History of Huashan

Huashan was known in the olden days as San-itabashi-shō, a name inspired from a bridge that once stood in the locale. The distillery was established here not only for its affordable land and proximity to downtown, but also for the abundant and high-quality underground water that made it ideal for alcohol production. In the early years of Japanese rule, the area was classified as part of Guting, directly under the Taihoku-chō (Taihoku Prefecture). Following the administrative reorganization that established Taihoku-shū in 1920, the area was then placed under the suburban San-itabashi-shō. In 1922, the area was renamed Kabayama-chō to commemorate Kabayama Sukenori, the first Governor-General of Taiwan. Although the chō designation was abolished after World War II in 1946, the name “Huashan” (the Chinese reading of Kabayama) continued to be used for the cargo terminal and the area.

Alcohol Production

1914 – The “Houjou Sake Company” was founded and launched the “Moth Orchid Sake”. The company introduced a refrigeration system to maintain sake quality despite Taiwan’s warm climate.

1915 – The “Houjou Sake Company” was expanded and reorganized as “Japan Houjou Company”.

1922 – The Japanese government established an alcohol monopoly and rented the distillery, renaming it the “Taiwan Governor-General's Monopoly Bureau, Taihoku Distillery.”

1929 – The Taihoku Distillery was nationalized, underwent expansion, and became the “Taiwan Governor-General's Monopoly Bureau, Taihoku Distillery,” mainly producing rice wine and liqueur. Most of the buildings preserved in today’s park were constructed between 1929 and 1933.

1945 – Following Japan’s defeat in World War II, the Nationalist Government of the Republic of China took over the distillery, and the Taiwan Governor-General's Monopoly Bureau was reorganized as Taiwan Province Monopoly Bureau.

1946 – The Monopoly Bureau of the Nationalist Government took control of the distillery along with the camphor factory.

1947 – The “Taiwan Province Monopoly Bureau” was reorganized as the “Taiwan Province Tobacco and Wine Monopoly”, and the Taipei Distillery was renamed the First Distillery.

1957 – The First Distillery was renamed the Taipei First Distillery.

1975 – The Taipei First Distillery was renamed the Taipei Distillery.

Camphor Production

1917 – “Taiwan Camphor Company” was established.

1918 – “Taiwan Camphor Company” was renamed the “Taihoku Branch of the Japan Camphor Company”, and a sublimation plant was established in what is now the Red Brick Area to produce refined camphor, which later became the camphor refinery.

1961 – The camphor refinery ceased production.

1967 – The Monopoly Bureau shut down the camphor refinery, and reassigned it to Taipei First Distillery, which sat right next to the refinery.

1988 – Part of the refinery buildings were torn down.

Transformation of Spaces

1987 – Due to increasing water pollution, the Taipei Distillery ceased operations and moved to the Linkou Industrial Park in Guishan, Taoyuan County, and the former space was left idle. After the railway was relocated underground, the “Huashan Area Urban Planning Amendment” was passed, covering Huashan Station, the Taipei Distillery site, and surrounding areas.

1992 – The Legislative Yuan renamed the Taipei Distillery the “Huashan District” and planned to use it as the new site of the Legislative Yuan.

1997 – The former camphor refinery was incorporated into the Huashan District. Arts groups pushed for the area to become an “Art and Cultural Park.”

1998 – The Huashan District was placed under the management of the Culture Department of Taiwan Province by the Monopoly Bureau, and was transformed into the “Huashan Art and Cultural Park,” serving arts and cultural performance activities.

Huashan Art and Cultural Park

1999 – The “Huashan Art and Cultural Park” was placed under the management of the “Association of Culture Environment Reform Taiwan.”

2002 – The area was renamed “Huashan Creative Park” as part of the Challenge 2008 National Development Plan.

2003 – The Taipei Distillery registered the Tower Area, Smoked Plum Liquor Warehouse, and Chimney as municipal historic sites, and the Rice Wine Factory and Silian Building as historical buildings.

2004 – The Council for Cultural Affairs commissioned L’Orangerie International Art Consultant Co., Ltd for park curation and management.

2006 – Huashan Park was developed in three phases: “Film Arts Museum OT Project,” “Taiwan Cultural and Creative Industries Flagship Center BOT Project” and “Space for Cultural and Creative Industry ROT Project.”

2007 – The former camphor refinery was registered as a historic building.

Huashan 1914 Creative Park

2007 – The “Space for Cultural and Creative Industry ROT Project” was managed by “Taiwan Creative Industry Development Co., Ltd.” while the “Movie Laboratory OT Project” was handled by “Taiwan Film and Culture Association.”

2011 – The park was officially named “Huashan 1914 Creative Park.”

2022 – Additional buildings of the Taipei Distillery were registered as historic buildings, including both main structures and ancillary facilities.