General Hall, A Timeless Journey Through History

970 Zhongzheng Road Lane 622, Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan

Introduction

General's Residence is located along the Meilun River in Hualien. It was built in 1936 during the Japanese colonial period and made of cypress wood. The residence has a surrounding wall and an independent garden. It used to be the dormitory of General Nakamura, the military commander of the Hualien region, while the Japanese-style dormitories nearby were the residences of various military officers. Today, this historic building complex has a history of over 90 years. After Taiwan's retrocession, the buildings were used as military dependents' housing after the Japanese soldiers withdrew. In 2005, Hualien City demolished many Japanese-style dormitories, but with the active support of the community residents and scholars who initiated a petition and applied for support from the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the General's Residence was spared and designated as a county-level heritage site and historical building. However, in 2008, during Typhoon Jangmi, the roof of one of the buildings was blown open, resulting in damage to the precious artifacts inside. The Cultural Affairs Bureau immediately launched a repair operation, and in 2010, the General's Residence and Environmental Education Center were renovated and completed. However, the remaining buildings still await funding and resources for restoration.