Meteor Garden (流星花園) real-life university - National Chung Cheng University (國立中正大學) [Ying De University] | luomujie blogspot

Meteor Garden (流星花園) real-life university - National Chung Cheng University (國立中正大學) [Ying De University]

Meteor Garden university lockers
Updated:

Do you still remember Dào Míng Sì, Huā Zé Lèi, Xī Mén and Měi Zuò? How about Dǒng Shān Cài? They were the characters that we learn to love in the most watched Taiwanese drama in the Philippines, at a time when Korean dramas were not yet popular.

Meteor Garden (流星花園) real-life university - National Chung Cheng University (國立中正大學) [Ying De University]

1. QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT THE METEOR GARDEN SCHOOL

1.1 Where was the Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden (2001) filmed?

Meteor Garden (2001) was filmed in Taiwan on various locations from Taipei to Southern Taiwan, with National Chung Cheng University (NCCU) serving as the main shooting location of the mythical Ying De University. Although most fans think that all of the places in the drama did exist in real-life, some of them were just made as a set.

1.2 Where is the school in Meteor Garden located?

National Chung Cheng University (NCCU) is located in Chiayi, a county at Southern Taiwan. The school scenes in Meteor Garden was not just based on one university. Tamkang University in Tamsui and Kainan University in Taoyuan were also used as a filming location for Meteor Garden's Ying De University.


If you want to go to Chiayi to see NCCU and if you will be coming from Taipei, you will need to ride the High Speed Rail or any of the express trains of the Taiwan Railway Administration to get there fast.


National Chung Cheng University (國立中正大學)

Address: No. 168, Section 1, Daxue Rd, Minxiong Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan 62102

[Google Map]

Since Ying De University was not only based on NCCU. Fans can also visit Tamkang and Kainan University. These places are accessible by the MRT, TRA and bus and not much far-away from Taipei. If you're on a tight budget when you visit Taiwan, you can go to these places to fulfill your Meteor Garden dream.

1.3 Where are the lockers of Meteor Garden located?

The legendary lockers of Meteor Garden are located at the basement floor of the National Chung Cheng University Library. During regular semester, the building is open from Monday to Sunday. But when the university is on summer break, the lib is closed every Sunday.


National Chung Cheng University Library schedule.The library is also closed during national holidays in Taiwan and some special occasions.
Summer or regular Semester
Days Open
Time
Summer
(July to August)
Monday to Friday08:10 to 20:30
Saturday12:10 to 19:30
Sunday (closed)
regular SemesterMonday to Friday08:10 to 21:30
Saturday12:10 to 19:30
Sunday

1.4 Is National Taiwan University (NTU) in Taipei also a Meteor Garden school?

A big no! It's a common misconception among the F4 fans that National Taiwan University (NTU) is the famed Ying De University. To correct the misinformation on the internet, the National Taiwan University Library released an official statement telling everyone that NTU is not the Meteor Garden school.

2. HOW TO GO TO NATIONAL CHUNG CHENG UNIVERSITY

I traveled all the way from Taipei to be the first Filipino blogger to give an in-depth analysis of the university that became the dream school of many. So are you now excited to explore NCCU? Let me tell you first how to get here.


In, general, there are two public buses that would take you the land of Meteor Garden. At the bus station beside the train station of Chiayi, board either Bus 7309 or Bus 106 (Taiwan Tour Bus Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum route) and you will be there in less than an hour. The former would make a stop near the gate of the university while the latter would enter the campus to drop off its passengers.


Fulfill your Meteor Garden dream. These are the common ways to go to Chiayi's NCCU or Ying De University:

2.1 via Klook's Meteor Garden Sightseeing Tour in Taipei and Chiayi

F4 fans can now book a tour via Klook to experience Meteor Garden. Yehey! This travel package will start from Taipei Main Station. A car will take you to different places across Central Taiwan until you reach Ying De, and then back to Taipei Main Station again within the same day. This will skip the need to ride the expensive but extremely fast High Speed Rail train.


You can choose either a Taipei tour which includes a visit to Tamkang University (I call this as the 2nd Ying De) and PS Bubu restaurant or the classic Chiayi tour to NCCU. Look at the table below to compare the ticket prices and to see if you can save more money than boarding the High Speed Rail.


