Taipei Travel

Previously known as the Zhongxing Guesthouse, the construction of Yangmingshuwu was completed between 1969 and 1970 to serve as a place where the late President Chiang Kai-shek received guests from around the world and spent his summer vacations. It was the only residence Chiang chose to build in Taiwan and became one of the culturally and historically significant buildings in the Yangmingshan National Park. Offering services ranging from travel information to guided tours, this recreational spot integrates nature and culture; sense and sensibility. The history of the Yangmingshuwu can be divided into the “forest park” period, the “Zhongxing Guesthouse” period, the “Historical Commission of Kuomintang (KMT) Central Committee” period and the “national-park administration” period.

The approximately 15-hectare site is located on Zhongxing Road, adjacent to the Flower Clock near Yangjin Highway and Dongsheng Road. Nestled in what was initially a primitive forest, the Yangmingshuwu is overseen by the Yangmingshan Administration; it once served as a campsite of the General Association of the Scouts of China. The Zhongxing Guesthouse and its appendix buildings were completed in 1970, with the forest remaining partially intact. After Chiang Kai-shek moved into the guesthouse, the neighboring area was heavily guarded for security reasons, hence the diversified eco-system in the academy’s proximity and along Zhongxing Road.

In 1975, the Zhongxing Guesthouse was renamed as Yangmingshuwu (shuwu literally means “document house”) as it became the location of the Historical Commission of KMT Central Committee’s office, as well as the collective storage place for historical documents previously kept in Caotun and Qingtan, and also for historical materials relating to Chiang Kai-shek from the Daxi Information Office and the Zhishanshuwu.

On Sep. 26, 1997, the Historical Commission of KMT Central Committee donated the aboveground structure and the administrative rights of Yangmingshuwu to the Ministry of the Interior, which in turn placed the Yangmingshan National Park in charge of the operations. With careful planning, the Yangmingshuwu was reopened to the public on Jun. 27, 1998, after the establishment of an administrative office. The Da-yi Hall was built to expand tourist services, followed by the Yangmingshuwu Visitor Center beginning to offer tourist information, videos, back-lit panels, scale model exhibits and guided tours on Sep. 11, 2000.