Weishui Station

Broadly defined, Dadaocheng extends from the Tamsui River in the west, to the MRT Tamsui Line in the east, to Civic Boulevard in the south, and to Minquan West Road in the north. It was once the birthplace of numerous influential merchants, where the core forces of Taiwan's liberal democracy and New Culture Movement converged in the 1920s and 1930s. It became a stage where social activists, artists, writers, musicians, and dramatists unleashed their passionate youth, creating countless 'Taiwanese firsts.' 'Weishui Station' is located at No. 27, Section 2, Yanping North Road, in the heart of Dadaocheng, serving as a resting place for lectures, walking tours, and neighborhood explorations. The building originally belonged to 'Fa Ji Tea Co.' The adjacent Yimei (building) was formerly the site of 'Da'an Hospital.' In 1916, Dr. Jiang Weishui practiced medicine here, founding the Taiwan Cultural Association, publishing 'Taiwan Minpao,' and opening the Cultural Bookstore, among other initiatives. He ignited the flame of the New Culture Movement, turning Dadaocheng into a hotbed of Taiwanese thought and social reform. The original Da'an Hospital was a three-bay brick-and-wood building with a Greek pediment and classical twin columns. Although it was later rebuilt, today's 'Weishui Station' still retains its past decorative style. The aesthetic facade, featuring a large oculus window beneath a semicircular pediment and symmetrical stucco floral petal reliefs, records the glorious past when Taipingcho and Rongcho within the city rivaled each other. It embodies the humanistic charm of intertwined local industry and culture, and in 2006, it was designated a historic building by the Taipei City Government. Later, the owner, Hong Jiujiang, sold the building to Zhang Yile, the founder of 'Zhang Yitai Cloth Store.' During the February 28 Incident, Zhang Wuqu, son of Zhang Yile, and Jiang Shiqin, son of Jiang Weishui, were both members of the 'Taiwan Provincial Self-Government Youth League,' assisting in maintaining local order. However, they were regarded by the government as 'masterminds' of the incident and were wanted by the authorities. His younger sister, Zhang Yueqing, married Huang Hsin-chieh, a key figure in the Tangwai movement, which also created a deeper connection between this building and Taiwan's democratic process, making it one of the historical sites on the Department of Civil Affairs' 'Unforgettable Road to Freedom in Taipei.' In 1954, the Zhang family sold the house to Mr. Cai Maosheng. In 2011, the owner donated the building to the Urban Regeneration Office of the Taipei City Government through floor area ratio transfer, naming it 'URS27W Urban Image Lab.' Applying concepts of 'soft urbanism' and 'urban acupuncture,' it aimed to inject new vitality into the old street. It has hosted events such as the 'Taipingcho Historical Images and Short Story Exhibition' and the 'Documentary Film Festival in an Old House — Glimmer in the Dark Room,' attracting many cultural and historical enthusiasts. It annually hosts numerous exhibitions, lectures, and activities, and promotes the '1920s Dadaocheng Road to Freedom and Democracy,' reawakening people's imagination of the democratic and cultural movement of the 1920s. As the Urban Regeneration Office achieved its phased goals for neighborhood revitalization, the URS project phased out, and the space was transferred to the Department of Cultural Affairs in 2020, ultimately transforming 'URS27W' into 'Weishui Station.' On October 17, 2021, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Taiwan Cultural Association, Vice President Lai Ching-te personally visited this site and the former site of Da'an Hospital next door to pay tribute to Taiwan's modern cultural and democratic struggles. The station combines diverse formats such as cultural and historical guided tours, exhibition and performance events, and community participation, leading the public to discover neighborhood stories. It allows the past industrial prosperity, social movement trends, and architectural beauty of the city to shine again in contemporary times, reproducing Dadaocheng's crucial position in Taiwan's history and social movements, and providing a new interpretive value for urban regeneration.