As a girl who grew up watching Meteor Garden and fangirling over the famous F4, visiting the real-life “Ying De University” has always been one of the items on my bucket list. I was in grade school when the show first aired here in the Philippines, and I still remember rushing home from school just to make sure I didn’t miss a single scene from the series.
Meteor Garden, starring Taiwan’s biggest stars—Jerry Yan, Barbie Hsu, Vic Zhou, Ken Chu, and Vaness Wu, was not just a drama but it was a huge part of my childhood. It made me feel kilig and taught me how good life can be when you have something to look forward to.
For our second trip to Taiwan (yes you read that right, it’s our second visit and we’re already planning to go back again and again!), I made sure to visit “Ying De University.” The show’s filming location is actually the National Chung Cheng University in Chiayi, a city in southwest Taiwan. It’s quite far from the city center of Taipei, but thanks to Taiwan’s reliable transport system, a day trip to this city is totally possible!
How to go to National Chung Cheng University?
The fastest and most convenient way to get to Chiayi from Taipei is, of course, by taking the HSR (High-Speed Rail). It’s Taiwan’s version of Japan’s famous bullet train. From Taipei Main Station, board the HSR bound for Chiayi that would only take about 1.5 hours! This is much faster compared to taking a bus (around 3 hours) or a regular train (over 2 hours).
You can book your tickets through Klook: Taiwan High-Speed Rail Ticket for Non-Taiwanese before reserving your date and time on the Taiwan High-Speed Rail’s official website.
From the Chiayi HSR Station, you can take a taxi directly to National Chung Cheng University. It cost us 650 NTD (for a group of four), and the ride took only about 40 minutes. For a cheaper option, you can also take a bus, but expect a longer travel time.
Catching some Meteor Garden nostalgia
We arrived at around 10:00 AM and were dropped off inside the university, just near the main gate. The university is open to visitors for free, and you don’t need any reservation. However, please still observe proper behavior, as you might disturb students during their classes. I know we Filipinos tend to get excited and kilig when it comes to Meteor Garden, but please remember to keep quiet—especially inside the library where Shan Cai’s locker is located.
Here are some of the photos we took around the university that bring back so much nostalgia from my childhood:
- The open area where the central fountain is also located. This is the spot where F4 graduated.
- Here’s the façade of their library, which houses Shan Cai’s famous locker.
- Shan Cai’s locker where she got her red card from F4. I couldn’t contain my happiness seeing the 150 locker in person.
- The canteen inside the library building where F4 usually sat. There are now vending machines in this area, so we were able to buy some snacks and sit down to eat.
- Remember the agawan scene between Dao Ming Si and Hua Ze Lei?
- Here’s the Tranquility Lake where Shan Cai and Qing He had a lunch.
- Just near the lake is the Activity Center, where the famous grand staircase is located. F4 walked here in many of their scenes, and walking here myself felt so surreal.
- In the same Activity Center building is another iconic spot from the series—the fire exit. This is where Dao Ming Si and Shan Cai’s first kiss happened!
We spent about 2.5 hours in the university and my heart is full and happy. I am just grateful for the chance to see in real-life the place that I once dreamed of visiting. My young grade school self would definitely be proud of this another pinch me moment.
Afterward, we took another taxi to Hinoki Village, a charming cultural area featuring Japanese-style villas that have been turned into souvenir shops and food houses. We enjoyed a comforting hotpot meal nearby and then roamed around Hinoki Village before heading back to Chiayi HSR Station to return to Taipei. A day tour is definitely enough for this trip, but I’m already hoping to go back someday for another adventure in Alishan.
Are you also a Meteor Garden fan? This might be the sign you are looking for. Book that trip to Taiwan and relive our childhood Meteor Garden nostalgia.
