One day, I was passing through Zhongli and remembered. A Taiwanese wedding has different purposes—it marks the beginning of a new stage in life and is also meant to bring in some income for the future. That’s why there are large restaurants specializing in weddings. However, demographic changes are hitting these venues hard, as young people are becoming less inclined to marry. Don’t worry, I didn’t celebrate here—but some members of my extensive Taiwanese family did. I stepped inside, and memories hit me with the force of a hormonal hammer. At first, I wanted to climb the steps of love, even

ed. 12/2025 West of Tainan, heading north toward Anping, you pass extensive industrial zones. Along what is now only a narrow strip of wilderness, however, a unique ecosystem has survived—the Taijiang National Park (台江國家公園). It stretches from the Southern District up to Qigu. Anyone who wants to observe the black-faced spoonbill, experience a natural habitat, old fields, and traces of traditional culture will find it here. Originally, this area was crisscrossed by canals. Even though there is little to see today, the first skirmishes between Koxinga and the Dutch took place here. The area is still intersected by several roads, but

The Liu Family Old Mansion (嘉義民雄劉家古厝民雄鬼屋), widely known across Taiwan as the Minxiong Haunted House, is located near the Yijian Mountain Cemetery in Minxiong Township. It is a large complex with a collapsed garden wall, of which only the entrance gate remains visible. The former garden has turned into a dense forest, which takes one minute to cross. Its once-grand courtyard is overgrown with wild grass and weeds. With numerous eerie legends surrounding it, the mansion is regarded as one of Taiwan’s four most haunted houses. After that, the main building complex becomes visible, consisting of the mansion and two outbuildings.

For urban explorers, the areas around train stations are often interesting. Just a few kilometers away, former accommodations or construction halls can often still be found. In the coming years, they will likely all be removed. This is also the case in Zhongli. The old Japanese accommodations are well known. Near the Ghost House, other employee housing is currently being demolished. You can enter from the side through a 50 cm narrow alley. On the left are the accommodations, and on the right, there are still old companies. The accommodations are unremarkable, probably from the 70s or 80s. Only the interiors

ed. 2025/10/15 Zhongli is a clear example of how quickly a place can change. When I first visited Taiwan in 1999, the area around the train station and the neighborhood near the now-closed Sogo department store were bustling with activity. Over time, both areas gradually lost their appeal—Sogo and the cinema had to close, and the train station saw fewer visitors. One of the “most famous buildings for urban explorers” even emerged during this period of decline. Things have changed since then, as you can see below. The God-of-Wealth-Building Taiwan’s society is aging – and not just its people. The Zhongli