Price comparison of Klook's Meteor Garden Sightseeing Tour vs HSR train tickets to Chiayi
Tour
ticket price per person
total time
Klook Meteor Garden Taipei tour
(PS Bubu + Tamkang University)
NTD 850~7 hours
Klook Meteor Garden Chiayi tour
(National Chung Cheng University)
[Reserve here and select
the Chung Cheng University tour]
NTD 1,450~12 hours
Klook Meteor Garden Taipei and Chiayi tour
(National Chung Cheng University + PS Bubu restaurant)
NTD 2,000~12 hours
HSR Taipei to Chiayi (one-way)
NTD 860free time/DIY

2.2 by tripool taxi

Meteor Garden fans will not feel anymore the discrimination by rich students in Ying De University. Thanks to tripool taxi, you can now board immediately in a private car after you arrive at THSR Chiayi Station. There won't be any need to talk to the taxi drivers in Chinese outside the bullet train station and haggle for a reasonable price. You can even start your ride from your hotel in Ximeding (ex. Taipei Hotel Just Sleep - Ximending). Just book the tripool taxi via its web app (https://www.tripool.app/?utm_source=luomuji) at least one day before your trip (cut-off time at 3:00 pm) and your personal driver will take you to Ying De University in less than 40 minutes. Be like a boss. Arrive and leave the campus at your own pace just like Sanchai.Those who will not reserve will receive a red card from the F4 in the locker room.


Type "National Chung Cheng University" as your destination and for your pick-up point, choose either THSR Chiayi Station, TRA Chiayi Station, or your hotel in Ximending.


Pick-up pointDistancetravel timeestimated tripool taxi fare for 4 passengers
THSR Chiayi Station26.4 km34 minsNTD 1,021
TRA Chiayi Station13.1 km29 minsNTD 932
Taipei Hotel Just Sleep - Ximending238 kmsless than 3 hoursNTD 4,498 (4 pax)
taxi time, shuttle price

2.3 from Taoyuan International Airport

Step 1: Board Bus 705 and alight at THSR Taoyuan Station. You can also board the train of the Taoyuan Airport MRT at the A12 or A13 Stations and then get off the at THSR Taoyuan Station.


Step 2: Ride a bullet train going to Zuoying at alight at THSR Chiayi Station.


Step 3: Board Bus 106 (Taiwan Tour Bus Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum route) and alight at NCCU.



2.4 from Taipei Main Station

Ride a bullet train and alight at THSR Chiayi Station or ride a TRA express train to Chiayi Station


If you boarded a THSR train, board Bus 106 (Taiwan Tour Bus Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum route) and alight at NCCU. If you choose to arrive in TRA Chiayi Station, follow the procedures in the next sections.


2.5 from HSR Chiayi Station

To go to Chiayi in an instant, board the THSR train.


Monday to Friday timetable: HSR Chiayi to National Chung Cheng University
ShiftDeparture time of Bus 106
at HSR Chiayi Station
Arrival time at
National Chung Cheng University
110:0011:12
212:0013:12
315:0016:12
417:0018:12


Holiday timetable: HSR Chiayi to National Chung Cheng University
ShiftDeparture time of Bus 106
at HSR Chiayi Station
Arrival time at
National Chung Cheng University
19:0010:12
210:0011:12
311:0012:12
412:0013:12
514:0015:12
615:0016:12
716:0017:12
817:0018:12

2.6 from TRA Chiayi Station

There is bus station beside the train station of Chiayi City. Board Bus 7309 or Bus 106 then alight at NCCU stop. Bus 7309 will stop in front of the university along Section 1, Daxue Road while Bus 106 will enter the campus.


Meteor Garden university bus Chiayi
 Bus 7309 from TRA Chiayi Station can also take you to NCCU.

Meteor Garden university bus Chiayi
Schedule of Bus 7309.  The left side is for the TRA Chiayi Station to NCCU route while the right side is the return trip.

2.7 from TRA Minxiong Station

The same buses will make a stop in Minxiong Station so it's better to just wait at Chiayi bus station for your convenience. But if you really can't wait to see NCCU, then ride a taxi. Just prepare the Chinese name of the NCCU on a small piece of paper to tell directly to the taxi driver the place you want to visit. Since I'm a budget traveler, I chose to board Bus 7309 at 11:00 am and I used my EasyCard to pay for the fare.


