台金戲院

Taijin Theater

August 6th, 2023

Táijīn Theater (台金戲院) is located in the former company town of Shuǐnǎndòng (水湳洞) in Ruifang, Taiwan. It was built by the Taiwan Metals Company (臺灣金屬鑛業股份有限公司) along a hillside terrace overlooking what is now known as the Yin-Yang Sea (陰陽海). Along with Luxing Theater (陸興戲院) in nearby Pingxi it is one of the only two remaining theaters purpose-built for miners in Taiwan. It may have also been known simply as Zhongshan Hall (中山堂).

Entrance to Taijin Theater (台金戲院) — The view from the entrance to Taijin Theater. The embankment to the left is the road running alongside the theater.

Exterior View of Taijin Theater (台金戲院) — No extravagant design was needed to attract customers; this was one of the only forms of entertainment in the area for many years. A ticket window can be seen at bottom right.

Ticket Booth at Taijin Theater (台金戲院) — The otherwise unmarked ticket booth windows.

The specific history of this theater has yet to be elucidated, but it was likely built in the 1960s, or perhaps the early 1970s, and it is safe to assume it was abandoned in the late 1980s as the mining company went bankrupt in 1987. Supposedly it had a capacity for 1,000 audience members, but this estimate feels a little high after having visited the space. All of the original wooden chairs have been removed in recent years though.

Inside the Ticket Booth at Taijin Theater (台金戲院) — On the other side of the ticket booth windows.

Mail Hall of Taijin Theater (台金戲院) — Inside the partly renovated Taijin Theater.

Looking Back at Taijin Theater (台金戲院) — The space has been tidied up for some kind of performance.

Looking Up at the Balcony Level at Taijin Theater (台金戲院) — Looking up at the balcony level from the main hall. The staggered holes on the wall indicate the location of the projection room.

From the Balcony Level at Taijin Theater (台金戲院) — Looking down on the main hall of Taijin Theater from the balcony level.

Inside the Projection Booth at Taijin Theater (台金戲院) — Inside the projection room at Taijin Theater. The projectors themselves were removed long ago, even prior to recent renovations.

Although it looks abandoned from the outside the interior has been cleaned up and it is occasionally used for special events as of around 2020¹. Previously it was frequently cited on lists of Taiwan’s most haunted places in the popular press, and it was regularly a target for ghost-hunters and other thrill-seekers². The remote location, scenic surroundings, and decrepit conditions inside provided powerful visuals for content creators, but those days may be over now.

Taijin Theater From the Roadside — The front of Taijin Theater from the street on top of the embankment.

Around Back at Taijin Theater (台金戲院) — Around back at Taijin Theater. A stone stairwell provides access to the street below.

Long View of Taijin Theater (台金戲院) — A long view of the theater from the road above. Unlike many theaters of its vintage this one does not have a vaulted roof.

Taijin Theater and the Thirteen Levels — Taijin Theater in context, with the ruins of the Thirteen Levels beyond.

This gallery on Facebook shows conditions in the theaters prior to when it was cleaned up. ↩
Ghost stories tend to be self-reinforcing, particularly in the social media era, as many spooky videos have been recorded at this theater and widely shared. Most of these stories follow a similar pattern: while this theater was being built a construction worker fell to his death and was entombed in the structure. If you’re curious, here is a great example of the genre, which is faintly reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project. Tony Huang has a far more pleasant walkthrough video of the area if you prefer something less sensational. ↩