The hidden treasure in Yanshui

YongCheng Theater is a restored Japanese-era wooden building hidden with historical treasure. 

The restoration began in 2008 and was completed in 2011, an effort to re-create the original look of the Theater for modern tourists to feel the historical and cultural heritage.

The Theater was built in 1942 but not as a theater, but as a rice mill. The mill was founded by owner Huang Zhi during the Japanese Rule Era. Huang was awarded the rice concession for the Yanshui area from the Japanese colonial government.

At that time, the last names of the Taiwanese people were converted into Japanese ones. The owner's last name Huang 黃 was also converted into 廣內 ("黃" is inside of "广", and "內" literally means "inside of"). 

The people in the picture are the members of the Tainan Rice Business Association in 1934 (昭和九年, meaning Showa 9 in Japanese year).  

During World War II, the rice mill was partially damaged by fire. Affected by the Japanese withdraw to Japan, the rice mill also suffered serious losses.

Instead of closing down, the owner and founder Huang Zhi transformed the remaining rice mill into Yanshui's first movie theater in 1945.  Under the harsh economic condition, Huang used his connections and imported the machines needed for a theater. 

The original benches are still in use and are made of Taiwan Cypress. Each row is higher than the one in front.

Old is its attraction

The movie theater is over 70 years old, and so are the machines. The projectors still work and rattle loudly, just like in the old days.

Guessing game

The grandpa in front of the family photo on the wall of YonCheng Theater is the third generation of the founder Huang Zhi. Guess which one in this old photo is he.
(He is the baby held by a woman on the very side of the picture.)

Grandpa, in his old age, still manages the theater and tells the story of his family and the Theater with glittering eyes. Perhaps, people are the actually the hidden treasure in Yanshui.

For hard-core cineastes, YongCheng Theater has sentimental meaning. The movie tricycle was a way of advertising what was showing in the theater.

The mocked movie set out side of the Theater is a great photo taking spot.