Air Force Sanchong First Military Village | 空軍三重一村

Sanchong Air Force Military Village is a recreated version of what military dependents' villages used to look like in Taiwan back in the day. The entire complex used to house actual military houses, but those had to be torn down as they were in a state of disrepair. After being torn down, it was converted into a tourist site, with houses being rebuilt to showcase life in a military village 眷村 . 

Those who lived in the military houses were eventually moved to newer buildings and housing by the government.

It seemed like there was actual houses nearby the complex that looked like military houses from that era, however they were completely off limits as people still live there.

The entire area is filled with ROC flags and slogans to instill patriotism as the complex housed soldiers that were serving the nation.

Rooms were recreated and adorned with old photos and medals, awards and even portraits of president Chiang Kai-shek 蔣介石, as he was the commander-in-chief of the ROC.

Military villages were built because the KMT government brought a large number of military personnel from China after fleeing to Taiwan following the Chinese civil war. They were brought to serve on the ROC armed forces. Many were taken from China to relocate to Taiwan at the very last minute, meaning that some veterans may have been forced to leave their families behind.

For those who were lucky enough to bring their families along, the Sanchong Military Village depicted the life of a military family, how the wife would dress and how she would take care of her family while her husband was away, and what types of food would be prepared etc. Those living in military villages would typically indulge in regional Chinese cuisine. There were also paintings depicting family life in a military village. 

They even used to have their own movies theaters! How cool is that?

Another interesting thing to note is that before the KMT arrived and turned this complex into their own military village, the Japanese used this exact same area to house their own military residents. They built a secret underground tunnel right in the village. 

The tunnel still exists to this day. There are limited opening times to visit the tunnel. 

I was fortunate enough to visit the tunnel while it was open. They would only allow groups, and all of us had to wear safety helmets as the tunnel was already 100 years old! The staff basically performed a mock drill of an emergency situation, forcing everyone to rush through the tunnel. Otherwise, I would've loved to leisurely scroll through the tunnel, observe the structure, and take more photos.

I loved the vibe of the entire military village. I spent roughly 3 hours there, just roaming around, taking photos, and really taking time to understand more about military village history and culture.

It's extremely accessible. Just take the Taipei MRT and get off at Taipei Bridge Station 台北橋站, walk for 10-15 minutes and you'll see the back entrance of the military village, walk over to the front and voila!  It's completely free, and guides are available if needed.  

Interested in military villages? You can also visit Chung Hsin Village 中心新村 in Beitou 北投 or Hsinchu Museum of Military Dependents Village 新竹市眷村博物館 for a more enriching experience.

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