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Chen Yueji Residence

  • Date:2019-06-11
Chen Yueji Residence


  • Chinese Name: 陳悅記祖宅
  • Year of Establishment: 1807
  • Located At: Dalongdong, Taipei
  • Did You Know That …?
  • Known as the "Teacher’s House," the Chen Yueji Residence has stood for over two centuries, closely tied in with the development of the greater Taipei area. In recognition of its distinctive architecture and historical significance, the residence was recognized as a national historic site after passing review by the Ministry of Culture in 2018.
  • Address: No. 231 Yanping N. Road Section 4, Datong District, Taipei, Taiwan (ROC)



The earliest Han settlers of what is now Dalongdong, Taipei came from Tong'an County in Quanzhou, Fujian Province. In 1807, immigrant merchant Chen Xun-yan (陳遜言), under the trading name Yueji, built the Chen Yueji Residence. With Chen's business having accumulated substantial wealth, his family became one of the predominant clans of Dalongdong.


The architecture of the Chen Yueji Residence reflects the style prevalent in Tong'an at the time, with parallel halls creating a symmetrical layout uncommon in Taiwanese architecture. The two halls are also adorned with plaques, and in the front courtyard, three flagpoles were erected in honor of the three family members who passed the imperial examinations.


The residence remains largely preserved in its original layout. Inside the house are two pairs of flagpole holders, with one pair of stone poles adorned with round and square crow's nests, with vivid, distinctive carvings of people, dragons, and tigers below. There were built in honor of people passing the Qing-era imperial exams, and serve as a concrete representation of the social status of the family within the local gentry and as exemplars of such flagpoles that were constructed in Taiwan at the time.


For generations, the Chen family has been dedicated to education and culture, with Chen Xun-yan's son Chen Wei-ying (陳維英) becoming a particularly notable contributor to education in Taiwan. The rise of the Chen family was closely tied with that of their contemporary society, aiding in the overall development of Qing-era northern Taiwan. Successive generations continued to show talent, with the most recognizable recent example being Chen Hsi-huang (陳錫煌), traditional pò͘-tē-hì puppetry master, who Minister of Culture Cheng Li-chiun remarked was "a national treasure sheltered by another national treasure."