Taiwan Today

Having survived the advent of television, dwindling audiences and a fire, the Red House has been revived to become a city landmark where "old-time" meets "avant-garde."

The sound of French chanteuse Edith Piaf singing L'Hymne a l'Amour, or the "Hymn to Love," rises in the background, the smell of strong coffee fills the air and muted light filters in through the windows. A relaxed and old-time ambience pervades the lobby of the Red House where customers lounge on old-fashioned sofas in the ground floor cafe, linger near a special exhibit in the central display area, or choose souvenirs at the gift shop. Visitors seem content to wile away the whole afternoon in this quaint and relaxing atmosphere.

Without question, 's magnificent Red House is one of the city's unique performing arts centers and the grande dame of 's Ximending district, an area renowned for youth culture and unique street fashions. At various times in the past the structure has been a traditional market, a playhouse and a movie theater, but it was so seriously damaged by fire in 2000 that what we see today are only the main buildings of the original market. Now, the Red House is a multi-function playhouse and entertainment venue providing a place to experience both "old-time" and "avant-garde" .

In 1896, however, the site that would later host the legendary Red House was a simple wooden marketplace. The Red House itself, a two-story, Western-style octagonal structure, was constructed by Japanese architect Kondo Juro in 1908 at a time when was under Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945) and it incorporated a cross-shaped building to the rear of the main structure. In addition to the eye-catching red brick walls and reinforced-steel ceilings, the roof of the main building has a framework of metal trusses, with a radially symmetrical shape, like an umbrella.

That the market took on its octagonal bagua design was considered boldly creative when it was built and is very rare even now. The bagua, also known as the "eight trigrams," is a group of symbols arranged in an octagon that is used in Taoism as well as in the practice of feng shui in order to improve luck.

Ups and Downs

In those early years, the Red House market attracted large numbers of visitors for both trade and entertainment. Vendors sold flowers, books, medicine, Japanese preserves and local Taiwanese produce. In particular during festivals, it was a meeting point for residents from neighboring districts because it was the only market in the district that provided a wide range of dry goods. It was named by the Japanese administration as 's first "model public market." After the Japanese departed in 1945, it became a storytelling hall, and later served as a movie theater and a venue for traditional folk performances.

Built in 1908, the Red House was named
's first "model public market."
This picture dating from 1920 (above)
shows the popular market, which attracted
large numbers of visitors for both trade
and entertainment. Today, the building
has regained its place as one of 's
unique performing arts venues and anchors
a vibrant arts and entertainment precinct
(below). (Photos reproduced with permission
of Taipei Culture Foundation and Chang Su-ching)

The Red House saw a peak in the 1970s, when it was home to performances of opera, "crosstalk" shows--a traditional form of Chinese standup comedy--and stage plays as well as serving as a movie theater. Immigrants from mainland found comfort in the traditional-style live shows, while many young people went for the martial arts movies, second-run Western films and local costume dramas. "The whole family often went out to eat on the weekend and then moved on to the Red House to see two movies for just a small amount of money. On the way home, we'd talk about what we'd seen. That's the way superstars like Grace Kelly, Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn became fixed in our memories," recalls Wang Xue-ming, who has lived in the Ximending area for some 50 years.

However, the Red House started to decline following the urban development of in the eastern part of the city as well as the advent of television. The building was abandoned for several years and its former glory seemed destined to be just a fading memory.

Saving the Site

Fortunately, in 1994, a number of performing artists got together to remind the public of the Red House, staging Red Chamber Dream: Ximen, the title being an allusion to the classic work of Chinese literature Dream of the Red Chamber. The series of shows included performances of kuaiban, a kind of rhythmic monologue, stage skits, folk songs, traditional-style Taiwanese nakashi music and dance performances.

One of the results of the shows was that they gained attention for the Red House, with the Taipei City Government designating the building a class III historic site in 1997. In 2002, the nonprofit Paper Windmill Arts Foundation got involved in restoring the Red House, but, unable to balance out their goals for the site with what they could actually afford to do, the foundation decided not to renew its bid for management of the property when the contract expired five years later. In November 2007, the Taipei City Government's Department of Cultural Affairs commissioned the Taipei Culture Foundation (TCF) to manage the Red House complex in its entirety, including the main octagonal building, the adjoining and the adjacent squares to the north and south of the central structure. Johnson Chiu, TCF's deputy CEO, says that the foundation takes into account the area's past and present in its management of the site.

