Chiayi City Historical Relics Museum Introduction
The Time Tunnel Historical Museum in Chiayi is located within Chiayi Park, which is rich in cultural and historical materials, serving as a microcosm of Taiwan's modern history. The Zhaiguan building has an area of 267 square meters, while the Social Affairs Office covers 208 square meters. These two buildings are connected by a corridor, and if the central corridor is considered as the connecting axis, it forms a large overall space. The layout of the Japanese-style "Shuyuan" structure is quite rare in the country, showcasing unique architectural elements and functions, with elegant artistic expression and high value in craftsmanship. The Historical Museum's buildings exemplify the Japanese "Shuyuan" architectural style, featuring ceiling elements, sliding paper doors, and external corridors. The roof is of the "irimoya" style, resembling the traditional Chinese hip roof, utilizing Japanese architectural elements for its eaves, ridge, breaking wind, and hanging ridge lines. The upper part of the exterior walls features boat-shaped elbow supports (dou-gong) while the lower part adopts the "shinboku" style. The base is constructed with a low dry-lattice method, and regarding doors and windows, most doors are sliding types with only a few push-pull varieties; there are four types of windows including glass sliding windows with grilles, fixed grilles with sliding glass, and sliding paper windows. Zhaiguan, the Social Affairs Office, the handwashing station, and the ceremonial instrument storage room are representative of the residential culture left by the Japanese, with the ceremonial instrument storage room having a concrete exterior that imitates wooden architecture, which is relatively unique. Later, commissioned by the city government, professional units restored the buildings under the principles of "not altering the main structure," "retaining the original appearance and style," "restoring based on the original architectural elements," and "considering harmony with the park environment." Historical Encyclopedia: The two buildings of the Chiayi Historical Museum were affiliated with the Chiayi Shrine during the Japanese colonial period, serving as the Zhaiguan and Social Affairs Office. The museum was designated as a city historical monument and was established in 1943 (Showa 18). The Zhaiguan served as a place for purifying oneself and preparations before worshiping at the shrine, while the Social Affairs Office was responsible for administrative management of the shrine. In October 1998, the two buildings were approved as city-designated historical monuments by the Chiayi City Government and named "Chiayi Historical Museum." The museum officially opened on September 15, 2001, displaying exhibits related to the people and events of Chiayi, intertwining the past and present to showcase its elegance, thereby inspiring a sense of local pride among the public. The Historical Museum is the best place to understand Chiayi's history. To get to know Chiayi, one should start by visiting the Historical Museum.
