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| Dasi
Convention Hall ( Jhongjheng Park) |
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 THE HISTORIC SITES IN TAOYUAN COUNTY
Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taoyuan County Government
Date of Announcement: January 13, 2004
Registered Category: ArchitectureAddress: 21-3 & 37 Puji Road, Dasi
Township
Tel: (03) 3882097 The Administration Office of Dasi Jhongjheng Park,
Scenic Sopts Administration Office, Taoyuan County |
Situated on the west of Dasi Old Streets and the south of Jhongjheng Park, Dasi Convention Hall consists of a main building in western style and a single-story building made of bricks.
The first generation of Dasi Convention Hall was built in February 1921 to provide local residents with a space to engage in social activities. When the royal retinue on behalf of Japanese Prince Imperial visited Jiaoban Hill on an inspection tour on April 25, 1923, it was Dasi Convention Hall that he had lunch and took a rest. In 1932, the main structure was rebuilt and turned into the western style structure of present day. In 1950, the original single-story Japanese wood structure was rebuilt and transformed into the brick stricture now.
The late President Jiang Jieshih stepped down from the presidency and went through difficulties to arrive Taiwan in 1949. As the scenery of Dasi reminded him of his hometown, or so the story goes, Dasi Convention Hall was selected and turned into the late President Jiang・s residence in 1950 and remained so until 1975. Wude Temple nearby was changed into Military Police Corps and the vicinity became a heavily guarded political district. After the death of the late President Jiang in 1975, Taoyuan County Government instituted a renovation project and changed the said residence into his memorial hall. The western building displayed historical materials regarding the late President・s achievements while the single-story brick house preserved the furnishings as they were during the late President・s lifetime. |
| Figures:The Convention Hall and the park plan
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The Convention Hall in the old days |
The high-rising bronze statue of the late President Jiang before the Convention Hall |
Historical materials displayed in the western building |
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The western building of Dasi Convention Hall is a single-story brick structure in the shape of a rectangle with an indoor space roughly 9 meters wide and 18 meters long and a front porch. It is a public building providing the locals with spaces to engage in social activities such as holding an assembly and ceremony. In the meantime, it functions as a guesthouse, a club and a banquet-entertaining hall. Presently, all the original facilities during the colonial rule had been torn down and rebuilt, thereby becoming a spacious exhibit hall.
The walls of the western building are built of bricks in English style and its roof truss is a big western timber one with a steep slope roof covered with shingles of asbestos. The exterior wall is decorated with bricks and white horizontal plaster strips which can be traced back to the Queen Ann・s Style. Furthermore, decoration in the Art Deco style can be found on the brick surface of the front door, the geometric patterns on the eave racks, and the lateral of the gable.
The wood structure on the south provided spaces for bedrooms and kitchens during the coronial rule. In 1950, it was rebuilt and changed into a brick structure, thereby used as the late President・s residence. The slanting roof is covered with Japanese black tiles and the external walls are made of small pebbles and coated with a mixture of cement and whitewash. The exterior of the building looks simple as a whole. |
| Diagram:The architectural plan of the Convention Hall |
Red-and-white brick walls; Column capital and gable in the Art Deco style |
Eave racks with geometric decoration |
The back yard of the brick structure |
Built in 1912, Dakekan Park was renamed Dasi Park due to local restructuring of administrative districts and again renamed Jhongjheng Park in memory of the late President Jiang when he passed away in 1975.
Taiwan first built parks during the Japanese Occupation Period. Before city planning was put into practice in 1937, there were only 23 parks and Dasi Park was ranked 12th. Situated on the terrace of Dahan Stream and with Dasi Old Streets on its east Dasi Park could be regarded as the rear garden of Dasi streets. The Park in the shape of a strip extends from the Huang Family・s Temple in the north to the Convention Hall in the south. It covers an area of 2.6 hectare and 1.5 hectare thereof was donated by the Lin Family of Banciao.
A monument to Japanese police and soldiers killed on duty (1930), Dasi Temple (1932), Dasi Convention Hall (1932), and a pavilion (before 1934) were built in succession in the park and thus gave it strong political implications. The KMT government moved to Taiwan after the World War II, established a presidential residence in Dasi and started to clear away relics of the colonial rule -- Dasi Temple was dismantled and Chaoran Pavilion (1965) was built; the monument to Japanese police and soldiers killed on duty was demolished and Fusing Pavilion was erected on the round base thereof.
Facilities in the park such as a pond in the shape of Taiwan and the Zemin Bridge thereover, a fountain (the Lotus pond now), cement chairs donated by the Executive Yuan, a bronze statue of Siao, Yaoyou who died for saving others, a bronze statue of the late President Jiang riding a horse in a military uniform, and a lion bell town were added severally at different time.
Plants and flowers thrive in the park and a wide variety of fauna and floral can be found therein. Overlooking the beautiful landscape such as the river terrace, the Shihmen Dam, the Kanjin Bridge, the Dasi Bridge, and the Dahan Stream flowing slowly through the plain at dusk, the park has a view listed one of the 12 scenic spots in Taiwan during the Japanese Occupation Period. |
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| The monument to Japanese police and soldiers killed on duty and Dasi Public School students.
(Courtesy of Dasi Elementary School Journal) |
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By Bus  Take Taoyuan Passenger Bus in Taoyuan or Jhongli to the last stop, Dasi. The journey takes about 60 minutes and regular buses are scheduled.
By Car Take the 2nd Northern Highway to Dasi exit; take Tai-4 Route, cross Wuling Bridge and arrive at Dasi; turn right to arrive at the parking lot beside the Jhongjheng Park; walk to Dasi Convention Hall. |
Opening Hours:
The Memorial Hall of the late President Jiang opens daily from 8 am to 5 pm.
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Supervised by: Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taoyuan County GovernmentAdministered by: Mei Shan Jin Co., Ltd.
Organized by: Graduate School of Architecture and Historic Preservation, Taipei National University of the Arts
Text/Photo: Yihong Lin
English Editor: Mingsyue Lai
Calligraphy: Yihong Li
Diagram: Siancin Jhou
Layout/Computer production: Huaisyuan Huang
Published in May 2004
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Map:
The location of Dasi in Taoyuan County
The location of the historic site in Dasi |
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---Taoyuan Culture Center(English Version)---
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Address:No.21 Sianfu Rd.,Taoyuan city, Taoyuan County 330 Taiwan
Tel:(03)3322592 Fax:(03)3318634
Best View:IE5.5 up 800X600 or 1024X768 pixel |
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