Currently the ground floor of the Red House incorporates a cafe and a gift shop and is a venue for art exhibitions, with a show commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Red House held there from July 2008 to June this year. The second floor serves as a theater, hosting a variety of programs including theater shows, musical performances, weddings, receptions, corporate events and cocktail parties. "I've been to several theater shows, plays and receptions here," says visitor Guey Liang-yu, while enjoying a waffle with her son and a friend at the ground floor cafe one afternoon, adding that she had planned on seeing another show at the end of August. "The shows here never disappoint me and I always enjoy myself."

In line with its goals of promoting cultural and creative industries, the Taipei City Government worked with the TCF to establish the Red House Market for Artists and Designers in 2007. Market stalls are open every day in the adjoining , and on most weekends more are set up in the surrounding north and south squares.

Thanks to low rent and the area's high profile, many young artists have begun to cluster in the Red House complex. On any given market day, visitors can find a wide range of handcrafted items including pins, glass, pottery, paintings, T-shirts, necklaces, accessories and sculptures. So far, there are 16 creative boutiques in the and some 60 temporary booths are set up on outdoor market days.

"We've been here for one year," says Fang Da-tung, a salesperson at the boutique 0416 T-shirt Shop. "NT$15,000 (US$455) a month for rent is affordable. Anyway, it's a good place to showcase artists' designs. Visitors can directly communicate with local or international artists and order what they want."

"Business is not bad," Fang continues. "Many tourists like to shop here because our works are not mass produced and really are 'made in .' I'd say about 40 percent of visitors are foreign backpackers. Sharing ideas with people from different backgrounds or cultures is sometimes a real source of inspiration."

Helping Artists

TCF not only helps artists find buyers, but also provides courses in marketing, management and legal requirements for sellers. "We hope that these artists can create a brand name and find a place in the market," says Lydia Lee, a specialist at TCF. "That's why our seminars are free for them. If they become very successful, they will probably move on from here to develop their business and then new artists will move in. That's the vitality we want to encourage."

Welcoming the TCF's efforts, Tai Bao-zhu, a local resident, says the area has become cleaner as well as less congested since work on the site began. "At first, we opposed the project because we were worried that the activities would harm the neighborhood," says Tai, who is also a member of the Ximending Walk Zone Promotion Association, a local community group. "Now we're willing to help with the promotion of it since it has enriched the cultural atmosphere of the area."

Indeed, before the restoration of the Red House and its surroundings, few people were likely to wander through the area after exiting the nearby Ximen subway station. Now on weekends, however, crowds of visitors, both local and international, take a look inside the main building or stroll around the outdoor craft fair, while bands and other performers often add to the entertainment. In the evening, a number of bars and restaurants around the strung with rainbow flags welcome guests to the area, which has become a somewhat popular destination for 's gay community.

In addition, the TCF is actively involved in promoting the nearby "Ximending Cinema Park," an open area with room for visitors to find a seat on the wooden benches provided or a spot on the ground and sit back to enjoy the nostalgia of old Taiwanese feature films. The TCF hopes to attract enough interest in the park to schedule free films every Saturday evening.

"Ximending has been a trendsetter in since 1900. When we first took over the Red House in 2007, the priority was how to connect the Red House with Ximending's development," says TCF deputy CEO Johnson Chiu. "The park is a great venue for showing movies outdoors, but not so many people visit it yet. Based on the success of the Red House though, we're confident about making '' the next stop for visitors."

's Red House has not only survived, but has been restored to its original opulent grandeur. Whether people have lived in all of their lives or are visiting for the weekend, the Red House offers a glamorous view of the city's transition.

"Today, as the Red House enters its second century, it continues to entertain people with a delightful mix of concerts, theaters, performances, festivals, exhibits and artworks," enthuses Chiu, adding that the atmosphere of the lobby does not always feature just Edith Piaf and strong coffee, either. "Next time it might be Taiwanese songs, or there are any number of drinks to try."

"No matter whether it's a weekday or the weekend, daytime or under the twinkling stars, anytime is a good time to visit the Red House," Chiu says.

Write to Tso Lon-di at londi@mail.gio.gov.tw