Sights in Tainan City
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Confucius Temple
Modelled after the temple in Confucius’ native town of Shandong, this temple is based on classical Chinese temple architecture. Confucius (551–479 BC) is generally acknowledged as China’s greatest educator and scholar. In his day, education was exclusive to nobility but Confucius successfully promoted popular education.
Confucius valued simplicity, a trait seen in the temple’s architecture and relatively muted adornments. Inscriptions that might be found on columns, doors and windows in other temples are banned here; who would have the temerity to think his or her writing could compare with that of the great master? Do take note of the detailed carvings of dragons o…
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Koxinga Shrine
When the Ming dynasty was overthrown by the Manchus in 1661, Koxinga (Cheng Cheng-kung) led his army to Taiwan with plans to restock supplies and then retake the mainland. He found the Dutch already here, but after nine months battle they surrendered and departed from Taiwan.
Koxinga did much to improve conditions on the island. But, like the KMT of modern times, he did not live to see the mainland retaken. He died after only a year in Taiwan, and his grandson surrendered to the Manchus in 1683.
There's a certain atmosphere of dignity surrounding the Koxinga Shrine, even though most of it is of rather recent origin: the original southern-style temple was rebuilt in a nort…
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Chihkan Towers
One of the best preserved, or perhaps we should say reconstructed, historical sights in Tainan is this old fort (Fort Proventia). It's a splendid place to roam around, or even enjoy an outdoor concert on the weekends.
Chihkan has gone through many masters (Ming, Qing, Japanese and the KMT, China's Nationalist party) since the foundations were first laid by the Dutch in 1653. At that time the seashore reached the fort's outer walls. Our favourite features are the nine stone turtles with tablets on their backs. The steles hail from the Qing dynasty and if you check the backs you can see where the carver made a mistake on one and, rather than starting over with a fresh slab,…
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Matsu Temple
The lively Matsu Temple once served as the palace of Ning Jin, the last king of the Ming dynasty. If you wish to confirm visually that a king's status is lower than an emperor's, count the steps to the shrine. There are only seven; an emperor would get nine.
Matsu is the most popular folk deity in Taiwan, with over 500 temples dedicated to her around the island.
Some features to note (besides the elaborate carvings and paintings) include the 300-year-old Matsu statue, and the shrine in the back to Matsu's parents in an area that used to be King Ning Jin's bedroom. Look up and you'll see the roof beam where the king's concubines hanged themselves so many years ago. For fun,…
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God of War Temple
This is the oldest and most impressive temple in Taiwan dedicated to Kuan Kung, a Han dynasty general deified as the war god.
The temple's overall size and structure were established in 1690, though much splendid artwork and many historically valuable objects have been added over the years. The long deep rose-colored walls of this temple have always been one of its highlights for us. Other interesting features to note are the beggar seats built into the doorframe (so that the poor could beg alms from every visitor), the high threshold at the entrance (originally designed to keep women out!), and the bamboo-shaped poem on a scroll at the back, which contain words said to h…
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Eternal Golden Castle
Like many famous sights around Tainan, the Eternal Golden Castle goes by different names: Erkunshen Cannon Fort, Anping Big Cannon Fort and Eternal Golden Castle. The fortress was built in 1876 to shore up Taiwan's defences against the Japanese threat.
Not much remains of the original fortress; oddly, though, the intact arched front gate was built with bricks pilfered from Anping Fort. The reconstructed fort and the cannons make for good photo ops. It's possible now, and recommended, to walk to the castle from the other sights in Anping.
If you are heading to the castle directly from the train station you can catch city bus 14, or tour bus 88 or 99 on the weekend, from th…
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Wufei Temple
When Koxinga's grandson surrendered to the Manchus in 1683, all hope of restoring the Ming dynasty ended. King Ning Jin, the last contender for the Ming throne, knew his time was up. Before he committed suicide, however, he urged his concubines to 'get thee to a nunnery'. The concubines refused, claiming their honour was as important as the king's, and hanged themselves on a roof beam in the bedroom of his palace. The palace is now the shrine to Matsu's parents at the Matsu Temple and the beam is still in place.
