Taipei Guest House Introduction
The Taipei Guest House, with its architectural elegance spanning over a century, has always been at the heart of Taiwan's politics. Its predecessor was the "Governor-General's Official Residence" during the Japanese colonial period; after Taiwan's restoration, it served as the governor's residence for the province. In 1950, it was renamed the Taipei Guest House, becoming an important national venue for state banquets, hosting foreign guests, party and government meetings, and cultural activities. In 1998, it was designated as a national historic site by the Ministry of the Interior. The Taipei Guest House was constructed in 1899 and designed by Japanese architects Miyauchi Rin and Nomura Ichirō. A renovation in 1911, designed by Morioka Matsunosuke, gave it its current appearance. From 2002, it was closed for Taiwan's most extensive renovation since its restoration, completed in May 2006. With the progress of Taiwan’s democratization, on July 4, 2006, the Taipei Guest House was opened to the public for the first time, allowing citizens a glimpse into a century of its mystery. The Guest House is rectangular in shape, with its main building oriented north-south, built of bricks, stones, and reinforced concrete, and consists of two floors. Influenced by Western historical architectural styles introduced after the Meiji Restoration in Japan, the Taipei Guest House features a mansard roof, Greek gables, Roman columns, and elaborate Baroque-style decorations. Wide balconies are provided on all four sides, resembling official buildings in Southeast Asian colonial cities. A terrace on the southeast corner of the third floor offers views of parades and street scenes during festive occasions. During the Japanese rule, the Taipei Guest House not only served as the governor's residence but also as an administrative office and social venue for welcoming guests. Its first significant event after completion was the reception of Princess Fumiko of Kuni Kuniyuki, who visited Taiwan in October 1901. Over the years, it hosted numerous royal dignitaries, including Prince Yoshihito and Prince Naruhiko, as well as Emperor Hirohito (then Crown Prince) who visited Taiwan in 1923. During the Crown Prince's stay, the main activities were held on the second floor, including ceremonial visits from officials, and on the first day of his visit, the governor arranged for him to ascend the staircase to the third floor and receive the cheers of the parade crowd from the terrace. After Taiwan's restoration, although the Taipei Guest House ceased to be the governor's residence, it continued to serve as a primary location for government meetings and hosting foreign guests. Numerous prestigious visitors have been received on the first floor, notably Japanese Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi in 1957, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1981, former U.S. President Bill Clinton in 2005, and Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits Chairman Chen Yunlin in 2008. Additionally, many important international treaties or agreements were signed in the banquet hall, including the "Treaty of Taipei," signed in 1952 by Foreign Minister Yeh Kung-chao and Japanese plenipotentiary Kawai Toshiaki, significantly relating to Taiwan's sovereign status. More recently, the "International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights" and the "International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights" were signed by President Ma Ying-jeou on May 14, 2009, symbolizing an important step for Taiwan in integrating into the international human rights framework and expanding international human rights cooperation. Reflecting on the history of the Taipei Guest House, it is evident that its value lies not only in its century-long history but also in its architectural blend of Eastern and Western cultures, exemplifying the changes Taiwan has undergone over the past century. From any perspective, every brick, every tile, and every piece of greenery in this place deserves our collective love and preservation.
