Following the Footsteps of That-Cass in Beitou & Stepping into the Golden Old Days of the Hot Spring Town

Written by Chen Guanxin, MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network | Photography by Chen Guanxin & Li Xinyi

 

As early autumn arrives and the weather turns slightly cool, many start looking forward to the coming of cold winter—when they can head to Beitou’s city-designated historic hot spring hotels to soak in the soul-warming sulfur springs. There, they can imagine the golden days when That-Cass bands performed around town, while also reliving the nostalgic charm of the old delivery services crisscrossing the streets and alleys, and even visiting the former lodging place of the last night of the kamikaze pilots—all while savoring the long history of this century-old hot spring town.

 

The Itinerant Singing Culture of That-Cass from Beitou

Having worked as a That-Cass musician for nearly 30 years and now turning to the study of fortune-telling, Zhou Jianlong explains that during the Japanese colonial period, Japanese visitors to Beitou’s hot springs, driven by the local saying “sing a song to soothe the heart, for without songs youth fades” (in Taiwanese), introduced Japan’s That-Cass culture to Taiwan—marking the origin of Beitou’s That-Cass scene. In those days, performances typically featured a solo musician singing to the accompaniment of two- or three-stringed instruments or acoustic guitars. Over time, the classic setup became two musicians and one female singer—the most iconic line-up during That-Cass’s heyday—with instruments evolving to include Western-style ones such as electronic keyboards, accordions, and saxophones.

During the rapid economic growth of the 1970s and 1980s, Beitou saw a mushrooming of hot spring hotels and inns, which drove up demand for That-Cass performances. At its peak, there were over 300 That-Cass troupes performing in hotel and inn private rooms across Beitou alone.. But by the end of the yearwhen year-end parties and company banquets were in full swing, even that wasn’t enough to meet the overwhelming demand.

 

Recalling the golden age of That-Cass in Beitou, Zhou Jianlong said: “Back in the 1970s, when the economy was booming and everyone had money to spend, top-tier That-Cass troupes could earn an average of over NT$30,000 per person per month—even the lowest-paid made at least NT$20,000. Back then, my classmates were only making NT$7,000 or NT$8,000 a month!”

Take a closer look at any That-Cass performance, and you’ll notice that whether it’s the musicians or the singers, almost no one relies on sheet music or lyrics—they’re like walking jukeboxes, ready to perform whatever the guests ask for. But how do they manage it? When asked, Huang Mingzong, a veteran That-Cass musician still active today and nicknamed “Teacher Ah Lang,” laughed and said: “We just memorize them all by heart. When a guest pays NT$1,200 an hour for your performance, you can’t afford to waste 10 minutes flipping through sheet music or searching for lyrics!”

 

Now dedicated to preservingandpassing on That-Cass culture, Teacher Ah Lang—who lived through the genre’s most glorious era—explained that That-Cass troupes, who made their living through street performances, not only had to perform without sheet music or lyrics, but the singers also had to master popular songs in Japanese, Mandarin, Taiwanese, English, and Cantonese to cater to foreign guests. They were expected to warm up the atmosphere upon entering private rooms, keep the energy up during breaks in conversation or rest periods, and even jump in to hum a few lines if someone forgot the words—all to help guests get back on track and ensure every second of their paid time was well spent. This not only guaranteed they got their fair pay but also earned the favor of hotel managers so they could secure more gigs in the future.

 

Today, Teacher Ah Lang performs every Saturday and Sunday with his singer-wife “Wendy” at Guandu Pier—a tradition that has continued for around six to seven years. On holidays, the spot attracts many That-Cass enthusiasts, including fans of ballroom and line dancing, who sway to the music played by Wendy and Teacher Ah Lang. Although the stage has moved from hotel private rooms to an outdoor plaza,the duo’sperformance skills remain as sharp as ever.