Time travel back to the golden days of the Jinguang Mines

Text & Photography / Li Xinyi

What’s the most beautiful season in Jiufen? Director Wu Nien-jen’s answer is autumn. He once lived in Dachuokeng, near downtown Jiufen. The gold rush years in Jinguashi and Jiufen were bustling, lively, yet carried a desolate beauty. Those who lived in this area are especially moved by the poignant charm of the mining district, just as Wu Nien-jen described his impression of Jiufen: “There’s a layer of mist, and faintly, the sound of suona horns drifts from afar.”

Jinguashi and Jiufen declined along with the mining industry, and Shengping Theater finally closed its doors in 1986. It wasn’t until September 2011 that the theater reopened after renovation, even inviting Wu Nien-jen to serve as the narrator, providing live voice-over for the films. The audience held their breath, following the screening of black-and-white movies, scene by scene, step by step, returning to the golden age of Jiufen and Jinguashi...

The Golden Age of Jiufen

1. Shengping Theater

The golden era of Jiufen begins with Shengping Theater. Once the largest theater in northern Taiwan, it had over 600 seats including those on the second floor. In its heyday, getting a seat at the theater required advance reservation—those without one had to stand and watch the film. It screened movies, puppet shows, and Taiwanese opera. In the early days, films were silent and required skilled professional “narrators” to provide live voice-overs. Even when films had sound, narrators remained essential because of high illiteracy rates; they would “announce” movie promotions or missing persons notices. Sometimes, when audiences misbehaved, the narrator would act as an enforcer.

Nowadays, you can still see a circular mark on the stage floor. It’s said to be from the rotating stage feature originally designed there. Back then, Taiyang Company would offer free movie screenings on International Workers’ Day, drawing such crowds the theater would be packed to the rafters. After the show, the sound of wooden clogs clacking up the stone steps of Shuqi Alley could be heard, like the march of thousands.