Taipei Photo Gallery - Si Si Nan Village

Just steps away from Taiwan's tallest building and an MRT station, these buildings pre-date today's modern Xinyi district. They were home to military dependents. The 4 symmetrical buildings have been converted into shops, restaurants, and exhibition space.

When the Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan after losing the civil war, many soldiers brought their families across the strait, but with hopes one day they will gloriously return to win back mainland China. Some 2 million people were believed to have fled to Taiwan. They had to quickly build provisional housing on public land. Many were poorly-built.

These types of villages have disappeared in large numbers as redevelopment pressures loomed. This was codified in the 1996 Act for Rebuilding Old Quarters for Military Dependents, paving the way for these villages to be demolished.