3. NATIONAL CHUNG CHENG UNIVERSITY: THE METEOR GARDEN SCHOOL FILMING LOCATION

“Oh, baby baby baby...” Filipinos would never forget the love-hate relationship of Dào Míng Sì and San chai (The Shān Cài name was dubbed in Filipino as San Chai) throughout the Meteor Garden series for it was one of the first few Chinese dramas that were presented in the Filipino language. It was not the first one but it’s started a wave of Asian dramas in my country. The show was so popular that Jerry Yan even came to the Philippines and went to Malacañang Palace for a courtesy call. Haha!


Back in 2003, I was a freshman at a prestigious university in Manila. My school was just a walking distance to Morayta Street where it was full of vendors selling wallet size photos of the F4 members. It was funny to see college students especially the girls to buy this kind of stuff as if the F4 was also studying in their respective schools.


Every student at that time might be thinking that their school was like Ying De University. Just imagine four sons from super-rich families bully poor students whose only dream was to get a college diploma. Well, the story of Meteor Garden was just a work of fiction but its filming location is an actual school. Ying De University in real life is the National Chung Cheng University (NCCU) in Taiwan's Chiayi province.


Meteor Garden university
NCCU as seen from Section 1 Daxue Road

Meteor Garden university
the gate of the university
Meteor Garden university
The campus map of NCCU

I was first nervous when I saw the gate of NCCU. I was standing on the other side of Section 1, Daxue Road and it seemed that not everyone can enter. But anyway, I crossed the road and I found at that there was no guard to stop any visitor in seeing Taiwan's most beautiful university. There is actually nothing to worry because NCCU is part of the Taiwan Tour Bus SBNPM route and it's now a tourist spot that anyone can enjoy.


Meteor Garden university
the bridge built over the Tranquility Lake
Meteor Garden university
on top of the bridge / Chung-Cheng Blvd.

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
The Activity Center

Meteor Garden university
Tranquility Lake

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

There were two things I need to accomplish during my visit to NCCU. The first was to search for the legendary lockers where San Chai and the other students of Ying De received their red cards from the F4. My second task was to identify the romantic rooftop where San Chai and Lei have their sweet moments. With these two things in mind, I walked over the bridge built over the Tranquility Lake to start exploring the campus. Just looking at the view from the bridge gave me a glimpse of the beauty of the Ying De University.


I did my homework before going to NCCU. I studied the campus and watched the series again to equip my mind with the right information on this adventure. Searching for the lockers on the campus was like looking for a needle in a haystack. NCCU is a very big campus and I already knew that it was impossible for me to find it. I was just hopeful that I could discover its location.


So I started on the “rooftop” because it was the easier one to identify. &Google Maps gave me an idea of what the campus was all about. Its layout and its iconic buildings were accessible with just one click of a mouse. While watching the drama, I noticed a Shinto stone lamp structures on the right side of Huā Zé Lèi in one scene. Lei was sitting on the rooftop and an idea instantly popped in my mind. Eureka!


Meteor Garden DVD cover
Meteor Garden university
I continued walking along Chung-Cheng Blvd ...

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
... until I found this bus stop.

The “rooftop” must be near the Shinto-looking structures. Based on the campus map of NCCU, the place is called the Central Fountain and I was thinking to get here immediately. I was still walking on the road when I noticed a bus stop. I went near to it because I wanted to know the time of the last bus that would leave NCCU and go back to Chiayi Station. Two Students were sitting there and I took the opportunity to ask them about “Meteor Garden”.  I opened my smartphone and showed them the poster of the drama and they both smiled. The students knew that their school was the set of a famous Taiwanese drama.


Meteor Garden university
A screenshot from Meteor Garden (2001).  San Chai and the lockers.
Meteor Garden university
A screenshot from Meteor Garden (2001).  Aside from Lei, our protagonist also had a scene where the Central Fountain was seen.
Meteor Garden university
Central Fountain

I then showed them screenshots where San Chai was with the lockers and the rooftop scene where Huā Zé Lèi was visibly seen with the Central Fountain. “Do you know where I can find these lockers?”, I asked them. “In the library”, one of the students replied. “How about this rooftop?”, I asked them again. “Business Ad building”, they both replied. “Bingo!”, I told myself and I felt elated with the information that I got from these students. But in the middle of my excitement, they told me that I cannot enter both buildings. Anyway, I was still happy with their tip and I thanked them for them for their help. Even if I could not see the lockers I would still be proud to tell it my blog readers that I knew their location.


walking in Ying De on a hot winter day
Meteor Garden university
Administration Building

Meteor Garden university
Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
The Central Fountain with the Library Building behind.
Meteor Garden university
The Auditorium is on the left while on the right side are the bell towers.

