The Hidden Corner of Chiang Kai Shek's Residence, and Shilin Paper Factory (臺北士林官邸 + 前士林紙廠)
Abandoned barracks at the CKS Residence
(Updated 2023/12) When I set myself the task of mapping interesting places I'd found in Taiwan the country began to grow. I realized there was so much I was yet to see. For one reason or another I'd still not been to a few of the well known attractions in my home Taipei. This led to a visit to Shilin, to the Chaing Kai Shek Official Shilin Residence, and the Shilin Paper Factory.
If you’d like to see this post as a short video I posted one here.
An old car and parkland
The Shilin Residence was Chiang Kai Shek’s main residence while he lived in Taipei. It seems as though it was the one he found most homely as he spent the majority of his downtime here. He also passed away here in his bedroom on one of the upper floors. The building itself was built in 1950 and the site was previously an agricultural research station. The parks surrounding the home continue to be used for the cultivation of rare plants and the rose garden must be quite beautiful when it’s in bloom. The house is 100nt to enter (the grounds are free) and has an excellent English audio tour. I found the visit a lot more interesting than I had expected.
During my first visit I didn’t make it to the main house. I was distracted by a large number of abandoned buildings on a forested hill to the east of the park area. As of 2023 these still remain, although most are locked or have collapsed. Most of them were cheaply built wooden barracks for the president’s guards but it looks like a few are leftovers from the agricultural research station days.
From 2015: Following a little used path up a small hill (toward the memorial pavilion CKS built to honor his mother) these buildings can be accessed easily. Despite there being hundreds of people in the park and many tour groups I didn't see a single other person use this path. I think what made me want to write a little more than just a map marker for these structures was less their architecture or history, and more the almost surreal experience of being totally alone, exploring a forgotten place, within meters of hundreds of regular visitors. The contrast of the stillness and heavy air in these buildings and the sound of noisy families nearby was strangely unsettling. I can't quite express it well here but it was like I'd left the living world for a moment and could just here it echoing around me.
There is a large ensemble of wooden buildings that appear to have been left for some decades. They are linked across a few levels and look as if they are Japanese designed. A couple of parts have completely collapsed into a mess of wood and plantlife.
A low concrete building that was once military accommodation. The interior is spartan and dark. These pics from 2015
One long mold stained house has a roof covered in ferns (first image), and seems on the verge of falling down. Surprisingly as of 2023 it still stands and it has a sign saying it was some barracks. It's possible to enter each house, though the one with the fern roof looks as though it's bulging and warped and I didn't want to risk a collapse. Again this area was more special for the atmosphere than any architectural gems. It's easy to spot the houses from the main path into the park and easy to go in and around them (it’s a little more difficult as of 2023)
View from the memorial pavilion to CKS’s mother
Shilin Paper Factory
These two pics are from 2023. Not much has changed here
I tdecided to put up some pictures of another interesting ruin in the Shilin area. I visited the Shilin Paper Factory for the first time in 2015, after having noticed it on Google Earth. I didn't know much about it and was surprised to find such a large complex with a long history. The oldest parts date from 1918 and are covered in a mat of vines with purple flowers. There are also some more recent corrugated metal warehouses with most of their roofs missing.
Two larger warehouses in 2015 (these are now gone)
From 2015: Sadly the site is guarded by security who told me I couldn't wander around. The old offices have been renovated and hold arts events. It's been done in a quite unique way in that it's been left almost exactly as it was found. It's great to see, as often historic renovations here are sanitized and safety-fied to the point where they lose most of their character and atmosphere. You can see some photos inside here. My photos were taken either around the perimeter or just inside the entrance. I'm unsure what the future holds for this place but it looks like at least the redbrick portions may be saved. It's within easy walking distance of Shilin Night Market. From 2023: The site is still guarded and in limbo. No events have been held here for a very long time. Some of the modern warehouses were demolished and turned into a car park. From there you can see the side of the older factory (pic below). It doesn’t look in very good condition at all.
2015: The still in use offices are behind the tree
2023: The side of the building is exposed
You can find both these sites and many others on my Hidden Taiwan Map here. The adventures that make up these entries are often posted as Instagram stories at tomrookart first. So give that a follow too if you like as it can sometimes be a year or more before stuff turns up here!