Taipei City residents will soon have three additional weekend destinations as the city government reopens the Chien Moo Memorial Library (
Inspecting the three sites on Yangmingshan in the pouring rain yesterday morning, the director of the city's Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Lung Ying-tai (龍應台), said that renovating these three sites was very important.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
"They're so rich in history and culture that we cannot afford to see them neglected," Lung said. "We're quite fortunate to get the approval of their owners to open these places to the public. We hope they will become popular weekend getaways for city residents and international tourists alike."
The Tsaoshan Mansion was a summer resort of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (
Located on the campus of Soochow University in Waishuang Creek, the former residence of Chien Moo was where Chien did his research on Chinese history after he relocated from Hong Kong in 1967 with his family.
At 95, Chien and his wife were forced out of the dwelling after DPP city councilors questioned the legality of their residence there.
To express regret over the incident, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has made a public apology to Chien's family.
The building was turned into a library in 1992. In July this year, the bureau started a NT$10 million renovation project and planned to finish it by the end of October.
In a bid to help get the place up and running, the bureau has appropriated NT$8.5 million to subsidize the project once it opens in November.
The Spanish-style Dr. Lin Yutang Memorial Library is located in the upscale area on the mountain's Yangte Boulevard.
It was first open to the public in 1976. The bureau started the NT$10 million renovation project in August and plans to reopen it in October.
The century-old, Japanese-style Tsaoshan Mansion on Yangmingshan is surrounded by five Japanese-style buildings constructed for the Generalissimo's entourages.
The 549-ping (1,800m2) mansion was open to the public in 1998 when the first phase of renovation was completed. The second phase of the project, which kicked off last November and will cost NT$19 million, is scheduled to be finished in October.
The renovation project of the five surrounding buildings is expected to begin soon.
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