Meteor Garden university
The Administration Building and the bell towers

My original plan was still on track and as I got near the Central Fountain I noticed a pyramid looking building. It was actually the Administration Building and its weird shaped made it worthy to have a selfie. Ying De University in Meteor Garden was portrayed as a campus with a large quadrangle and it is now a big lawn with large trees. There were picnic tables and perfect for having snacks while under the hot summer sun. I took some pictures of myself in the quadrangle as the towers of the Administration Building rung telling everyone that the time had passed another hour.


Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university


Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
walking around the Central Fountain

Suddenly, water sprouted in the fountain and I rushed to take a video of it. It was like an ordinary water show but the when water suddenly came out of the stone lamps it brought magic around its vicinity. The rays of the sun shone on the water droplets creating a mini-rainbow. I circled the fountain as it blew water towards the sky and I found out that the view was better if the Administration Building was in the background. The fountain together with the stone lamps and the Administration Building became a fusion of Japanese and Mesoamerican architecture. I had been to National Taiwan University in Taiwan Day 224 (Pride of Formosa) and National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan Day 434 (Campus Notes). They both have Japanese-era renaissance buildings but to have a Mayan-like pyramid building was something that only NCCU have and should be proud of.


Meteor Garden university
Auditorium

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
The supporting pillars of the Auditorium building

Meteor Garden university
Meteor Garden university map
The campus map of NCCU.  No. 12 is the Auditorium, No. 5 is the Administration Building and No. 22 is the Library.

At the two opposite ends of the quadrangle were the two large buildings of the Library and the Auditorium.I first thought that the Auditorium was where the rooftop scene was taken in Meteor Garden and I imagined Huā Zé Lèi as he sat on the balcony. It was actually too high and dangerous for someone to be in that position but I guessed that the scenery of the campus would be great from the top of the Auditorium. You would see the green color of the quadrangle, the Shinto fountain and the Library building on the far end. Somehow I got puzzled if the balcony of the Auditorium was really the location of the “rooftop” scene where Lei and San Chai always met. As I watched again the drama, I noticed in one episode that the Central Fountain was on the right side of Lei. Hmmm… Something must be wrong.

Meteor Garden university
NCCU Library.  The famous lockers of Meteor Garden are located on its basement.

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Thinking that the Auditorium building was the Business Administration building that the students that I met at the bus stop told me, I left the area and proceeded to the Library to take at least a selfie. But when I got near to the building I was surprised that it was open and students just enter the door without showing any ID. Fire was burning in my eyes as I entered its first floor. My heart was full of thrill and excitement because I knew I was getting closer to the legendary lockers of Meteor Garden.


Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
at the lobby of the Library
Meteor Garden university
At the lobby, I turned to my left and I saw this spiral staircase.
Meteor Garden university
I went down to the basement ...


Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university lockers
... until I discovered the legendary lockers of Meteor Garden.

There was no need to show an ID at the entrance since the books of the library were inside the big rooms of the building. I even saw students swiped their IDs on a sensor just to enter its premises. It was a big relief but the big question still remains on my mind, “Where are the lockers?”. I don’t have any idea about their location and it could be inside in one of the rooms of the library. But luck was really on my side because when I turned my head to the right I saw a spiral staircase. There was also this force that was pulling me down to the basement so I went downstairs until I found what I was looking for. Lockers!


Meteor Garden university lockers

Meteor Garden university lockers

Meteor Garden university lockers
Lockers 1 to 24

Meteor Garden university lockers
Lockers 24 to 48

Meteor Garden university lockers
Lockers 49 to 72

Meteor Garden university lockers
Lockers 73 to 96

Meteor Garden university lockers
Lockers 97 to 120

Meteor Garden university lockers
Lockers 121 to 144

Meteor Garden university lockers
Lockers 145 to 168

Meteor Garden university lockers
Lockers 169 to 192

Meteor Garden university lockers
Lockers 193 to 216

Meteor Garden university lockers
Lockers 217 to 240

Meteor Garden university lockers
Lockers 241 to 264

Meteor Garden university lockers
Lockers 265 to 288
Meteor Garden university lockers
a close-up of a locker

A total of 288 lockers for lease were in the basement and grouped in 12 big compartments. Every giant cabinet has 24 small boxes with doors arranged in a 4x6 configuration. Students use a regular metal key to open and close the door with a knob placed above the key hole.  “Which among these lockers was used the one used by San Chai?” I asked myself as I opened again my smartphone and reviewed my notes about the scene when our female protagonists opened her locker and found no red card. Do you know what her locker number is? It is locker #150.



