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Lukang, Taiwan — In the heart of Lukang, a once-thriving port town on Taiwan’s west coast, a historic family home has been transformed into a museum and community space—marking a pivotal step in the town’s cultural revival. 

Changyuan Hospital, a sprawling structure built during the Qing Dynasty and expanded under Japanese rule, sat untouched for more than two decades. The home belonged to the Hsu family, descendants of one of Lukang’s oldest lineages. The restoration, completed this year and opened to the public in June 2025, symbolizes a larger effort to breathe new life into the historic core of Lukang. 

Hsu Jeng Yuan, a 33rd-generation family member, recounts childhood memories of the mansion. “When I was little… this house was where us kids played,” he said, recalling games of hide-and-seek with cousins under the watchful eye of grandparents. As many as ten children would crowd the halls during summer visits. The home once doubled as a medical clinic, a dual-purpose structure that held memories as intricate as its architecture. 

By the early 2000s, the building, which included Qing-era tiled roofs, wooden beams and hand-painted murals, had fallen into disrepair. Hsu’s 98‑year‑old mother quietly cared for the home, but time and neglect took their toll. “The roof was damaged and started leaking… The leaks brought in termites,” she said, describing battles with pests and decay. 

Faced with the challenge of restoration, the family feared government grants could be more trouble than help. “Many relatives and friends have had bad experiences [with grants],” Hsu Jeng Yuan said. “Once you apply, you could have to wait for 10 to 20 years. … During that time, you can’t fix or even touch the house.” 

To expedite the process, the family hired X-Basic Planning’s restoration team, led by Hsiao Ting Hsiung. Hsiao said the government required proof of public benefit for subsidies. “You need to show how it’ll benefit the public,” he explained. Activities such as exhibitions and lectures would illustrate the site’s historical value, blending community engagement with preservation. 

Funding approval arrived in 2020 and the building process commenced under strict restoration standards. Craftsmen replicated original architectural elements—from Qing-era tiles to murals—ensuring authenticity. The restoration became a living exhibit itself, showcasing the reclamation of heritage. 

Inside, the family uncovered a trove of artifacts: antique medical tools, vintage furniture, hand-painted murals and decades of family photographs taken by Hsu Tsang-tse, the patriarch and a noted local photographer. Hsu Jeng Yuan saw opportunity in these discoveries. “At that time, I thought, we can use all these things for exhibitions… after we renovate the house, we can exhibit them,” he said. 

Hsu added that the displays will feature two themes: medicine and photography, reflecting the home’s origins and the father’s artistic legacy. The narrative aims not only to preserve history, but to educate visitors on Lukang’s cultural roots. 

With major work completed in 2023, Changyuan Hospital opened in June 2025 as a museum and community hub. Hsu Shih Hsiu Hsiang, another family descendant, expressed hope for the future: “I hope lots of people will come and visit… come in and take a look!” 

The revival of the Hsu family home highlights a broader renewal taking place in Lukang. Having missed out on modern infrastructure like highways and railways—its port long since filled in—the town’s historic streets are now being reimagined as cultural assets. Through local initiative and public investment, Lukang is rediscovering its past as it builds for the future.