A giant "hanging teapot" at the Luodong Cultural Factory—yes, you can actually go inside and enjoy tea!

▲ The "giant teapot" at the Luodong Cultural Factory in Yilan is quite the sight. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

Reported by Chen Ziying / Yilan

The Luodong Cultural Factory is a unique complex that combines architecture, art and culture, and sports facilities, and has become a popular attraction in Yilan in recent years. But many visitors don’t know that hanging behind the factory is a suspended"giant teapot", and this teapot is no ordinary one—it’s not only a public installation artwork but can also accommodate ten adults "brewing tea inside the teapot."

He Jiaxiang, specialist at the Luodong Cultural Factory under Yilan County Government, said that this woven teapot is named "Laodongxuan." The name comes from the word "laodong" (meaning monkey) in the language of the indigenous people of the Luodong area. It was designed and built in 2013 by Japanese architect Terunobu Fujimori. The artworks designed by Fujimori always convey the philosophy that the relationship between humans and nature should be based on mutual respect. Therefore, he used locally sourced natural materials from Yilan, including Taiwanese cypress, clay, lime plaster, and steel cables. With a handmade construction concept, he used split bamboo slices and woven wooden pieces to complete the piece in four months. He Jiaxiang said, "Master Fujimori broke conventional thinking by transforming the teapot into a space where 'people can drink tea inside the pot,' which is quite interesting."


▲ The small door at the back of Laodongxuan allows people to enter and enjoy tea. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

The "Laodongxuan" artwork is suspended 3.3 meters above the ground, measuring approximately 3.9 meters in length, 2.4 meters in width, and 2.7 meters in height. It is hung beneath the steel canopy of the Luodong Cultural Factory by steel cables, resembling a healthy and happy monkey climbing through the trees. Even more special is the small square door at the back of the teapot, which allows visitors to enter and "enjoy tea," with a stove inside for charcoal-brewed tea. However, He Jiaxiang explained that getting into Laodongxuan is not easy—it requires one person to first climb up with a ladder to open the small door, after which other visitors can follow. The space, which is only about two square meters, can accommodate a maximum of ten people. Originally, lifting the massive teapot into place also required the strength of 200 people to complete.


▲ The suspended Laodongxuan can hold around ten adults. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

He Jiaxiang further explained that because the process of accessing Laodongxuan requires caution, it is not open to the public at all times. However, the Luodong Cultural Factory holds occasional events allowing visitors to climb up to Laodongxuan for tea tasting. Interested individuals can keep an eye on announcements from the Yilan County Cultural Affairs Bureau’s official website or social media pages.

Luodong Cultural Factory in Yilan
Phone: (03) 9577-440
Address: No. 96, Section 1, Chunjing Road, Luodong Township, Yilan County