Meteor Garden university lockers

Meteor Garden university lockers
Hello to all Meteor Garden fans! I found the lockers. Haha!

I couldn't contain my happiness as I gazed my eyes upon the lockers. I'm a fan of the series but never in life that I imagine that I would be standing in front of the lockers that was used in the drama. But in spite of being happy with the experience, I refrain myself in touching, again and again the large cabinet. I knew and I could feel that there is a CCTV camera somewhere and I don't want to leave a bad impression in NCCU and be the cause of banning outsiders from seeing the lockers.


After taking photos of the lockers, I went back to the Auditorium and tried to convince myself that this building was the location of the rooftop scene. I was not yet sure at that time so I focused my energy on my next location: the place where San Chai was kidnapped. In the drama series, our beloved female heroine was kidnapped by two men and put inside a car. The vehicle then ran in a zigzag motion because San Chai wanted to get out. Later, it was revealed that it was Dào Míng Sì who was the mastermind of the kidnapping.


Meteor Garden university
I go this photo from the Auditorium building and this became my clue.

I also wanted to find that famous sidewalk on the campus where San Chai and some of her friends enjoyed their talk while walking. The sidewalk was lined with tall trees on both sides with a lane provided for passing cars. I was clueless on where to find this spot and I even forgot to take a screenshot of that scene in the drama. But I was still lucky because I remembered a large photo on the glass wall of the Auditorium building. It was similar to the sidewalk in Meteor Garden and I used that to show to the students in NCCU.


Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

A young guy on his bicycle became my savior and he ordered me to follow the road on my right until I find a street lined up with trees. I then should turn right again to find the epic sidewalk. I was facing the Auditorium building at that time and I simply followed his instructions. On the way, I passed by the College of Management building and took some pictures there. A road similar to what I was looking beside the building of the College of Social Sciences. I got attracted to it and turned left to check it if it was the place I was searching for.


Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
Living Road

Living Road circles around the campus and it was beautified with tall trees great for walking. A special lane for biking made it terrific to stroll around the campus while burning some calories. The road was flat in the area behind the College of Management and I was not convinced that this was the place where San Chai was kidnapped. The sidewalk here has only tall trees planted on one side making it not the location of the scene where San Chai was talking with her friends. I then remembered what the student told me that I should turn right. So I walked back and passed the Parking Lot and the College of Social Sciences building.


Meteor Garden university
Meteor Garden university
I passed by the Activity Center.
Meteor Garden university
A student was struggling to cycle and it means that he was cycling uphill.

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
Meteor Garden kidnapping scene location

Meteor Garden university
Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
San Chai! Where are you? Luo-Mu Jie is here. lol

Meteor Garden university

I already passed by the Activity Center and the Living Road seemed not to end until I noticed that the road was beginning to slope downward. I investigated further up to the University dormitories and the sidewalk became adorned with tall trees on both sides. I found it! This was the place where San Chai was seen walking with her friends in the drama. The road beside it goes downward in an endless fashion and it must be the same road where the kidnapping scene of San Chai was filmed. I recorded videos of cars going to the Track and Field area and my theory was correct. Watching vehicles as it goes downward on the road is a perfect place to capture an unforgettable scene in a drama series.


Meteor Garden university
Do you remember this place in the drama?

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Do you still remember Shing Ha Ha (Chen Qing He)? He was the childhood friend of San Chai and they first met somewhere in Ying De University. At that scene, San Chai was walking on a bridge and she saw her friend on the other side. Shing Ha even tried to run just to meet his love interest.The two friends were on the bridge when they saw the F4 on the ground. Hmmm.... My intuition tells me that the place must be the Activity Center. There were lots of students on that scene in the drama and I remembered when I was walking along Living Road there were Indonesians or Thai people who came out from that building.


Meteor Garden university
The solar panels of the Activity Center.

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
Meteor Garden university
Yeah! The F4 walked over this staircase.