A dainty temple was constructed in the concubines' honour and now sits in a 2000-sq-metre garden park. Note that the real tombs of the ladies are behind the shrin…
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City God Temple
The city god tallies our good and bad deeds in this life after we die. Hence it is not unusual that his image appears in the Dongyue Temple, dedicated to underworld, nor that these two temples are very close to each other.
When you enter the City God Temple you'll see two large abacuses. These are used to calculate if you have done more good than bad in life. Overhead is large sign with a gold inscription that translates roughly as 'You've come at last'.
The pink slips of paper you often see on the altar are from students asking for help to pass an exam. Yep, school is hell everywhere.
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Lady Linshui's Temple
The elaborate design and excessive ornamentation of Lady Linshui's Temple would clue most traditionally minded Chinese into the fact that it is dedicated to a woman - in this case, Lady Linshui.
For generations now, women have come to this temple to ask Lady Linshui to protect their children. This is demanding work and the goddess employs 36 assistants (three for each month), whose statuettes can be seen in little glass vaults around the inside walls of the temple.
In addition to offerings of incense, you'll often see flowers, face powder and make-up left at the temple.
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Altar of Heaven Temple
Have you had a run of bad luck lately? Then visit the Altar of Heaven Temple and pray to the supreme Taoist entity, the Jade Emperor (or Lord of Heaven), to help you out. Tainan families have been doing this for generations on the 1st and 15th of every month.
The temple is noteworthy for two things. First, it has no statue of the god. The original temple was established as a temporary measure - 300 years ago! Second, there's a famous Yī (One) inscription over the altar. Yi signifies that for heaven and earth there is only one true way: humanity and righteousness.
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Dongyue Temple
People often come to the Dongyue Temple to communicate with the dead through spiritual mediums. It's a fascinating place to catch a glimpse of Taiwanese folk culture. In addition, the grim murals on the walls of the second chamber are as graphic as the depictions of hell by Hieronymus Bosch: there are disembowelments, eye gougings, stabbings, boilings and so much more.
The first chamber of the temple holds the city god, Chenghuang; the second, Zizang Wang, the Buddhist king of the underworld; the last, a number of demon gods who rule the underworld.
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National Museum of Taiwanese Literature
The building that houses the new National Museum of Taiwanese Literature was once the Tainan District Hall. Built in 1916 by the Japanese, it's a gorgeous example of colonial architecture. Even if literature is not your greatest interest, it's worth coming just to wander the halls and relax in the foyer.
The museum highlights the development of Taiwanese literature from pre-Han aboriginals through the colonial periods up to the modern era. All exhibits and displays come with English interpretation signs.
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Anping Matsu Temple
The Anping Matsu Temple is yet another of the 'first' Matsu temples in Taiwan. But it does genuinely feature what many believe to be the oldest Matsu statue. It's not the one you think (the biggest one in the back shrine), however, but the middle one on the second row of smaller Matsu statues.
Near the altar you can pick up a little packet of 'safe rice' to take home. The packets are designed to keep you and your family safe.
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Anping Oyster Ash Kiln
It's generally believed that the Dutch taught the Taiwanese to make a durable brick mortar using crushed oyster shells mixed with sugar water and sticky rice. At one time, oyster-shell kilns (which produced the ground-oyster ash) were a common sight in Tainan. The ruins of this kiln represent the last of its kind. The kiln is nothing special to look at but it's still worth a visit to learn more about this little-known industry.
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Great South Gate
The garrison commander in you will love the martial feel of the old Great South Gate, the only town gate in Tainan that still has much of its defensive wall intact. The inner grounds feature several cannons and a section of the old wall marvellously overgrown with thick roots. As with the Confucius Temple, the trees here are an attraction in themselves.
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Tait & Co Merchant House
This merchant house was built by the British in 1867 and now holds a permanent exhibit of household artefacts from the 17th century (donated by the Dutch government). Through a series of decorated rooms, the exhibit highlights the lifestyle of Dutch, Chinese and aboriginal families.
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Fort Zeelandia
In 1624 the Dutch seized the area known as Anping to establish a military and commercial base in Taiwan. Fort Zeelandia was a stronghold of Dutch power until captured by Koxinga in 1661. Though most of the fort has been reconstructed, it's still an impressive site.
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Anping Tree House
Anping Tree House, on the same grounds as the merchant house, stands out for the large banyan growing in the gutted centre.
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