Taibao Xu Shudi Residence

Date CapturedJune 25th, 2017 at 07:42 UTCCameraNIKON D3100LensAF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IIApertureƒ / 9Shutter Speed1/320 secFocal Length18.0 mmISO200Exposure Value14.7 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

An ornate seven-bay, single-row residence in Xinpi Village (新埤里) in Taibao, Chiayi, built between 1929 and 1931 for Xu Shudi (徐述地), an employee of Meiji Sugar Manufacturing Co. (明治製糖株式會社). His work managing sugarcane farmers, along with his own land holdings, brought him considerable local wealth. The reinforced brick and timber structure features a recessed front veranda and porch pavilion, cut-and-paste porcelain, and decorative finishes generally attributed to Su Binting (蘇濱庭), a painter from Dapu (大埔) in Guangdong. After the post-war land reforms diminished the family’s wealth, the house was vacated and has been deteriorating ever since.