Shenkeng Chen Qiuju Old House

A traditional residence built by a tea-farming family in Shenkeng. It is primarily known for being the former residence of Chen Qiuju (陳秋菊, 1855–1922), a late Qing dynasty era military officer who fought in the Sino-French War and later became a major anti-Japanese resistance leader known as the White Horse General (白馬將軍). His forces besieged Taipei on New Year’s Day in 1896 but were eventually forced to retreat. A year later he accepted an amnesty offer from the Japanese government in exchange for camphor extraction concessions. Chen lived out his last quarter-century here in commercial prosperity but quiet remorse over his capitulation. The compound remains in private family hands and is ordinarily closed to the public.