Old Chaozhou Post Office (Pingtung Theater Story Museum) Introduction
The Old Chaozhou Post Office is one of the important official buildings in the Chaozhou area during the Japanese colonial period. Its exact establishment date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built around 1897. During the Japanese rule, Chaozhou held significant administrative importance, as it housed the Chaozhou Township Office and the Chaozhou County Office, which is the location of today's Chaozhou Township Office. The county office building still has a small portion remaining, while the rest has been demolished. The Chaozhou Township Office later transformed into the Chaozhou Post Office, which has recently moved to a new location away from this historic building. At that time, Chaozhou Street was the only area in Pingtung, besides Pingtung City, to have urban planning features such as parks and shrines, introduced through Western urban planning methods during the Japanese rule. However, these shrines and the malaria research institute can no longer be seen today in Pingtung, as they have all been torn down. To witness the architectural style of the Japanese colonial government offices, only the Old Chaozhou Post Office remains. Preserving the Old Chaozhou Post Office not only helps to understand the historical development context but also showcases the marks left by the urban development of Chaozhou Township. Since 2011, it has been planned as the "Pingtung Theater Story Museum," giving new life to the old building.
