Grass Mountain Chateau Introduction
Zhen, a building constructed using natural architectural methods, is a beautiful space where ancient and modern arts flourish alongside an ecological garden in the back mountain. The passage of time and historical turns have maintained an elegant presence that is always hidden yet not apparent. "Caoshan" does not refer to a single mountain but generally to the valley area surrounded by Datun Mountain, Qixing Mountain, and Shamao Mountain. The Caoshan Villa was originally the guesthouse of the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and was where Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek stayed after the Kuomintang government relocated to Taiwan in 1949. The villa is tranquil and pleasant, situated at a strategic high point of Caoshan, allowing a panoramic view of the confluence of the Keelung River and Tamsui River, with the natural beauty of Guandu Plain, Shezi Island, and Guanyin Mountain in sight. In 1950, to commemorate the Ming Dynasty philosopher Wang Yangming, "Caoshan" was renamed "Yangmingshan." The area of the Caoshan Villa is 4,275 square meters, with the main villa being a typical Japanese-style building from the 1920s, covering an area of 584 square meters. In front of the main villa stand two century-old Acacia trees and Sweetgum trees, quietly narrating the endless passage of time. The interior of the main villa is planned to include a corridor, hall, reception room, study, bedrooms, master bedroom, living room, guest rooms, kitchen, courtyard, and terrace. Surrounding the main villa are four small auxiliary buildings, originally housing the bodyguards of Generalissimo Chiang. Later, during renovations by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taipei City Government, these four small buildings were combined with the cultural exhibition activities of the main villa and repurposed as artist studios, aiming for Caoshan Villa to become an aesthetic space that integrates ecology, culture, and art, facilitating close communication and dialogue with the public. View more stories of famous residences: Wang Dahong's residence on Jianguo South Road, Qian Mu's former residence, Sun Yun-suan's residence on Chongqing South Road, Lin Yutang's former residence, the former residence of the Commander of the Taiwan Army (General Sun Liren's residence), and Maya Jing She (Zhang Daqian's Garden Residence).
