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Taipei Story House celebrates with folk worship exhibition

A young visitor to Taipei Story House looks at Pigsy, the deity for the sex industry, at the opening of the “Story of Folk Worship” exhibition yesterday to mark the fifth anniversary of the “lifestyle arts” museum. PHOTO: CHIEN JUNG-FONG, TAIPEI TIMES

Taipei Story House, a museum dedicated to promoting Taiwanese “lifestyle arts,” celebrated its fifth anniversary yesterday, with officials vowing to continue efforts to preserve the heritage site and make it a part of modern life.

The museum, housed in a 94-year-old English Tudor-like structure that lay almost in ruins before it was taken over by the Taipei City Government in 2003, is located next to the Taipei Fine Arts Museum on Zhongshan N Road.

The renovation of the building was part of the Taipei City Cultural Affairs Department’s efforts to revive municipal heritage sites, including Chian Mu Residence (錢穆故居), Lin Yu-tang Residence (林語堂故居), Taipei Film House (台北之家), Zi Teng Lu (紫藤廬) and Bao Tzang Yan (寶藏巖).

Taipei Story House director Chen Kuo-tsi (陳國慈) yesterday described the building as a “grandparent” with countless stories to tell, adding that he expected the museum to continue promoting “lifestyle arts” in the country and share various stories with both local and foreign visitors.

“The museum is a successful example of the revival of historical sites. Hopefully, the public will have a better understanding of the country’s culture and history after visiting here,” Chen said.

Speaking at the celebrations yesterday, president-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) shared his pride in having played a role in the building’s renovation during his tenure as Taipei mayor.

“It is the second most visited cultural and historical museum after the National Palace Museum. I believe the building is an ideal place for Chinese visitors to learn more about Taiwanese culture,” Ma said.

The house is currently hosting an exhibition on various forms of folk worship, inviting the public to learn about the history and culture behind those rituals and religious festivals.

The “Story of Folk Worship” exhibition, which runs through Sept. 7, showcases 17 folk deities worshipped by the general public and different professions in Taiwan, such as Santaitzu for taxi and bus drivers, Pigsy for the sex industry and the Land God for businesses.

Various types of ghost money and practices at major folk festivals — from the Lantern Festival to the Tomb-Sweeping Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival — are featured in the exhibition.

The House was built in 1913 by a tea trader named Chen Chao-chun (陳朝駿) to serve as a reception house to entertain friends and local and foreign business associates. Its architectural style, rarely found in Taiwan, has made it one of the nation’s top 100 scenic attractions.

After Chen’s business collapsed in 1923, the occupying Japanese military’s Execution Team took over the building to incarcerate prisoners. The place underwent several changes in ownership after World War II until the city government reclaimed it in 1979.
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