Daqiao Church (Former Site of Fangxi Church) Introduction
During the Qing-French War, a sense of xenophobia permeated Taiwanese society, leading to the destruction of Dr. Mackay's church by mobs. The Fangxi Church was one of the four spire chapels built in 1885 after Dr. Mackay negotiated with the compensation money of 10,000 taels from Liu Ming-chuan, the governor-general. Dr. Mackay considered Fangxi Church to be the most beautiful stone church among the many churches he designed. In 1915, due to an increase in the number of congregants, Elder Li Chunsheng single-handedly donated to build a new chapel in Dadaocheng. Consequently, the followers of Fangxi Church moved to the new location, and the church was renamed Dadaocheng Church. The old site of Fangxi was subsequently rented out for use as a Japanese language school and for the Bao Xiang Zhai cake factory. It remained unused until the 1950s when Mrs. Sun Liren saw its abandonment as a waste and encouraged the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan to rebuild there. Ultimately, the new church was completed in 1956 and began holding services, named Daqiao Church. The church structure has undergone multiple reconstructions, and today only the northern building and outer stone walls remain of the original Fangxi Church, serving as the only physical testament to Dr. Mackay's missionary work in northern Taipei. The thick stone walls made of coral stones and the classical pointed arches can still be seen. On the south side of the church, one can observe Romanesque columns and vase railings constructed using pebble washing techniques from the factory era, as well as hollow brick railings made of red bricks. Next time you pass by, consider coming in to take a look at these cultural buildings that have withstood the test of time.
