Guo Ziyi Memorial Hall_Neihu Red House

This is the residence of Mr. Guo, the first village head of Neihu during the Japanese colonial period, located on a hillside west of Neihu's urban area. It was built around the 8th year of the Taishō era during Japanese rule (1919 AD). At that time, Taiwanese society was stable and the economy was prosperous, and the style of official buildings also influenced private residences. For example, many shop facades on Dihua Street in Taipei featured elaborate Baroque decorations, using red bricks, washed aggregate finish, stucco, and colorful tiles for decoration, and were also known as Taishō-style buildings. The Guo residence in Neihu is a typical mansion from this period. The old Guo residence is situated on the side of a small hill, facing south, surrounded by forests on three sides, creating an exceptionally secluded and scenic setting. The layout of the old residence is roughly T-shaped and is entirely constructed of brick and wood. The exterior walls are built with red bricks, popular during the Taishō era of Japanese rule, and are decorated with washed aggregate finish and colorful tiles imported from Japan. The interior floor slabs are made of wood, with numerous wooden beams supporting their weight. There are also lamp beams from which traditional Taiwanese 'Tiangonglu' (heavenly deity incense burners) and lanterns can be hung. The windows on the main facade are diverse in form and feature protruding curved balconies. The pediment design is close to a pseudo-Baroque style, rich in the beauty of scrolled curves. In recent years, the inscription on the pediment has read 'Bifong Temple', reflecting an unfulfilled intention to convert it into a temple. (Source: Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture)