Dou-nan Station Introduction
The last post station during the Japanese colonial period, Dou-Nan Station was established in the 36th year of the Meiji era, known as Taliwu Station. Near the end of World War II, it was rebuilt as a brick station building, marking it as the last train station renovated during Japanese rule in Taiwan. In earlier years, sugar produced by the Huwei Sugar Factory was transported via Sugar Rail to Dou-Nan, then distributed to the port through the trunk lines for export. Dou-Nan Station, originally named Taliwu, began operations on December 15, 1903 (the 9th year of the Republic of China) on the railway line from Chiayi to Taliwu, with a simple wooden station building established at its current location. On October 1, 1920, following a reform in local governance, "Taliwu" was renamed "Dou-Nan." In March 1945 (the 34th year of the Republic of China), it was converted into a palace-style station building with a slanted roof of brick. The main body of the station consists of a long space with slanted roofs at varying heights, and the main hall features a double-eaved design with a four-sloped roof above and a protruding eave below forming a porch. In the late Japanese colonial period, the common characteristic was the use of concrete-reinforced brick, and due to the scarcity of materials caused by the war, the number of buildings decreased, leading to simpler decorative details on facades. Consequently, the architectural style of Dou-Nan Station exhibits simplified decorations, clean geometric lines, and a plain base. The architecture of Dou-Nan Station is straightforward and significantly different from structures of other eras. The main hall is designed in a double-eaved style with a four-sloped roof above and a protruding eave below, forming a porch that strongly showcases Japanese architectural style, making it worthy of preservation.
