Yu Youren is a famous character in China's history.  He was born in 1879 and thereby experienced the turbulent years when the Qing dynasty fell.
He met Dr. Sun Yat Sen and joined the revolution, and later in the Kuomintang years under Chiang Kai-shek he held several high government positions.
He had many talents but today his claim to fame is his unique skill as a calligrapher, - one of the best in modern China -, and he also worked with ink paintings and stone carvings.  Hence Yu Youren was an all in one educator, scholar, artist, calligrapher and politician.
When the communist conquered China he fled to Taiwan, where Chiang Kai-shek, - as a token of gratitude -, provided him with the house which today is a museum to his memory.
I did not know about Yu Youren before Kit Yu told me about him.  He happens to be one of her favorite calligraphers, - and now when we stayed in Taipei it would be a great opportunity to find his house and have a closer look into the life of this talented person.
His house was not on the "tourist trail", and therefore quite difficult to find, but by asking our way, the cab driver finally found it.

The house is in Japanese style and was used during the Japanese invasion as home for a high ranking Japanese official.
It is called "Plum Garden", - but the garden is somewhat neglected.  However, - along the far end of the garden runs a hot stream, which gives this garden some fantastic opportunities for making some sort of hot bath arrangement.
 
 

Page initiated:  Feb. 09. 2013