aeeble

The Yuanshan Hotel was established in the 41st year of the Republic of China (1952 AD). It is a 14-storey palace-style building, towering majestically on the slope of Yuanshan. It faces the Keelung River in front, is backed by Yangming Mountain, looks east to Songshan and west to Tamsui. The grand appearance of the hotel with red columns and golden tiles creates a magnificent and luxurious classical atmosphere, conveying the beauty of Chinese art. It is one of the representative landmarks of Taipei, well-known worldwide. It is the best choice for both domestic and foreign tourists for accommodation or business meetings. The beauty of Yuanshan lies in its magnificent Chinese-style architecture and luxurious classical elegance. The mystery of Yuanshan lies in its legendary historical background and secret tunnel stories. The tranquility and seclusion of Yuanshan lie in its distance from the hustle and bustle and its proximity to the elegant scenery. The Centennial Golden Dragon Originally, it was a copper dragon placed in front of the Taiwan Shrine. When the Yuanshan Hotel was expanded, it was specially preserved in its original form, perfectly displayed in the Golden Dragon Restaurant. During the renovation in the 76th year, it was gilded with 24K gold. Interestingly, this coiled dragon has only three claws, different from the traditional four or five-clawed dragons in China. The Plum Blossom Ceiling In the center of the Yuanshan Hotel lobby's ceiling is a plum blossom-shaped ceiling rose. Five golden dragons surround a dragon pearl in the center of the plum blossom, symbolizing "Five Blessings Coming Home." Although there are 23 golden dragons and 16 phoenixes around the ceiling rose, the number "3" is a homophone for "ascending," indicating "successive progress," and "16" is a homophone for "prosperity," meaning "prosperity all the way." The plum blossom ceiling symbolizes the auspiciousness of dragon and phoenix, with profound significance. The Flying Eaves and Bracket Sets The flying eaves and bracket sets of the roof reveal China's ancient civilization. A row of crouching beasts is placed on the top of the sloping ridge, perched on the projecting flying eaves. The "chiwei" is a ceramic-shaped beast ornament placed between the main ridge and the sloping ridge. Below the roof, the elaborate yet powerful bracket sets are the most astonishing features of Chinese architecture. The large floor-to-ceiling glass doors of the Yuanshan Hotel's main entrance are elegant and dignified, but upon closer examination of the patterns on the doors, one can discover six ancient characters "The Republic of China Lives Forever" hidden within. Looking back at the historical context when the Yuanshan Hotel was rebuilt, one can see the transformation of the era and the designer's clever thinking. Stone Guardian On the large stone tablet standing at the entrance of the gate, there are four big characters "Jiantan's Scenic Spot," written in cursive script by Mr. Yu Youren. The brushstrokes are vigorous and lively, as if dragons and phoenixes are flying. After detailed investigation, these four characters indicate that the entire Yuanshan area is a holy site. Therefore, it has maintained the high reputation of Yuanshan for over a hundred years.