An Interesting and Interactive Installation that Evokes Memories of the Baocheng Gate As its official Chinese name "Baocheng Gate" (寶成門) suggests, the supposedly wealth-attracting West Gate (a.k.a. "Ximen") was a two-tier pagoda with up-tilted eaves. It was also the only one of Taipei's five century-old citadel gateways that was demolished over time, in the early Japanese colonial period, to be precise. In an effort to reproduce the memories of the Baocheng Gate and mark the 130th Anniversary of Taipei City Walls, an installation project entitled "Impression of Ximen" was erected behind MRT Ximen Station (Exit 4) this year. By geometrically deconstructing and then reconstructing Baocheng Gate, the designer of "Impression of Ximen" combined multiple frameworks and materials of varying heights and colors to provide a fresh insight into this historically glamorous neighborhood, and eventually bridge the gap between old and new. This gateway-themed, visually intriguing project impresses people walking through or past it, not only with a unique 360-degree interplay of light and shadow, but also with fun-filled interactions achieved through an "out-of-the-box" design concept that makes art a part of everyday life. Besides the historic gateway-inspired terra cotta and gray color combination, "Impression of Ximen" features kiln-fired granite pavement that echoes the masonry wall's grain pattern, an acrylic-encased lighting solution that lends a soft luster to the nightscape, and a shaded seating area for pedestrians. A vision of light right across from Exit 6 of the ever-crowded MRT Ximen Station, this see-through structure engages passersby in a dialogue that would hopefully bring prosperity to Ximending and Taipei's west end alike.