitima in general), my wife is a university teacher, more precisely in the graphics and design department...And since it's the occasion I think, I can mention that with such a job, she is obviously a creative person at heart, who has the habit of making sketches of scenes from life on each trip. These little details are important here, since it goes without saying that when the possibility of exploring a museum in the theme or a place like Huashan 1914 Creative Park presents itself, she does not fail to integrate it into our itinerary.I'm making a small aside to mention that she opened her Instagram page with her drawings, I've never promoted her here because her preferred style involves animals (our two dogs in particular) more than travel, but you can see a series dedicated to Taipei and our trip to Taiwan. View this post on InstagramA post shared by J_moc_choc (@jmocho_draw) View this post on InstagramA post shared by J_moc_choc (@jmocho_draw) So this is the genesis of this excursion, knowing that there is no shortage of options in Taipei, which turns out to be a city very focused on creativity in general, as suggested in this theme by the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (which we passed shortly after this visit) or, more classically, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, a museum of contemporary art (which we will pass the next day), located not far from Yuanshan Park seen the day before.It is actually a field and industry that has been highlighted nationally, especially since the sector was included in Taiwan's national development plan from 2002, which has had a significant impact on Taipei's art scene. Exploring places dedicated to art and creativity, such as Huashan 1914 Creative Park, one could see the vitality of this booming industry.It was originally a distillery, built in 1914 (hence the reference in the present name) by the Japanese. After World War II, the site was operated for more than four decades by a local company Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corp. (They are the ones who manufacture the famous Taiwan Beer, tested the day before next to the Red House in Wanhua district)The company decided to close the distillery in 1987, and it remained unused for over a decade. Inspired by the atmosphere of the old distillery, a theatre company, the Golden Bough Theatre, began performing plays illegally in 1997.Accused of trespassing on state property, several members of the group faced justice, sparking a wave of solidarity and prompting local artists to call on the government to transform the site into a cultural center.Following this episode, the Ministry of Culture took over management of the complex and then launched a restoration project in 2002, with the aim of transforming the site into a cultural and creative park.The main area of Huashan Creative Park.Opened in 2005, Huashan 1914 Creative Park is much more than just a cultural venue: it has become a hub of excitement where art, crafts, cinema and local events converge. A wide variety of events are held in the renovated structures scattered throughout the complex.One of the warehouses has become a famous concert hall, Legacy Taipei. A former packaging facility is now a popular arthouse cinema, Spot Theatre. The former factory, covering 7,21 hectares, also includes a park with a name that matches the concept of the place, Central Art Park.Passing in front of the Legacy.Walking through its aisles, you can discover a multitude of shops offering unique creations by local artists, handcrafted pieces and iconic products from Taipei. We already spent some time in one of them, Wooderful life, whose name gives a clue to its specialty, wood.The store offers a whole bunch of souvenirs, including little characters, scenes and wooden games. And for once, I didn't take any pictures so you'll have the surprise of seeing the inside. On the other hand, I can show you the kind of things you can buy there, since we didn't leave empty-handed!Little souvenir from Huashan 1914 Creative Park.Opposite there is another souvenir and gift shop, Ask Creative, this time specializing in 3D origami to cut and glue yourself. Being more of a manual person, I like the concept and there are some really cool things, which end up also catching Jitima's eye.Time to decide and seeing our interest, one of the store assistants approaches us and tries to guide us to decide, showing us for example paper masks. Not our thing, but seeing her enthusiasm and making us try them, we get into the game, the latter, with a contagious joy, encourages us to take a picture of ourselves.This resulted in a series of a dozen photos, with the little lady of a certain age, bursting out laughing all the way through, which left us with a good memory in addition to those we finally brought back from this place. For the anecdote concerning our purchases, each one brought back their paper figurine, me a fox and a tiger for Jitima, she finally was too lazy to assemble hers…It's a case of saying it, I had to get stuck in and I've only just finished it a year later (not that it took so long, but after starting to put it together, I could never find the time or motivate myself to finish it, even though mine had been finished for months... Even though my fox was comparatively less complex).Finally finished!We stayed in Huashan 1 Creative Park for about 30h1914, a stop that I recommend for any art and culture lover in Taipei. I mentioned above that we passed by the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, it was originally to join the Y line subway, to join our next visit.We weren't supposed to walk past it if I had taken the nearest metro station, but we ended up taking a long walk around the neighborhood, which will waste a good 10 minutes, but that's life!We leave Huashan Creative Park.There are a few street food vendors nearby.Development under a suspended road.Passing by the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park.Rongjin Gorgeous Time: A Taste of JapanAfter pleasing the lady, it was my turn to "impose" a visit. I had spotted during our preparation for this stay a group of Japanese-style houses, with restaurants and desserts and a tree-lined path. An area that seemed photogenic (key word for me!) and what's more, I know that Jitima is never against a little dessert so she would find what she was looking for there.Moreover, making this detour meant that we hardly deviated from our next objective, namely the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The only real difference was that instead of taking the subway to the stop in question, we got off earlier, without having to change, and then had to walk a little longer.To better understand what I am going to explain about this place, here is a small map: From Huashan 1914 Creative Park, take the yellow line from Zhongxiao Xinsheng to Dongmen. All that was left was to walk 500 m to get there. Rongjin Gorgeous Place, which I put in blue in the southeast corner, corresponds to the location of the former prison staff dormitories and living quarters from Taipei, which once occupied all the space I highlighted in purple.Because yes, we are talking about a former prison environment, built by a Japanese architect (hence the style of the current site) and which was used until 1963, when the prison was moved elsewhere. Knowing that the land belongs to the State, a large part of the surface is then reused. That is why we find the post office, and the premises of Chunghwa Telecom, the largest telecommunications company in Taiwan.The old dormitories, which were mostly empty, then welcomed a large number of residents from the countryside and the outskirts of the city. In the 70s, this area was known as the "Huaguang Community", although locals more often called it "Prison Gate".Residents added extensions to existing structures, with open spaces on the streets, including restaurants and various shops, becoming, over the years, a neighborhood attracting a certain number of people.From 2007 to 2013, the government pushed for public urban renewal of state-owned land, and the former “Huaguang community” was issued eviction notices. The problem was that while there had been some tolerance up until then, many of the new buildings were simply illegal, as most residents had no right to use the land in the first place…They lost their case against the government, while they were demanding compensation and the entire neighborhood, in yellow and red on my map, was razed at the end of 2013. The part in yellow is, to this day, still empty, with a well-kept green lawn. The red zone has become a shopping center housing mainly a covered market, through which one will pass at the base to find toilets.In order not to lose everything, civil society groups have launched the " Taipei Penal Service Community Cultural Assets Conservation Alliance " to initiate discussions on cultural assets and the protection of ancient trees. For example, the relics of the Taipei Prison Wall are registered as a historic site and a group of more than 20 Japanese-style government buildings and public baths have been designated as historic buildings.This block now forms Rongjin Gorgeous Time.To redevelop the space, several buildings were partially destroyed (some already destroyed by series of fires that still have this area as a protest of the inhabitants), and others completely renovated to form the restaurants and cafes visible today.The renovation having been done during covid, it was brand new and open for less than a year when we visited this place. Given the timing, we hesitated to eat a little there, but there was only one Japanese restaurant, with fairly high prices and a limited menu. The rest being coffees and desserts, I finally settled for a good little waffle in a small shop located at the end of the site.The transformation is a success, because it is true that it has charm and attracts people. Having this Japanese architecture, with its wooden facades, combined with the preservation of old trees, notably banyans and the addition of gardens, also Japanese style, bring a pleasant touch of greenery and an overall impression of a stroll in a village from another era.This layout is spread over 160 m, so it doesn't take too long to visit and we continued on our way after half an hour on site.Chiang Kai-shek Memorial HallOpening hours : from 9:00 a.m. to 18:00 p.m. (closed on certain public holidays such as Chinese New Year and special days, these closures are announced in advance on the official website)The surrounding park is open every day from 5:00 a.m. to midnight.Free admissionThe changing of the guards takes place every hour starting at 9:00 a.m. (so the next one is at 10:11 a.m., then 17:00 a.m. etc. with the last change at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.)A quick aside to clarify that the current spelling is more widely Chiang Kai-shek in its Latin form, but the name, as on Google Maps, is still often written Chiang Kai-shek.The memorial has three entrances, two on the sides (Daxiao Gate to the south and Dazhong Gate to the north) and a main one, facing the majestic building, symbolized by an arch with 5 openings (Liberty Square Arch).In our case, we arrived by the nearest entrance, that is to say to the south of the site. We then enter the park surrounding the main building, a U-shaped public garden with ponds at each end.The interior was entered through one of the side doors and the lower floors were explored first. The ground floor includes a library and museum chronicling the life and career of Chiang Kai-shek, with exhibits detailing the history and development of Taiwan.Several rooms display Chiang Kai-shek's artifacts, photos and personal belongings, including two beautiful vintage cars. There are also two souvenir shops on either side (which we took a peek into out of curiosity).Also on display was a faithful reproduction of his office, used to conduct state affairs, as he was the first president of the Republic of China (Taiwan's official name), from his inauguration in 1950 until his death in 1975.The memorial, inaugurated in 1980, was built on a former military base. It has some architectural features, including its multi-story octagonal roof, which peaks at more than 70 meters, inspired by the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Its walls are made of white marble, and its tiles are blue, two colors present on the Taiwanese flag.The third colour of the flag, red, is represented