History of Wistaria heritage site
“The Empty Place”- Wistaria Tea House
Wistaria is “The Empty Place”,
It appears there is nothing here, yet everything is here,
A place that quietly harbors the source of life and creativity,
Where one can truly rest and find peace,
“The Empty Place” is the birthplace of life, of art, of thought...
It is the birthplace of humanity.
Look once, Wistaria is simply a tea house,
Look again, Wistaria becomes more than a tea house.
Wistaria is more than a tea house; it is the first designated historic site in Taiwan and the first designated living heritage site in Taipei City with a focus on humanistic history and public space. It served as a gathering place for Taiwan's democracy movement, opposition movements, and free scholars, emitting a cultural atmosphere with educational, cultural, and political significance. It strongly demonstrates the cultural significance of civic life and is of great value for preservation.
From Japanese official residence to bustling hub of liberalism
Before 1945, the old mansion of Wistaria served as a senior official residence of the Taiwan Governor-General's Office during the Japanese colonial period. In the 1950s, it became the official residence of Professor David Chow, the Director-General of the Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance. Mr. Chow was a renowned economist who had studied in the UK and Germany in his early years and was a disciple of Nobel laureate Friedrich Hayek. Throughout his life, he pursued rigorous scholarship and always advocated for governing with love for the people, dedicated to introducing Western liberal thought to Taiwan. In the 1950s, the old mansion of Wistaria became a gathering place for liberal scholars centered around National Taiwan University. Figures like Chang Fo-chuan, Yin Hai-guang, Hsia Tao-p'ing, Hsu Tao-lin, as well as Li Ao and Chen Kuo-ying, often congregated here for intellectual discussions. They criticized the political situation, denounced Chiang's dictatorial tendencies, and were concerned about the rise and fall of the nation as well as the social responsibility of intellectuals. Wistaria Tea House was a small space of freedom amidst the authoritarian rule of the time.
The most beautiful fortress supporting Taiwan's resistance movements
After Professor David Chow retired and moved to the United States in 1975, the old mansion of Wistaria was taken over by his youngest son, Chow Yu. At that time, it was the budding period of the democratic movement in Taiwan. As Chow Yu had participated in the "Formosa Incident," disillusioned members of the opposition parties gathered here. Wistaria later became known as the "most beautiful fortress in the memory of the opposition movement" in the writings of Chen Wen-chien and a haven for "down-and-out wanderers" in the recollections of Lin Cho-Shui. During this period, Chow Yu, who had a passion for arts and culture, also opened up the space to support emerging artists. Wistaria exuded a Bohemian romantic atmosphere: Lin Li-chen's first dance, "Don't Forget Your Umbrella," was planned and rehearsed here; Chen Chien-hua led the "Youth Harmony Choir" in regular rehearsals; figures like Wei Tien-tsung, Pai Hsien-yung, Shih Shu-ching, Li Ang, Hsin Yi-yun, Hsi Sung, and Wang Chin-p'ing were frequent visitors; and the critically acclaimed "Taiwan Social Research Quarterly" was founded here, holding regular meetings for over twenty years without interruption. During this period, Wistaria was the epicenter of cultural convergence in the 1970s, remembered by many cultural figures as a warm "home" and a particularly nostalgic period.
The first humanistic tea salon with a focus on arts, culture, and society
In 1981, it was converted into a tea house by its founder, Chow Yu, who proposed the concept of "rediscovering the spirit of nature and re-creating the humanistic spirit." The tea culture perspective emphasized the interaction between nature and humanity and the cultivation of tea practitioners' refinement. It also promoted the philosophical principles of "harmony, tranquility, purity, and completeness" in tea ceremony, making it Taiwan's first humanistic tea house with an artistic salon atmosphere. It was named "Wistaria Tea House" after the three old wistaria vines in the courtyard. Over the past thirty years, it has hosted various cultural events, tea culture exchanges, and intellectual forums, pioneering a critical atmosphere and nurturing several local artists. Utilizing tea as a medium, it interacted with music, dance, traditional Chinese arts, and sinology, enriching the diverse facets of Taiwanese tea culture. Its international tea exchange activities have extended to New York, Paris, India, mainland China, and the Czech Republic.
The Daoist aesthetic perspective and the relaxed and casual atmosphere nurtured by Wistaria Tea House year-round have made it a place for Taipei citizens to enjoy tea, contemplate, discuss literature and art, and escape from the hustle and bustle—a small sanctuary. Its accumulated cultural energy and values of caring for social justice have also made it one of Taipei's cultural landmarks. Over the years, numerous domestic and international media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Discovery, and Art and New Trends have extensively covered it.
A place where meaning is created, a heritage site that is truly alive
In 1997, a property rights dispute arose, leading the Ministry of Finance to attempt to repossess Wistaria Tea House and seal it off, sparking a major uproar. The arts, academic, and tea communities, as well as Taipei citizens and international friends, rallied together to pressure the government through petitions and lobbying efforts. Figures such as Hsia Chu-chiu, Wang Chen-hua, Tang Kuang-hua, Wang Ching-feng, Hu Yin-meng, Ting Nai-chu, and Chiu Ju-hua from the arts community initiated a massive movement to preserve and rescue the historic site. This successful campaign resulted in the designation of Wistaria Tea House as a historic site and its preservation. Over the years, it has undergone several successful transformations. Currently, the team commissioned by the Cultural Bureau focuses on deepening the significance of tea culture and accumulating cultural energy, earning it a good reputation both domestically and internationally.
Wistaria Tea House, also known as the "The Empty Place", is a place quietly imbued with the essence of life and creativity. The success of the movement to rescue Wistaria Tea House inspired a surge in awareness of historic preservation in Taiwan, leading to the establishment of various cultural and historical studios across the country and indirectly fostering the vibrant development of community building in Taiwan. Wistaria Tea House is a place of meaning creation, a space for dialogue with life and nature, a model of historic site reuse, and a living historic site still thriving and breathing.
Wistaria Tea House
Enjoy tea, snacks, art exhibitions, and cultural exchanges.
Accept reservations for group tea ceremony experiences and cultural events, with planning provided.
-
Address｜No. 1, Ln. 16, Sec. 3, Xinsheng S. Rd., Daan Dist., Taipei City. Near the intersection of Xinsheng S. Road and Heping E. Road.
-
Tel｜02-2363-7375
-
Visit and Service Hours｜Mon. to Thu. 11:30 - 18:30 *Closed on Tuesday
-
Meal Service Hours｜Currently, we are not serving meals, only offering tea and snacks.
-
E-mail｜wistariateahouse@gmail.com