Meteor Garden university
selfie with the epic staircase
Meteor Garden university
The campus map again of NCCU.  No. 2 is the Activity Center.

So I entered the Activity Center and I was surprised with its numerous solar panels on its roof. It was a big building with a spacious atrium inside. The structure was more than three floors high with two bridges and a spiral staircase to connect the different floors of the building. And there was this grand staircase! I remember the scene while Shing Ha and San Chai was on the same bridge and they saw the F4 while walking down the stairs.Shing Ha tried to call the attention of the F4 and San Chai successfully stopped him by covering his mouth.


A scene from Meteor Garden (2001). San Chai and her childhood friend Shing Ha.
Meteor Garden university
The view from the Activity Center.

Meteor Garden university
Asi stood on one of these elevated walkways and he saw his girl with Shing Ha while they were on the Tranquility Lake.

Poor Shing Ha! Asi saw him and San Chai while the two were enjoying the view of the Tranquility Lake. If you are standing on one of the two bridges in the Activity Center you will have a great view of the lake on your right while on your left side is the atrium of the building. We knew that Asi is a very possessive person and easily gets jealous of men getting close to San Chai. Haha! And as expected Shing Ha gets a red card from the F4. Yikes!


Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
Tranquility Lake

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
Meteor Garden university

But beyond the drama in the Meteor Garden, the Tranquility Lake was very beautiful and shouldn’t be left unnoticed. It is one of the must-see places in NCCU and your tour in this university won't be complete if you haven't seen this place. It was very scenic that I thought it was a river during the days that I was watching Meteor Garden. Ying De University became more enchanted in the minds of the viewers with a river flowing below a European-style bridge. I walked around the lake and it was a big reservoir full of fowls. Ducks and swans float above the water as if they were the owners of the lake while the insides of the numerous arches of the bridge became a home of a number of birds. Below the bridge were two waterwheels that create artificial waves. Without these machines, the Tranquility Lake would be a breeding ground for a million mosquitoes.


Meteor Garden university
at the Gymnasium

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
The continuous staircase in Episode 1 of Meteor Garden was just a camera trick.
A scene in Meteor Garden (2001) Episode 1.  Ying De University "entrance"

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
The thick columns of the Gymnasium
The epic staircase in Episode 1

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university

Meteor Garden university
Everybody had been fooled that the grand staircase was the entrance to Ying De but it was just a place where students go to have their P.E. class.

The grand staircase in the first episode the series, where is that place? It's no other than the Gymnasium. The iconic gray metal scaffoldings on the top of the building were now red in color but the stairs were still there – all in its glory. The director of Meteor Garden was successful in creating an illusion of grandness by choosing the right angle to create a continuous set of steps that someone would need to climb before entering the university. It was like going up to a holy temple. I also remembered how Bai He and Qian Hui flaunt their expensive apparel and accessories after showing a short clip of the staircase (I'm not sure if the scene of the two bully ladies was still in the gymnasium. The columns of the gym were too big and circular compared to the one I saw in the drama). That scene of the two bully ladies plus the staircase instilled in the mind of the viewers that the students in the university were super-rich, belong to the elite society and can buy everything with their money. They were like children of the Gods. In other words, to be in a school like Ying De is a dream and a fantasy to many.


Meteor Garden university
The campus map of NCCU.  These are the buildings to see when you visit NCCU: Administration Buildiing (No. 5), the Auditorium (No. 12), Library (No. 22), Activity Center (No. 2) and the Gymnasium (24).
A scene in Meteor Garden (2001).  San chai went to rooftop after punching Dào Míng Sì. This scene shows the Library building on the left.

Meteor Garden university
NCCU Library.  Going farther away will give you the same perspective of the top floors of the building like what San Chai saw in the drama.

Now before we move to the closing paragraph of this blog post, let us solve first the mystery of the famous rooftop where San Chai and Lei had their sweet moments. I was already back in Taipei when I reviewed again some of the episodes of the drama. There was a sequence of events when San Chai got her first red card from the F4. Her life became miserable in the university and was even going to be raped by two men. San chai was lucky to be saved by Lei but later found out that it was Asi who planned the idea. She eventually got angry and punched Asi when she met him on the campus. Our female protagonist then went to the rooftop and shouted that she would never succumb to the F4. Her moment at that place clearly shows the Library building. It was so big that if the same scene was filmed in the Auditorium it would be too far away. Had it been that way the Library would then be so small on our television screens. My observation was also consistent with the scene of Lei on the rooftop. He was fond of sitting on the balcony and if you are a keen observer you would see that that Central Fountain was on his right side. So what's the verdict? The rooftop scene was not filmed from the Auditorium but rather on the Administration Building. It was the Business Ad building that the two students at the bus stop told me. I also conclude that there was no rooftop but the scenes were probably taken on the balcony of the second floor.


