Chen Wan-qi's Old House Introduction
Xiuzhi Old Street is mainly located along Zhongzheng Road and Jiadong Road, winding around the train station, and has been the most bustling area of Xiuzhi since the Qing Dynasty. Even though the times have changed, stepping into the old street makes one feel detached from the disturbances of the outside world, as the weathered red bricks and traces of moss tell stories of the past. Next to the Xiuzhi Interchange, there is an old Baroque-style building. This two-story old house, built in 1926 (the 15th year of the Taisho era), has more than 90 years of history. The builder, Chen Wanqi, started with a Chinese medicine business and was one of the wealthy merchants in Xiuzhi at that time. The construction took many years to complete, with materials sourced from mainland China and designed and built by a master from Quanzhou. It is a typical Baroque mixed with postmodern architecture, featuring a gable wall at the front, commonly found in postmodernism, known as a "gable." Currently, it is one of the few well-preserved old houses on Xiuzhi Old Street. The historic old house and the nearby tall buildings showcase a blend of eras.
