De Xing Li Old House Introduction
Chiayi County's traditional industries have historically been dominated by agriculture, and the traditional Min Nan-style Sanheyuan (three-section compound) architecture is prevalent throughout the area. Among them, the checkerboard-style Sanheyuan community in Deqing Li, Puzi City stands out for its uniqueness. Deqing Li, also known as Xinjizhuang, features a Sanheyuan community where all the buildings face south. These traditional houses, with their red brick roofs, were initially overlooked in the passage of time. Moreover, with the rise of high-rise buildings around the area, these checkerboard-style Sanheyuan compounds appear particularly striking and out of place. Later, the elderly residents of the Deqing community had a brilliant idea to enhance their alleyways; they began planting flowers, grass, and greening the façades. Consequently, Deqing Li can be considered the earliest community in Chiayi County to incorporate alleyway planning and improvement projects. The entire village's residents collaborated seamlessly - young and old worked together to preserve and beautify the three east-west and four north-south alleyways, as well as the 112 traditional five-entrance Sanheyuan compounds. To this day, the checkerboard-style Sanheyuan community has transformed into a treasure of the town, brimming with rich cultural atmosphere. It annually attracts countless tourists, students and teachers from architecture-related departments, civic groups, and cultural and historical workers who come to visit. In 2004, it was awarded the Excellent Community designation in the Ministry of the Interior's community development work evaluation, making it a significant pride for the residents of Deqing Li.