Meteor Garden university
The Central Fountain at the side of the Library.  This is where Bai He and Qian Hui made false accusations about San Chai.

So there you have it! There are three important places on this campus that you have to see when you visit NCCU. First, the library. This is where the legendary lockers are located. Be careful when you try to open the lockers because you might get a red card. Haha! Second, the Administration Building. If you happen to visit on a school day and you can get inside, try to go to the balcony and see if there is someone enjoying the beauty of the campus like what Lei did. Third, the Central Fountain. The Library and the Administration Building are just beside this beautiful part of the campus. This place was shown a lot of times in the series although not that obvious. Remember that on this fountain (in front of the Library) Bai He and Qian Hui made false accusations about San Chai. They showed Dào Míng Sì a video of his love interest and Lei on the rooftop. Oh well! We knew how Asi reacts when someone is near his girl.


Meteor Garden university
F4 "tambayan"

Great! I have made a long article about the real-life set of Meteor Garden. However, there were still places I failed to cover.  Where is that place where San Chai slapped Dào Míng Sì because he was about to go to New York? How about the classrooms? What does it look like inside? These and other scenes in the drama will probably my next agenda if I had another chance to visit this school.


Meteor Garden university
Do you want to see the lockers of Meteor Garden? Don't worry because the F4 are no longer here.  Everybody is now free in Ying De. lol

Hooray! To the millions of Meteor Garden fans: This place in Taiwan is waiting for you.  Relive the moments of San Chai and the F4 in National Chung Cheng University aka Ying De University.


****************************************************************************

Meteor Garden (2001)
Starring: 
                Barbie Shu (徐熙媛) as Dǒng Shān Cài
               Jerry Yan (言承旭) as Dào Míng Sì
               Vic Chou (周渝民) as Huā Zé Lèi
                Vanness Wu (吳建豪) as Měi Zuò
                Ken Chu (朱孝天) as Xī Mén

METEOR GARDEN (流星花園) TAIWAN FILMING LOCATIONS



Sakura Series - Taiwan

Sakura Series - Taiwan


Sakura Series - Japan


Maple Series


Yehliu to Jiufen? Yehliu to Shifen? Cheaper than yellow taxis

The "Taipei kong mahal" (My beloved Taipei)


Other attractions in Taipei


New Taipei


8 comments:

  1. Hi what day did you go there? Can I go back to Taipei on the same day?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I went there on Jan. 1, 2017. You can go back to Taipei on the same day via HSR.

      Delete
  2. Hi Lou,

    Is there a specific time to roam around the campus for tourist?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can go at any time of the year except the library which is affected by summer and winter vacation schedules.

      Delete
  3. Hi Lou!

    Wow! This is really so informative! So detailed! All information I need is here already! You are so great! I'm here in Taipei, Taiwan for 2weeks and I'm done with my 1st week already. I just really hope that someone here (reading/checking your blog as certified meteor harder lover) is interested on going there with me or by a group to solve the mystery too! 😁 Thank you so much for this wonderful blog!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe, you should go on a weekday in NCCU. The Library (where the lockers are located) can be on a summer schedule.

      Delete
    2. I just checked the summer schedule of the library. It is closed every Sunday until the end of August.

      Delete
  4. You are the best!!! I've visited your blog a lot over the years specifically for this post, but Blogger is very finicky about signing in so I never left a comment before. That being said, I just got through re-reading it again and am so blown away by the level of detail and helpful info that I was determined to sign in to my account (after three attempts and updating my browser settings) to leave you a comment to say thanks for posting about your experience!

    It's wonderful that you're thoughtful of future tourists to the area and making sure other MG fans don't get banned from the university! If I ever get a chance to visit, I'll be careful to not spoil the chance for other people too :)

    ReplyDelete

Copyright © 2014 luomujie blogspot | Designed With By Blogger Templates | Distributed By Gooyaabi Templates
Scroll To Top