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National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

The main structure of the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall

The concept of National Dr. Sun Yat-sen MemorialHall’s design
Modern Chinese architecture has there directions.
We can either follow Western architecture, mimic classic Chinese palatial architecture, or create a revolutionary form of Chinese architecture.
National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall would mark one of the most significant buildings in modern Chinese architecture, but what course would most appropriate to take?
In estabilishing the criteria for National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall’s design, adopting Western architecture would be wholly inappropriate. However, mimicking classic Chinese palatial architecture, particularly that of the Qing Dynasty, would be even more inappropriate since Dr. Sun Yat-sen opposed architecture that symbolized the Manchurian political system. A viable approach to the building would be to develop a new Chinese architecture that best represented the late national founding father’s revolutionary-spirit.
With the preliminary drafts of National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall having benefited from the constructive input from an elite review council, you are kindly requested to provide your valuable input as to whether the design revision of adopting a modern architectural technique can best manifest the spirit of traditional Chinese architecture and the distinct culture of Chinese civilization.

Sincerely, Wang Da-min

December 3, 1965



The Building of the Hall 
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* National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall was listed as the “city-designated historic site” by Taipei City Government on May 3, 2019.

The building of National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is 30.4 meters high, 100 meters long, and 100 meters wide. The 50 terrazzo columns on the surrounding corridors support the yellow-tiled rooftop with upturned corners resembling a soaring eagle. The building quietly situated in the center of an area of 100,000 square meter is surrounded by the gardens, flowers, plants, and plaza. The contrast between the building and the environment is spectacular. The majestic building looks bold, strong, and simple without losing the exquisite details.


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As a whole, National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is grand, elegant, concise, bright, and powerful. People will not only admire it but also feel the combination of strength and beauty. Next year the hall is scheduled to be closed for the “Auditorium and Surrounding Facilities Upgrade Project.”


Introduction to Chungshan Cultural Park
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1.Entrance of Chungshan Cultural Park
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2.Reflecting Pool
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The hall’s landscape renovation plans to return to the original design spirit of Architect Wang Da-hong half century ago. The fountain is transformed into the reflecting pool so that the solemn building will be reflected on the pool water.


3.Central Plaza
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The landscape renovation plans to reproduce Architect Wang Da-hong’s original design spirit of the hall in memory of Dr. Sun Yat-sen half century ago and includes the concepts of safety, comfort, amicability, and friendliness based on the public’s needs.


4.Sanzhangli Branch Nostalgic Walkway
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The “Sanzhangli branch” was the extension of the “Taipei Railway Workshop Line” between Huashan and Songshan, diverging southward in front of the former Yanji Supermarket. The starting point with the Sanzhangli Operation Office was located around the level crossing of Yanji Street. It passed the existing linear parking space, the south side of National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, the front gate of Taipei City Council, and arrived at the former Combined Logistics 44 Arsenal, where today’s Taipei City Government is located, with the total length of more than 2km.

1121006-9.jpg                    1121006-10.jpg       Yae-Zakura (Double Layer) Cherry Blossoms
The branch was completed at the end of the 1930s. It connected Japanese Army’s Songshan Warehouse, which started to be used in 1939, and Western Trunk Line. After World War II, it was handed over to Taiwan’s Army and transformed into Combined Logistics 44 Arsenal. After the arsenal moved to Sanxia, the railway was abolished on July 21, 1986. In the early years, there were level crossings at Section 4 of Zhongxiao East Road, Guangfu South Road, Yixian Road, and Keelung Road. Whenever a train passed the level crossings, the train controller would disembark to turn on the siren and sometimes direct the traffic to let the train pass smoothly.

The present east-west Cherry Blossom Walkway on the south side of Chungshan Cultural Park of National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is at the site of the original railway. In the past, standing on the steps of the main entrance of the memorial hall, people could see the trains running by slowly, which left the deep impression on the residents of the older generation. Our hall has reconstructed the image of the Sanzhangli Branch through the landscape renovation in 2022 to pass on the historical memory.


5.Lake Tswei
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Situated on the south side of Chung Shan Park, the area of the lake measures approx. 8,000 square meters, marking it the largest artificial lake in Taipei City. Its facilities in-clude Shang Shan Bridge and Tsuei Heng Pagoda. The Tsuei Heng Pagoda was donated by the Taipei City Lion’s Club, and completed on March 12, 1971, with one arch bridge connecting to Tsuei Heng Pagoda from the north and one from the south. These two arch bridges were once called the San Er Bridges, and were later renamed the Shang Shan Bridges in commemoration of the birthplace of Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

1121006-12.jpg          1121006-13.jpg  Powdery Alligator-Flag
There are lush plants and full greenery by the lake with weeping willow swaying in the wind. To highlight the seasonal changes, there are two large lotus troughs and four ecological floating islands in the lake, which is home to many birds and animals such as common moorhens, white-breasted water hens, squirrels, and turtles. A variety of aquatic plants are planted on the floating island, such as Powdery Alligator-Flag, Papyrus, Pickerelweed, Bulrush, and Da-Ann Hygrophila, adding the seasonal landscape and ecological diversity to Lake Tswei.

