Anle House, Linyuan Introduction
Anle Building is a Baroque-style architecture built around 1930, which was used as a Japanese military officers' club during the Japanese occupation. It was later transformed into a restaurant and inn, once a gathering place for merchants and literati, filled with glamour and bustling activity, witnessing a glorious chapter of Linyuan. However, due to neglect over the years, it fell into ruins. It gained some fame as a filming location for the Golden Bell Award-winning drama "A Touch of Green," making it a popular spot for Instagram check-ins. Linyuan was an important military site during the Japanese occupation, with frequent interactions between soldiers and merchants. The old street (Fuxing Street) and new street (Linyuan North Road) in Linyuan Township were the earliest and most prosperous areas of development. Anle Building, located in an alley off Linyuan North Road, currently has its main entrance removed, allowing entry only through the back door. The words "Anle Building Restaurant" on the main door plaque have become worn, but the traces of the lettering are still faintly visible. The building presents a "M" shape, integrating Japanese garden design with Baroque architecture. The staircase leading up to the second floor is the most representative feature and the best-preserved area inside. Many visitors take photos there; remnants of the design from that time can still be seen in various corners, including about ten private rooms, and restrooms and washbasins located on both floors, separated by male and female bathrooms, which were quite advanced constructions at the time. The extravagant nightlife of the once-grand hotel is long gone, and the faded Anle Building hides within the alleys of Linyuan, its story largely unknown even to many locals, until "A Touch of Green" was filmed here, which allowed more people to see this elegant and exquisite historical building.
