The Zhongxing Guesthouse also known as the Yangmingshuwu is a historical site located in on Zhongxing road in Yangmingshan National Park in the Beitou District of Taipei

Taipei

Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...

, Taiwan

Taiwan

Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

. It was constructed between 1969 and 1970 by late Republic of China

Republic of China

The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...

 President Chiang Kai-Shek

Chiang Kai-shek

Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....

 for reception of important foreign guests and to act as a summer residence. It was designed by architect Huang Baoyu (黃寶瑜), who also designed the National Palace Museum

National Palace Museum

The National Palace Museum is an art museum in Taipei. It is the national museum of the Republic of China, and has a permanent collection of over 677,687 pieces of ancient Chinese artifacts and artworks, making it one of the largest in the world. The collection encompasses over 8,000 years of...

.

Overview

Chiang's largest villa, the Yangmingshuwu, is set on 37 acres of plum trees and mountain landscape. The villa was used primarily as a summer retreat and the Chinese-style home includes courtyards, covered walkways and a fully stocked goldfish. The generalissimo reportedly favored morning walks and meditation sessions on the grounds, while Madame Chiang painted watercolor landscapes in her second floor studio. During the time the Zhongxing Guesthouse was in operation, the surrounding area, including Zhongxing road was closed to public use due to the heavy security presence in the surrounding area. After Chiang died in 1975, the Zhongxing Guesthouse remained empty until 1979. In 1979, the Kuomintang

Kuomintang

The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...

 Historical Commission took over administration, renamed it the Yangmingshuwu and established their party archives on the property. Historical documents and photographs from the Kuomintang

Kuomintang

The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...

's founding were stored here. In 1997, the Yangmingshuwu was donated to Yangmingshan National Park. In 1991, the road was gradually opened for public use. There are a series of bunkers and underground tunnels on the property. In 1998, the Zhongxing guesthouse was opened to the public for tours.