Hualien's Playful Fan Paradise Revives 1950s Teahouse Culture with "Oriental Express" Star Hostess

▲ A revived 1950s teahouse with a large signboard adorned with colorful neon lights that read “Beautiful women galore, guaranteed satisfaction”. (Photo / Reporter Zhou Chen’geng)

Reported by Lin Yuling, Hualien

It’s like passing through a time tunnel into Taiwan of the 1940s and 1950s. The signboard of the teahouse “Dongyun Pavilion” is surrounded by vibrant neon lights, displaying“Beautiful women galore, guaranteed satisfaction”, while the dimly lit display window showcases several photos of teahouse hostesses,with the star hostess nicknamed “Oriental Express” being crowned the ultimate heartthrob, paired with slogans like “Gentle ladies, attentive service” and “Just starting out in the business.”Nearby, there’s also a diesel old train and vintage pushcart vendors selling sweet potato candy and papaya candy, giving visitors a jarring sense of temporal dislocation. This is the “Playful Fan Paradise”recently established by Amei Ma|Ji Chuang.Beyond the fun, it documents the developmental history of Hualien’s lifestyle culture, revealing the hardships of early migrants who left their hometowns to strive for a living.

▲ A display window bathed in amber light features photos of famous hostesses from those days, their nicknames, and even slogans like “Ultimate femme fatale.” (Photo / Reporter Zhou Chen’geng)

Yu Zongbo has run the Zongtai Food Group for 45 years. “Amei Ma|Ji Bian Bian Chi? Ruo? Kou Huo Ye Shi Hen Qing Kuang, Ye Hen Ai Dai. Ta Zai 1960 Nian Dai Kai Shi, Na Shi Hou Ren Men Hen Nan Xiang Xiang, Yi Ban Ren Bu Rong Yi Xiang Xiang Na Shi Hou De Sheng Huo,” he recalled. He started by wholesaling sweet potato candy and pushing a “Li Aka Dan” pushcart around for sales. Due to frequent supply shortages from wholesalers, he had to figure out how to produce the candies himself—but faced constant setbacks. His trial productions failed over and over, more times than Sun Yat-sen’s 11 revolutions, losing plenty of raw materials, effort, and money. Eventually, his partner couldn’t take it anymore and decided to quit, leaving Yu Zongbo on his own.He thought, “You can lose in business, but you can never lose in spirit!” He quickly picked himself up, sought advice from others, and finally managed to make delicious sweet potato candy and papaya candy. Together with his wife, they each pushed a “Li Aka Dan” cart and worked hard. His wife, who couldn’t even read a scale at first, boldly declared“I’ll learn to read the scale in a week, and in a month, my business will beat yours!”

Surprisingly, her words came true. Whenever tour buses arrived, several “Li Aka Dan” carts would line up competing for customers, but hers always drew the biggest crowd. Some even “spread the word” to bring her more clients. At the end of the day, she often earned NT$2,000–3,000 more than Yu Zongbo.▲ In the past, pushing a “Li Aka Dan” (pushcart) and selling sweet potato candy, papaya candy, taro cakes, and more. (Photo / Reporter Zhou Chen’geng)▲ A wax figure simulating Yu Zongbo during his early business days. (Photo / Reporter Zhou Chen’geng)

Today, Zongtai Food has dozens of branches and hundreds of employees. The industry has flourished like branches spreading from a tree. Yu Zongbo hopes to document the industry and record the historical trajectory of culture and daily life. In recent years, he has specially established several cultural museums in eastern and central Taiwan. The “Playful Fan Paradise,” established in 2016, is particularly unique.

Simply take the escalator up to the second floor, and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a time tunnel back to 1950s Taiwan.

There are vintage pushcarts (Li Aka Dan carts), mountain-and-sea produce shops, railways and diesel trains, old train station scenes, and vintage suitcases—evoking images of travelers of the past who hustle for work and life, leaving their hometowns to strive for a future.▲ Recreated old movie theaters and shops, as if falling into a time tunnel. (Photo / Reporter Zhou Chen’geng)▲ Vintage diesel trains. (Photo / Reporter Zhou Chen’geng)

▲ Old-era railways, the paths of those who left home. (Photo / Reporter Zhou Chen’geng)

Playful Fan Paradise has even recreated the teahouses of the time, with colorful neon lights, dim display windows, and photos of numerous teahouse starlets, along with their nicknames brought back to life,

including the “Immortal Fairy” Qiufengxian, the “First-Timer” Chunjiao, and “Oriental Express,” hailed as the ultimate femme fatale.

The signboards also read “Beautiful women galore, guaranteed satisfaction” along with slogans like “Gentle ladies, attentive service” and “Just starting out in the business.”Including Qiu Fengxian, hailed as the peerless fairy maiden, Chun Jiao making her debut, and the “Orient Express,” dubbed the ultimate heartthrob who charms every man!The sign also reads slogans such as “Beautiful women galore, guaranteed to satisfy,” “Gentle ladies, attentive service,” and “Making her debut.”

It is said that in those days, the restaurant was a place for business deals and power struggles—whether a deal would go through depended on the success of these social engagements. Nowadays, those beauties have long since faded, and the entertainment districts, including this restaurant, declined after Chiang Ching-kuo ordered a crackdown on vice.Yet for those who once drifted in search of a livelihood, this place still offers a chance to rediscover the comfort and memories of the past.

▲ Old suitcases symbolize the memories of travelers who left their hometowns to strive for a better life. (Photo / Reporter Zhou Chen'gen)

★ Di Geng Wei - A Playful Farm Paradise
Address: No. 17-1, Kawan, Kangle Village, Xincheng Township, Hualien County 971