The Chen family in Kaohsiung is one of the five most influential families in Taiwan. Their most representative figure is Chen Jhong-he, who laid the foundation for his family’s prosperity. In 1925, Chen Jhong-he finished building a two-storey mansion in Linyaliao; its architecture stands prominent among the traditional compounds. The luxurious mansion features a western architectural design, with an imitation brick exterior, arched columns and classic gables. The interior is a fusion of traditional residential layout and decor, demonstrating the eclectic style of Minyang Fusion Architecture commonly seen in affluent homes at the time. Japanese black tiled hipped roofs and ox-eye windows emphasize the building’s majestic appearance. The mansion was abandoned after the war, and was only refurbished and renamed the Chen Jhong-he Memorial Hall in 1996. The hall includes the main building, pond, bridge and surrounding gardens, and preserves the memory of one of Kaohsiung’s most influential tycoons.
苓雅／陳中和紀念館
臺灣五大家族之一的高雄陳家，最具代表的人物即為第一代奠基的陳中和，因糖業貿易崛起，主導新興製糖株式會社、烏樹林製鹽株式會社、陳中和物產株式會社三大公司，遂成為南臺灣首富，並曾出任高雄州協議會員。1925年陳中和位於苓雅寮的新宅邸落成，在傳統合院群落旁，樓高兩層的建築特別顯眼。
以西洋歷史式樣為主導風格的洋樓住宅，仿磚石造外觀、拱圈列柱、古典山牆等特徵形塑華麗的面貌，內部融入傳統民宅格局與裝飾，顯示閩洋折衷風格的潮流，是當時臺籍士紳住宅的特徵之一。鋪設日式黑瓦的「寄棟造」四坡水屋頂，設有老虎窗，更增添洋樓的雄偉氣勢。整座宅邸曾於戰後荒廢閒置，1996年重新整修後，命名為「陳中和紀念館」對外開放參觀，不只洋樓本體，周圍庭園的水池、小橋、花圃仍保留部分舊貌，紀念這位曾經在歷史上叱詫風雲的高雄名人。
文／陳坤毅
圖／高雄市政府文化局