I noticed this distinctive Western-style mansion on the outskirts of Chaozhou in Pingtung while cycling through the deep south of Taiwan in 2015. In a sea of rude metal shacks and bland concrete apartment blocks this mostly green stone-washed residence dating back to the Japanese colonial era really stands out! Not too much is known for sure about its history, though it is evidently constructed by a branch of the Liu (劉) family, many of whom settled this part of Pingtung County centuries ago. For more photos and information, Just A Balcony has an excellent write-up with some conjecture about its relation to the surrounding area.

Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II
Aperture
ƒ / 11
Shutter Speed
1/200 sec
Focal Length
18.0 mm
ISO
400
Exposure Value
14.6 EV
Liu House in rural Chaozhou.
An old home in rural Pingtung County
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II
Aperture
ƒ / 11
Shutter Speed
1/200 sec
Focal Length
26.0 mm
ISO
400
Exposure Value
14.6 EV
An oblique view of the upper balcony. Note the letters “RIU” in the metalwork; this is an archaic reading of Liu in Japanese.
Liu House in context
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II
Aperture
ƒ / 14
Shutter Speed
1/320 sec
Focal Length
24.0 mm
ISO
400
Exposure Value
15.9 EV
The house in context. Apparently the block on top of the outbuilding on the right is a water cistern.

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  • Status:Private (私有)
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Themes

Series: Southern Taiwan Ride 2015

This series chronicles a multi-day bicycle trip around the deep south of Taiwan, specifically from Tainan to Taitung in June 2015. Along the way I visited many places in Kaohsiung and especially Pingtung. A lot of what I saw and experienced hasn’t been written about in English very much so I’ve taken some extra time to provide background information to better contextualize what’s in the many photographs in this series. Altogether this is a complete trip journal clocking in at around 20,000 words from start to finish!

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Author

I am a web application developer, photojournalist, urban explorer, and history enthusiast passionate about the open web and documenting my experiences on this planet. This project was founded in the early 2010s and has evolved into a sort of personal Wikipedia of places that interest me (and often the photographs I’ve taken there). I’m originally from Toronto, Canada, but spend most of my time residing in Taiwan.

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