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 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 Koxinga's Shrine, even though most of it is of rather recent origin: the original southern-style temple was rebuilt in a northern style by the KMT government in the '60s. Many of the artefacts are historical, however, including the boxes in the shrine that hold the original imperial edict from 1874, permitting the shrine to be built.

The free museum to the left of the shrine features rotating exhibits of varying degrees of interest.