Happy New Year of the Pig !

We visited Taiwan in November last year. It has been many years since we lasted visited this island. We only had time to see Taipei.

Upon arrival, we checked into a spa hotel in Beitou 北投 in an area north of Taipei, which is famous for its volcanic sulfurous hot springs. Nearby is the former residence of Marshal Zhang which has been turned into a commercial enterprise – 少帥禪園 that include a tea house, a restaurant and a foot spa.

The residence comprises several small buildings built on a steep hillside overlooking Beitou and the Thermal Valley 地熱谷. The buildings are connected by walkways and stairs.

View of the roof of the residence and Beitou in a distance.

The gardens are very lush and well-tended. There are lots of little cutesy ceramic animals scattered all over the place. A bit too much if you ask me. I am pretty sure there were none when the Marshal was living there. You will notice them in the pictures.

The whimsy decorations soften the historical purpose of the residence – it was a place of house arrest for Zhang Xueliang or Chang Hsueh-liang 張學良 (1901-2001) nicknamed the “Young Marshal” (少帥), who was detained for almost 40-year period (1949-1975).

His study includes a photo of the “young marshall” and his lover 趙一荻 (nicknamed 趙四小姐, later his second wife) who accompanied him at this residence.

We know very little Modern Chinese history. My school did not teach Modern Chinese history.

He was a Manchu warlord who became a republican marshal and played an important role in shaping the Chinese world as we know it today. We will go into his story in the next post.

The residence was originally a part of the complex of the Xin Gao Hotel, built in the 1895-1945, Japanese colonial period.

In 1920, it was turned into a club for the Japanese military. During World War II, it was also a spot for the final pleasures of kamikaze pilots before they headed out on their suicidal missions.

A building which housed the guards who watch over the young marshal is converted into a tea house (open only in the afternoon). A beautiful set of drawers surrounded by soft toys and knickknacks is visible at the entrance to the tea house.

There is a place to soak one’s feet in warm sulfurous whitish water piped in from a nearby hot spring.

Flanked by banyan trees with hairy aerial roots, it was a shady, breezy relaxing spot. Perfect after some walking and just before lunch.

We booked a table for lunch at the restaurant. Our next post will feature the story of the young marshal, to be followed by a post on the fabulous food we had.