on the ceiling of the main hall (a rather brown cypress wood) and on the red granite floor (the colour is less obvious because it is natural, but it is highlighted by red carpets on the floor).It is in this large hall, located on the upper floor of the memorial, that an imposing ten-meter bronze statue representing Chiang Kai-shek seated, his face all smiles, welcomes us. Two large flags are at his sides, while in front, national guards permanently watch over this highly respected place.It is then 15:30 p.m. and I wanted to attend the changing of the guard. So I took the opportunity to take some photos of the exterior, while we are facing the large Place de la Liberté. In the background, we see two large structures with traditional elements in their architecture, on the left, the national theater, and on the right, the national concert hall.View of Liberty Square.Time to take a few souvenir photos with Jitima and there was still a quarter of an hour to wait. We start to see the crowd gather so we settle down in front quietly and at 15:55 p.m., the ceremony began. The protocol lasts about 15 minutes, and consists of the changing of two guards, under the supervision of a non-commissioned officer, a solemn act, repeated 9 times a day.The space is clear in front. The two guards are waiting for the relief.Here they come.A very military approach.They walk forward in front of the statue.The exchange is in progress.They leave again.Satisfied with this experience, we go down the 89 steps of the front staircase which allow access to the hall from the square (I read everywhere the information that this symbolizes the age of his death, while he died at 87 years old...).We walk along the side, to reach the part of the garden where one of the ponds is located. We observed birds, scenes of family life, a photo shoot of a future bride and enjoyed a moment of tranquility.Then we returned to the space of the large Place de la Liberté, where I launched into a series of photos to immortalize this powerful place, dedicated to the memory of a person, who in the end, is also perceived as a monument dedicated to democracy (it was also briefly called National Democracy Memorial).I also took a few pictures with the arch in the foreground before we rushed into the metro to go to our last visit of the day. We stayed there for almost 2 hours (give or take 10 minutes).A bit of nature at Daan Forest ParkWe come to the famous "improvisation touch" mentioned in the intro. It was a little before 17pm when we finished the visit of the memorial, so too late to see the Lin An Tai Historical House and Museum, which we had already missed the day before.And given the time, it was both a little early to return to our neighborhood, and a little too late or too late to visit historical or cultural sites. I look at the map wondering what we could do and suggest heading to a park only two stations from our position.Back to the metro.At the entrance to the park when exiting the metro.At the time, Jitima was not particularly enthusiastic, but having few other options, we took the red line and got off at Daan Park. For the record, the park was intended when it was created to become the city's new "Central Park".It turns out that the land that was to become Daan Forest Park already served this purpose in 1932, when the Japanese authorities designated it as an urban park. Later, the government of the Republic of China requisitioned land to house military personnel and their families (such as several areas of the city, including the famous 44 South Village near the Taipei 101 tower).In 1989, plans were made to build a park there, knowing that it was then necessary to evict the 12 squatters who had accumulated over the years, some of whom were refugees from the Chinese civil war. The park was finally able to open its doors in 000 and quickly earned the nickname "the green lung of Taipei" (it was still much smaller than Bang Kachao in Bangkok, who also has this nickname).As such, Daan Forest Park is not necessarily different from any other urban park, there are several pavilions and walking trails to go around. There is also an amphitheater, the classic children's playground and a skatepark.Among these distinctions is a statue of the goddess Guanyin, located in a secluded bamboo forest in the northwest corner of the park. The latter has been the subject of a heated debate over its fate, with former residents of the area not wanting to see it disappear since it was part of the local monastery when authorities wanted to remove it in time for the park's opening.A compromise was reached when the city decided to keep the statue as a public art installation. This involved its desecration and the condition that believers refrain from using it for religious purposes.Finally, even if it remains anecdotal, Daan Park contains an underground parking lot. This is something that for me is sorely lacking in Bangkok (I make a lot of comparisons but I admit that in many aspects, Taipei is a city that surpasses Bangkok, in terms of infrastructure and quality of life).We stayed there for almost an hour, just enough time to take a little tour. We saw quite a few people having picnics in the shade of the trees that have grown a lot since its creation 30 years ago. We also passed one of the two ponds in the park. Called " Da'an Park Ecological Pond", a wide variety of animals can be observed there, including squirrels and several species of ducks, egrets, herons and turtles.We left having seen barely a third of the park, but night was falling, and for once, we were starting to get hungry... To keep it simple, we went to a restaurant less than 400 m from the park, the Toasteria Café. It's not very local since it's Mediterranean cuisine, but it's a nice setting and we ate well.Plus, it was right next to Dongmen Station, where you could take the yellow line and go straight to your neighborhood afterward (with just one line change). That concluded another action-packed day in Taipei. Did you like the article? Vote on the article Note globale 4 / 5. Number of votes: 2 No votes yet. Be the first to rate this article! Did you like the article? Follow me on social media Culture and traditions Urban exploration Museum 0 0 Roman 25/04/2024
