Few people notice there is an ancient building, Shou Shan Hall, when passing by the crowded crossroad of Nan-bei Street and Fu-xing Road in Tianjhong. The building is the house of Mr. Shao-nian Chen, who was a scholar passing the county-level imperial exam in Qing Dynasty. The style of his house is a mix of Japanese and Southern Min. Currently, it has been set as a proposed monument after investigated by Council for Culture Affairs.

The cradle of Tianjhong is the current Old Street Area, but floods and fires happened here during the year of 1898, so Mr. Shao-nian Chen guided the residents in this area to immigrate to the western district, which made a significant contribution to the development of Tianjhong.

Shao Shan Hall was established by Mr. Shao-nian Chen and his offspring during the period of late Qing Dynasty and early Japanese ruled period and is currently located behind the Jing Sung Hospital near Nan-bei Street. The building was made in the style of traditional Southern Min. The style of its roof is in a special style which is exclusive for the scholars passing imperial exams. The main hall was repaired and re-painted, but it still stays in the antique style and its roof bridges of both sides are also preserved well. Though the building is mainly in the style of traditional Southern Min, it is also mixed with a little bit Japanese style due to that it was partly constructed during the Japanese ruled period. And the former residence of Dr. Jing Sung Chen which is located on the left of Shou Shan Hall is mainly built in the Japanese style due to that Dr. Chen went abroad to Japan for years. On the wall of the main hall in Shou Shan Hall, there are a series of photos of the Chen family members which could be regarded as the evidence to the transform of Shao Shan Hall and the Chen family.

Shao Shan Hall has been existing more than a century. In order to maintain the precious cultural heritage, the bureau of culture in Changhua planned to list the building as a historical site. Some supporters hope the government can take charge in this building for a good preservation, but some opponents who have three fourths of the property right in hand felt they were not respected so they meant to destroy part of the building. as a result, the building was only listed as a tentative historical site and should be re-examined later.

The history of Shou Shan Hall is long and the architecture is antique. The ceiling of the main hall was made with beauty and under the old big tree in the yard is the playground for many members of the Chen family in their childhood. With the time passing by, that glorious history has become a lively picture fragment. In order to make this brilliant not to lose, now we should actively protect it, and don't let it just be a memory in the mind.

(Reference Source: 2014.2.24 United Daily News)