Grand Hotel Taipei Introduction
The Yuanshan Hotel was established in 1952 (the 41st year of the Republic of China) and features a fourteen-story palace-style building that majestically stands at the foot of Yuanshan. It is situated in front of the Keelung River, with Yangmingshan behind it, Songshan to the east, and Tamsui to the west. The hotel's magnificent exterior with red pillars and golden tiles highlights the grand and splendid classical atmosphere, conveying the beauty of Chinese art. It is one of the representative landmarks in Taipei City, renowned worldwide and a top choice for both domestic and international tourists for accommodation or business meetings. The beauty of Yuanshan lies in its grand Chinese-style architecture and opulent classical elegance. Its mystery comes from its legendary historical background and tales of secret pathways. The tranquility of Yuanshan is characterized by its removal from the hustle and bustle, as well as its proximity to peaceful and refined scenic views. The century-old golden dragon originally was a copper dragon placed in front of the Taiwan Shrine; it was preserved in its original form when the Yuanshan Hotel expanded its facilities, perfectly displayed in the Golden Dragon Restaurant, and during renovations in 1976, it was plated with 24K gold. Notably, this coiling dragon has only three claws, differing from the traditional four-claw or five-claw dragons in Chinese culture. The plum blossom ceiling in the center of the Yuanshan Hotel lobby features a plum blossom-shaped coffered ceiling, surrounded by five golden dragons around a dragon pearl, symbolizing "Five Blessings Coming to Your Door": Although there are 23 golden dragons and 16 phoenixes around the coffered ceiling, the number "3" sounds like "sheng" (升), indicating progress, while "16" accompanied by the large plum blossoms ("fa" 發) suggests continuous prosperity. The plum blossom coffered ceiling symbolizes the auspicious presence of dragons and phoenixes, carrying profound meaning. The flying eaves and dougong brackets on the roof represent ancient Chinese civilization. A row of crouching beasts is perched atop the protruding flying eaves, while the tail of the roof has decorative pottery beast-shaped ornaments known as "chiwei"; underneath the roof, the gorgeous yet robust dougong structure is one of the most remarkable features of Chinese architecture. The grand entrance of the Yuanshan Hotel has large floor-to-ceiling glass windows, elegant and composed, but upon closer inspection of the patterns on the door, one can discover six ancient characters hidden within that say "Long Live the Republic of China", reflecting the historical context during the time of the hotel's reconstruction and showcasing the designer's ingenuity. At the entrance of the Stone Stela in front of the Stone Gantang Archway, a large stone monument is inscribed with the handwritten cursive script of Mr. Yu Youren, featuring four bold characters ‘Jiantan Shengji’ (剑潭胜迹), which has been verified to express that the entire Yuanshan is a sacred place. For this reason, it maintains Yuanshan's lofty status that has remained popular for a century.
