Spectral Codex
Yangming Theater
陽明戲院

Yangming Theater

Locations

Yángmíng Theater (陽明戲院) was, until recently, the oldest cinema in continuous operation in Taipei, Taiwan. Established by Shilin area business tycoons Zhao Huomu (趙火木), Su Fuzhong (蘇福忠), Chen Chengyan (陳承岩), and others, it opened to great fanfare in May 1955, anchoring the early development of Shilin Night Market (士林夜市), now one of the country’s most visited tourist attractions. Hong Chongmin (洪聰敏) acquired a majority stake in the theater in 1960, and it has been run by his family ever since.

Yangming Theater (陽明戲院)
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
1/500 sec
Focal Length
18.0 mm
ISO
200
Exposure Value
15.9 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
Outside Yangming Theater on a hot afternoon.
A Closer Look at Yangming Theater 陽明戲院
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II
Aperture
ƒ / 10
Shutter Speed
1/400 sec
Focal Length
38.0 mm
ISO
200
Exposure Value
15.3 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
A closer look at the distinctive façade.
Yangming Theater Facade
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II
Aperture
ƒ / 9
Shutter Speed
1/320 sec
Focal Length
18.0 mm
ISO
200
Exposure Value
14.7 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
Rusty and worn but still serving a purpose.
Yangming Theater Oblique View
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II
Aperture
ƒ / 9
Shutter Speed
1/320 sec
Focal Length
18.0 mm
ISO
200
Exposure Value
14.7 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
An oblique view of the now-vanished theater.
Yangming Theater Circa 2019
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II
Aperture
ƒ / 10
Shutter Speed
1/400 sec
Focal Length
34.0 mm
ISO
200
Exposure Value
15.3 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
Snack vendors began setting up in the late afternoon.
Yangming Theater at Dusk
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II
Aperture
ƒ / 5
Shutter Speed
1/100 sec
Focal Length
21.0 mm
ISO
400
Exposure Value
11.3 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
Crowds grow as dusky skies begin to settle over the old theater.
Yangming Theater After Dark 1
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II
Aperture
ƒ / 18
Shutter Speed
4 sec
Focal Length
22.0 mm
ISO
100
Exposure Value
6.3 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
One of the main entrances to Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) is the alleyway just to the right.
Yangming Theater After Dark 2
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II
Aperture
ƒ / 18
Shutter Speed
4 sec
Focal Length
22.0 mm
ISO
100
Exposure Value
6.3 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
A relatively quiescent scene in the theater’s last year of operation.
Yangming Theater Ticket Booth 陽明戲院的售票處
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II
Aperture
ƒ / 3.5
Shutter Speed
1/40 sec
Focal Length
18.0 mm
ISO
400
Exposure Value
8.9 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
Four halls allowed for some variety in programming.

Since I had some advance notice this theater was due to close I found time to catch a screening of Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood. It wasn’t very much to my liking, but I rarely manage to see the interior of these theaters before they disappear.

Inside Yangming Theater 陽明戲院內景
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II
Aperture
ƒ / 3.5
Shutter Speed
1/5 sec
Focal Length
18.0 mm
ISO
3200
Exposure Value
5.9 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
The subdivided interior featured some smaller halls.
Inside Yangming Theater 陽明戲院內景
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II
Aperture
ƒ / 3.5
Shutter Speed
1/15 sec
Focal Length
18.0 mm
ISO
1800
Exposure Value
7.5 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
The equipment was definitely showing its age for this screening.
Yangming Theater Ticket Booth 陽明戲院的售票處
Date Captured
Camera
NIKON D3100
Lens
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II
Aperture
ƒ / 3.5
Shutter Speed
1/30 sec
Focal Length
18.0 mm
ISO
640
Exposure Value
8.5 EV
Download
3600 × 2400
Last chance to see a film at the oldest theater in Taipei.

Not long after closing, Yangming Theater was finally demolished in the summer of 2020. Work on the commercial tower that will replace it began almost immediately. Soon something new will grow from the ashes of this now-vanished landmark.

Map

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Warning:

Note: this location has vanished. Any information presented here is only for reference.

提醒：此地點已消失，本文僅供參考用途。

Details

  • Status:Vanished (已消失)
  • Address:台北市士林區文林路113號
  • Coordinates:

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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.

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