Minxiong Ghost House

The Minxiong Ghost House is the popular name for the old Liu family mansion in Minxiong Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan. Built in the 1920s during the Japanese colonial period, the three-storey baroque-influenced brick residence was a substantial and prosperous home, reflecting the wealth of the Liu family and the hybrid Western-Asian architecture fashionable among Taiwan's elite. After the family left in the mid-twentieth century, the house was gradually reclaimed by banyan roots and vegetation, and its weathered facade became a well-known local landmark.

The abandoned mansion has gathered a body of local legend, including tales of a maidservant said to have died in the courtyard well and reports of unusual sensations among those who explore after dark. Such stories are anecdotal and unverified, part of the folklore that has grown around any long-empty building, and they are best regarded as reputation rather than record.

Stripped of the ghost stories, the Liu mansion is a genuine example of early twentieth-century Taiwanese domestic architecture and a striking illustration of how nature reclaims a structure over decades. Local efforts have sought to tidy the surroundings and present the site more as heritage than haunt.

The mansion stands as a ruin on private-turned-public interest land and is accessible as an informal local attraction, with a small food and drink area and parking developed nearby to serve curious visitors. There is generally no formal admission charge, though this can change with local management.

The structure is old and unstable, with overgrown vegetation, uneven ground and open floors, so visitors should stay outside restricted areas, take care with footing, and treat the site respectfully. Daytime visits are safer and more rewarding than after-dark exploration.