1121006-14.jpg                                              1121006-15.jpg   Crape Myrtles

- Common Birds-
1121006-16.jpg   /Magpie/                              1121006-17.jpg   / Kingfisher /

1121006-18.jpg   /Malaysian Night Heron/      Photo Credit/Zhou Xing-ying


6.Yu You-ren Statue
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The bronze statue was originally set up at the traffic hub of the roundabout of Renai Road and Dunhua South Road of Taipei City in 1966.

In 1997, Taipei launched the city road renovation project and planned to relocate it. Proposed by the calligraphy circle, sponsored by all walks of life, and planned by National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, it was moved to Chungshan Cultural Park on the 120th birthday of Mr. Yu You-ren. Mr. Yu is a revolutionary veteran and patriotic poet. With the extraordinary calligraphy talent, he is an unparalleled master of the cursive script highly respected. His statue set up for the admiration of both local and foreign visitors is surrounded by the stone tablets with his selected inscriptions in memory of him.


7.The Area of Low-Elevation Native Plants in Northern Taiwan
1121006-20.jpg                     1121006-21.jpg    / Taiwan Pieris /
In order to promote the understanding of native plants, more than 40 species of low-elevation native plants in northern Taiwan with ornamental value were collected and planted in the green area on the north side of Lake Tswei in 2000, such as Taiwan Pieris of Ericaceae, Coast Persimmon of Ebenaceae, and Hengchun Holly of Aquifoliaceae so that the visitors to the garden will understand and value the ecology of the native plants in Taiwan.


8.Sculpture Park
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The bronze sculptures in Sculpture Park include “Root,” the statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen as a child made by the famous artist, Prof. Cao Chong-en and several works of Mr. Wang Hsiu-chi, who excels in expressing the feelings about the land, family live, hometown, and maternal love, including “Education,” “Children’s Teamwork,” “Reading Girl,” and “Grandpa Tells Ancient Stories.”


1121006-23.jpg      “Education” Wang Hsiu-chi/Bronze Sculpture


1121006-24.jpg     “Children’s Teamwork” Wang Hsiu-chi/Bronze Sculpture


1121006-25.jpg        “Reading Girl” Wang Hsiu-chi/Bronze Sculpture



9.Chungshan Stone Tablets
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To commemorate Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s founding of the Republic of China and the deeds of the revolutionary martyrs and sages, the hall built “Chungshan Stone Tablets” by collaborating with the domestic industrial, business, and cultural circles. The first phase of the project was completed on November 12, 1994, the birth anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, setting up 23 granite stone tablets with the inscriptions of the martyrs and sages. Integrating calligraphy and landscape art, it is one of the most representative stele forests in Taiwan with historical significance.

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In the center of Chungshan Stone Tablets stands the replica of the bronze sculpture of “Dr. Sun Yat-sen” made by Mr. Dai Guang-wen. The standing statue is 286 cm high (including the bronze base and stone pedestal). The original work stands at Xinjiekou, Nanjing City, China. This is the reduced replica, donated by Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall of Nanjing in June, 2000.

In front of Chungshan Stone Tablets is the replica of the bronze sitting statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen by Cheng Yun-xian and Wang Shao-jun. The statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen holding a manuscript was donated by the management committee of Beijing Zhongshan Hall on March 12, 2003.


10.Calligraphy Art Park
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Natural stones and craft works are adopted in Calligraphy Art Park to provide the functions of calligraphy education, garden, and recreation.

The park was officially completed and opened on May 16, 2018. There are a total of 10 tablets about 80 cm high and 60 cm wide. The tablet inscriptions are of diverse styles. There are six categories of contents for rubbings, including:

(1) Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s calligraphy, including “Fraternity” and “The World is for All People
(2) Classical scriptures, the ancient characters from “San Family Plate” of National Palace Museum
(3) Oracle bone script in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties
(4) Bronze script, characters engraved on bronze vessels
(5) Traditional calligraphy scripts, including the seal, clerical, cursive, running, and regular scripts
(6) The character tablets of the 12 Chinese zodiac is located in the center of the circular tablet area.