Yixian Park Introduction
Yixian Park, also known as the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, is located near Taipei Main Station. This small park commemorates Sun Yat-sen. The Republic of China chose this site as one of the parks in memory of the Father of the Nation primarily because it was the lodging place for Sun Yat-sen during his visit to Taiwan in 1913. It was also the location where the Governor-General of Taiwan, Sakuma Samata, held discussions with Sun Yat-sen regarding political matters. The current address is No. 46, Section 1, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, bordered to the north by Section 1, Civic Boulevard, to the east by Section 1, Zhongshan North Road, and to the west by Taipei Main Station. The park covers an area of approximately 3,025 square meters, and its main building, Meiyashiki, occupies about 50 ping. Named after the plum trees planted in the garden, Meiyashiki was built in 1900 and originally operated as a ryotei by the Japanese Daikatsu School. During the Japanese occupation, Meiyashiki was a renowned high-end ryotei in Taipei, located in Kitamachi, frequented by Taiwan’s governor, business tycoons, and social elites, with the option to summon geishas for entertainment during banquets. The ryotei features a rectangular wooden structure with a roof covered in traditional dark tiles. It is said that the ryotei used performances by geishas from the Tayal tribe as promotions to attract visitors. Meiyashiki has hosted notable figures such as Sun Yat-sen and Hu Hanmin in the early 20th century. In 1907, renowned director Takamatsu Toyojiro, commissioned by the Governor-General's Office of Taiwan, included a performance by geishas from Meiyashiki in his film "Taiwan Actual Conditions Introduction," listing it as one of the twenty scenic spots in Taiwan.
