Old Chaozhou Post Office (Pingtung Opera Story Museum) Introduction
The Old Chaozhou Post Office is one of the important government buildings in the Chaozhou area during the Japanese colonial period, built around the year 1897. During this period, Chaozhou's administrative significance was crucial, as it housed the Chaozhou District Office and the Chaozhou Prefectural Office, which are located where the current Chaozhou Township Office stands. A small part of the prefectural office building still remains, while the rest has been demolished. The former Chaozhou District Office later became the Chaozhou Post Office, which has recently moved to a new location away from this historic building. During the Japanese colonial period, Western urban planning methods were introduced, making Chaozhou Street the only area in Pingtung, aside from Pingtung City, with urban planning features like parks and shrines. However, these shrines and the Malaria Research Institute have been demolished and can no longer be seen in present-day Pingtung. To witness the architectural style of government buildings from the colonial era, the Old Chaozhou Post Office is now the sole remaining structure. The preservation of the Old Chaozhou Post Office not only allows for a better understanding of historical development but also showcases the traces left by the urban development of Chaozhou Township. Since 2011, it has been planned to serve as the "Pingtung Traditional Theater Story Museum," giving new life to this old building.
