Originally an open-air stage in front of Chiayi Chenghuang Temple, this structure was sponsored by Lin Kuanmin (林寬敏) of Yishun Trading Co. (義順商號) and built in 1922. It doubled as a preaching hall (宣講堂) for moral and civic instruction. Around 1938 the stage was dismantled to free up space in the temple forecourt. Lin’s son Lin Wenzhang (林文章) bought back the original timber components and reassembled them as a private residence on Taidou Street in East District, Chiayi City, completed in 1939 and rededicated as Shimin Hall (時敏堂) in 1962 to honor his father’s philanthropy. The Minnan-style house preserves much of the original stage’s structure and was registered as a historic building in 2009.
Map
Heritage Status
- Historic Building (歷史建築)
Links
- Wikipedia in Chinese (中文維基百科)
- Cultural Assets Bureau (文化部文化資產局)
Themes
- Japanese Colonial Era Taiwan (台灣日治時代)
- Temple Culture in Taiwan (台灣的寺廟文化)
- Minnan Architecture (閩南建築)
Nearby Locations
Author
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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.