Want to visit the filming locations of *The Village of No Return* in Pingtung? A 50-million-TWD set was completely dismantled — except for this

▲ *The Village of No Return* film set. (Photo / Provided by Monkey King Productions)

Reported by Hua Shaofu / Taipei

The movie *The Village of No Return*, directed by Chen Yu-hsun and produced by Lillian Lee and Yeh Ju-fen, was filmed in 2016 in Manzhou Township on Pingtung’s Hengchun Peninsula. A fictional village was built with an investment of 50 million TWD. Although there were hopes to preserve the set, it was eventually all torn down. Currently, only the costumes of Shu Qi, Chang Hsiao-chuan, and Lin Mei-hsiu are on display at Taipei’s Eslite Songyan branch (formerly known as Taipei Lin Department Store).

▲ *The Village of No Return* film set. (Photo / Eastern TV News)

The filming location of *The Village of No Return* was a remote farmland. To avoid disturbances and protect trade secrets, the production team hired security personnel and set up a checkpoint at the entrance back in late 2015. Outside visits and photography were not allowed. Even the homestay where actors like Shu Qi stayed during the shoot was under a confidentiality agreement with the production company, forbidding any disclosures.

▲ *The Village of No Return* film set. (Photo / Provided by Monkey King Productions)

Originally, Manzhou Township had eight villages, and there were hopes that adding “The Village of No Return” would make it nine. Magistrate Yu Tseng-chun once said he hoped the movie could help more people get to know Manzhou Township. He even expressed the desire to replicate the success of *Cape No. 7* and *Life of Pi*, sparking local star-chasing fervor. He also promised to build a parking lot and widen the farm roads in “The Village of No Return.” At the time, many were quite excited, and even producer Lillian Lee supported the idea, hoping the film could boost Taiwan’s tourism industry.

▲ *The Village of No Return* film set. (Photo / Provided by Monkey King Productions)

Unexpectedly, the farmland used for filming had multiple owners, each with different opinions about its future use. It was reported that preserving the set would have required consent from all landowners and the governing authority, the Kangshan Management Office. Because of this, the set was ultimately not preserved and had to be completely dismantled.

▲ *The Village of No Return* is currently showing in theaters. (Photo / Provided by Monkey King Productions)

Still, fans of movie location hunting shouldn’t be too disappointed. Although the set is gone, the props and costumes remain intact. The outfits worn by Shu Qi, Chang Hsiao-chuan, and Lin Mei-hsiu are now all on display at Eslite Songyan branch in Tainan for everyone to see. For those in southern Taiwan who watched the movie over the Lunar New Year, why not pay a visit to Eslite Songyan for a bit of pilgrimage?

▲ *The Village of No Return* stars Wang Qianyuan, Shu Qi, and Chang Hsiao-chuan. (Photo / Provided by Monkey King Productions)