These days, almost every house comes equipped with a bathroom and shower. But in the olden days most people would have to go to public bathrooms to get cleaned up. After World War II, and the establishment of the Republic of China government in Taiwan, there was a sudden population spike in urban areas. Living spaces were in extremely short supply. Kitchens and bathrooms became makeshift living facilities. As a result, public bathrooms began to spring up around Taipei.

143 Guangzhou Street was home to “Feng Xiang Bathhouse” established in 1963. The owners were a husband and wife. The scale of this public bathhouse was not big by any measure, and the amenities provided were sufficient at best. “Feng” means phoenix in Chinese, while “Xiang” means to take flight. The name of the public bathhouse was derived from the husband and wife’s wishes that their business would take off like a phoenix in flight. They hoped that, despite a mediocre environment and sub-par conditions, their business would could still sustain.

In the beginning, these public bathhouse relied on charcoal to heat hot water. Later on, the owners implemented natural gas. The clientele of this particular public bath were lower-middle class citizens. At the time, men would have to use a public bath, and they would be charged about $20 NT per use. Women preferred to use private baths, and were charged $60NT per use, which is considered very reasonable for the time.

Given time, Taiwan’s economy would slowly recover and grow, and living conditions improved. Homes gradually came equipped with their own bathrooms, and the need for a public facility died out. Feng Xiang Bathhouse ceased operations in 1987.