As a tribute to mark the ascension of the Emperor Showa in 1928, the Japanese government in Taiwan dismantled the Qing dynasty government office in Taipeh (Taipei) and began the plan to erect the Taihoku City Public Auditorium (臺北公會堂, Taihoku Kōkaidō).

Ide Kaoru, the main architect serving as chief engineer in Taiwan under the Japanese government, used the full cost of 980,000 yen and 94,500 workers.

The four-story steel structure of the building was designed to be fire-resistant and to withstand severe earthquakes and typhoons.

The original building was faced in light green tile to make it less visible to aerial bombers.

The former Taihoku City Public Auditorium was renamed Chungshan (Zhongshan) Hall in honor of Sun Yat-sen and functioned as an official meeting place under the Chinese government.