aeeble

The residence of the Guo family, the first head of the Neihu village during the Japanese colonial period, is located on the western hillside of the Neihu downtown area. It was approximately built in Taihō 8th year of the Japanese colonial period (AD 1919). At that time, Taiwan's society was stable, and the economy was thriving. Official architectural styles influenced civilian residences, such as the Baroque-style facades of shops along Dihua Street in Taipei City, commonly decorated with red bricks, stucco, molded ornamental motifs, and colored porcelain tiles, known as Taishō-style architecture.

The Guo family's residence in Neihu is representative of this period’s typical luxurious mansion. The ancient Guo residence stands on the slope of a small hill, facing south with its back to the north, surrounded by forests on three sides, forming an extremely secluded and scenic site. The layout of the ancient residence is roughly T-shaped, entirely constructed with brick-wood structures. Its walls are made of red bricks, a popular material during the Taishō period, with additional decorative elements of stucco and imported Japanese colored porcelain tiles.

The indoor floor slabs are wooden, supported by numerous wooden beams to bear the weight, and equipped with lamp beams to hang traditional Taiwanese incense burners for heaven worship and lanterns. The windows on the front facade feature diverse designs, with an arched balcony protruding outward, and the rooftop architecture resembles Baroque-style scroll curves, exhibiting an elegant scroll-like beauty. Recently, the roof inscription "Bifeng Palace" appeared, indicating an attempt to convert the site into a temple, but this was never realized.

(Source: Bureau of Cultural Assets, Ministry of Culture)