Spectral Codex
大林萬國戲院

Dalin Wanguo Theater

Locations
The exterior of the theater on a gloomy day.
The exterior of the theater on a gloomy day.

Wanguo Theater, one of the last remaining vintage cinemas in Taiwan, is located in Dalin Township, Chiayi County. It was completed in 1968 and operated by Fan Yanzhi (樊顏枝), wife of local theater tycoon Fan Cisheng (樊賜生), who made his fortune operating Dalin Theater and later Xinxing Theater across town. It operated until 1989 after which it was converted into a KTV for a period of time before it was ultimately abandoned. Professional soldier and history enthusiast Jiang Minghe (江明赫) revitalized the theater in 2012, spearheading efforts to restore it as a community event space. Heritage status was awarded in 2018, making it one of only a handful of over one thousand vintage theaters in Taiwan to be preserved for future generations. It is regularly open to the public for film screenings and special events. As of 2025 it is undergoing renovation work, but the operator continues to make it accessible to the public.

The ticket booth outside the newly-restored theater.
The ticket booth outside the newly-restored theater.
Classic movie posters on display outside the theater.
Classic movie posters on display outside the theater.
One of the original projectors on display in the lobby.
One of the original projectors on display in the lobby.
A dedicated plaque featuring calligraphy by Chiayi poet Hong Wei-chu (洪蔚初).
A dedicated plaque featuring calligraphy by Chiayi poet Hong Wei-chu (洪蔚初).
Busts of the founders, Fan Yanzhi (樊顏枝) and her husband Fan Cisheng (樊賜生).
Busts of the founders, Fan Yanzhi (樊顏枝) and her husband Fan Cisheng (樊賜生).
Jiang Minghe dressed as a character from The Fantasy of the Deer Warrior (大俠梅花鹿), a famous Taiwanese film released in 1961.
Jiang Minghe dressed as a character from The Fantasy of the Deer Warrior (大俠梅花鹿), a famous Taiwanese film released in 1961.
Scenes from the snackbar. Local politicians were at the event I attended in 2018.
Scenes from the snackbar. Local politicians were at the event I attended in 2018.

Map

Address: 嘉義縣大林鎮平和街21-7號

Heritage Designation

  • Historic Building (歷史建築)

Recorded On

Links

Themes

Series: Taiwan Summer Road Trip 2017

In the summer of 2017 I borrowed a scooter to ride to a music festival in Nantou and only returned it several months later. It wasn’t a continuous road trip—I’d leave the scooter parked at various HSR stations as I slowly made my way around central and southern Taiwan—but each leg of the trip usually involved 3 or 4 days of riding. In the end I gathered enough material for 60 or 70 posts, only some of which have been published.

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Author

Profile photo of Alexander Synaptic, founder of Spectral Codex
Alexander Synaptic
Curator, Spectral Codex

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.