Xizhou Chenggong Inn is a wooden building from the Japanese colonial period in Xizhou Township, Changhua County, originally opened in 1920 as the Yangzhen Medical Clinic before passing through several owners—including a dental clinic and the Dalin Inn—until Chen Wancheng purchased and renamed it Chenggong Inn in 1956; the building is now over a century old. The ground floor now serves as an exhibition and retail space; the second floor retains the original inn room layout and is open for exhibitions. It is a representative example of adaptive reuse of historic rural buildings in Taiwan.
Chenggong Inn was originally the Yangzhen Medical Clinic, founded in 1920 by Wang Tongzhong, who also founded Guang Tian Hospital. The building later passed to a dental clinic and then became the Dalin Inn, before Chen Wancheng purchased it in 1956 and renamed it Chenggong Inn after himself. The inn closed in 1995 following Chen Wancheng's death, and the wooden building has now stood for more than a century.
What to see at Xizhou Chenggong Inn
Chenggong Inn uses a hybrid Japanese-Western wooden construction style. The exterior timber board walls, wooden lattice windows, and second-floor corridor all retain their original layout. The architectural style reflects the typical appearance of 1930s–1940s Taiwanese rural shophouses. The building started as the Yangzhen Medical Clinic, then changed hands and was converted into an inn over time. Eventually, a local cultural organization led the effort to revitalize and preserve it, maintaining the authenticity of the timber frame structure.
After revitalization, the ground floor of Chenggong Inn houses a display and retail space for local agricultural products as well as small exhibitions. The second floor has been restored to the original inn room layout; visitors can step into the rooms where travelers once stayed and experience the spatial scale and atmosphere of a rural inn from the late Japanese colonial period. The building hosts occasional thematic events on local crafts and rural culture.
How to make the most of your visit
Practical information
Getting there & timing
- Xizhou Township has no train station. Driving is recommended: from Changhua City, head south on Provincial Highway 1 for about 40 minutes to Xizhou Township. Parking space in the village is limited.
- Opening hours are not fixed; check with the Xizhou Township Office or relevant organizations before visiting to confirm whether the building is open that day.
Nearby connections
- Xizhou Township is adjacent to Beidou Township. Combining this with Beidou Dian'an Temple makes a southern Changhua day trip centered on temples and historic buildings.
- About a 30-minute drive from the Dacheng Zhuoshui River estuary, extending the itinerary to the west coast's natural landscape is an option.
Source: Xizhou Township Office, Changhua County Culture Bureau materials on historic building revival. Photos to be replaced with Dio's own shots.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Xizhou Chenggong Inn originally used for?
It began in 1920 as the Yangzhen Medical Clinic, founded by Wang Tongzhong, who also founded Guang Tian Hospital.
How did the inn get its name?
In 1956, Chen Wancheng purchased the building and renamed it Chenggong (Success) Inn after himself.
What is the building used for today?
The ground floor is now an exhibition and retail space for local agricultural products, while the second floor preserves the original inn room layout for exhibitions.
Sources
- 6. 溪州成功旅社－《作田人博物館》 — 養真醫院1920年創立、1956年陳萬成改名成功旅社等沿革記載
- 成功旅社辦展 重溫溪州繁華史－中國時報 — 媒體報導佐證旅社歷史