Jinshan's Halide Heaven -- The Governor-General Hot Springs

This article was written by Kuo Li-chuan, translated by Scott Gregory, and published by The Sinorama Magazine (Vol. 30, No. 9) in September 2005. It features the Governor-General Hot Springs in Taipei County's Chinshan Township.

Hot springs were discovered in Taipei County's Chinshan Township when an earthquake hit northern Taiwan in 1867. There were converted into a public bathhouse in 1911, and came to be known as "The Old Onsen".

During the Japanese colonial occupation of Taiwan (1895-1945), the Japanese loved to use Taiwan's hot springs for their therapeutic and cosmetic benefits. In 1938, the Japanese governor-general of Taiwan decided that an onsen should be constructed in Chinshan Township for use by public officials and VIPs. In 1939, a two-story Western-style brick building was completed and came to be referred to as "The New Onsen". It became a favorite of Japanese officials and VIPs, including three Japanese governors-general.