[RD] Discovering Taiwan

[warpus]

Day 14

Last Day in Tainan
Tuesday, November 19, 2024

I checked out of my hotel in the morning and left my large backpack behind so I could explore a bit more of the city before heading to the train station in the evening. My first find was an interesting shrine that doesn't seem to be documented anywhere on the English internet, at least not that I could find.

After over an hour of digging, here is what I can tell you about it. As far as I can decipher the name of the site is:

Morning Prosperity Palace of Shezailin, Bajijing District

This is an urban shrine maintained by the local community with a focus on local militia history with an ancestral reverence and folk religion slant. The shrine seems to honour members of the Gong Hebao Militia, which I again have not been able to find any information on online, but it seems to be a local defensive militia formed during the Qing period. Such local militias were used by the Qing to suppress rebellions and help maintain stability & control. At the time there were occasional flareups between different Han & indigenous groups, and it was these local militias that often helped keep order, instead of any official Qing military units. This shrine honours Gong Hebao Militia martyrs, likely dating to some specific rebellion or uprising, which were somewhat common at the time.

I used my phone to translate some of the plaques I found at the site and that helped me connect some of these dots. There is a strong Taoist emphasis at the site, but a local variant of Mazu (the sea goddess) is also found here, and there are Buddhist elements at the site as well.

The main thing that drew me to this shrine was the golden railing on the stairs leading up as well as around the whole site. I didn't even end up taking any pictures of anything else other than the railing and the mural by the entrance.

Interestingly enough this mural seems to have been drawn in a Tang Dynasty style, which ruled mainland China from 618 to 907 CE. This sort of mixing of various styles, religions, and time periods made it tougher to identify the site. This place also seems to have multiple names, so I'm not quite sure the one I gave is accurate. Sacred Palace of Wondrous Spirit is another name that comes up, and it's one of several.

Bajijing District doesn't even exist as an official district, that is a reference to a sort of local naming of this part of Tainan, as well as a throwback to what this part of the city used to be named during Qing times.

Overall this site seems like a mishmash of various elements that has been maintained by the local community over the years, instead of any official religious or civic body. The diversity of ideas presented here makes sense in that context, but it sure confused me at first.

 

[warpus]

Tainan Confucius Temple (臺南孔廟)

This is the oldest Confucius temple in Taiwan, founded in 1665 during the rule of the Kingdom of Tungning. It was the first ever official educational institution in Taiwan, which has earned it the title of "First Academy of Taiwan". During the Qing Dynasty it became the Taiwan Prefectural Academy, a center for Confucian learning and civil service preparation.

The temple follows a southern Chinese style and is known for its tranquil atmosphere, ancient trees, and collection historical artifacts. I did check out the museum-like display rooms here and saw a zither-like instrument on display, a collection of old ceremonial bells, and a tablet representing the spiritual presence of Confucius. Apparently I should have also seen an impressive collection of royally inscribed boards from various dynasties here, but I honestly can't remember if I did.

This temple has undergone over 30 renovations, including several major reconstructions during Japanese rule. There are two elementary schools adjacent to the temple grounds, which explains the large group of young kids in uniform I saw exercising by the ritual pond. The schools' proximity reflects the temple's status as the first formal academy on the island, but the elementary schools were founded much later, in the 1940s and 60s.

What I remember the most about this temple is how serene everything felt. A part of that might have been the well maintained bushes and other greenery, a part might have been the 300+ year old trees, but it wasn't really the architecture that made this place stick in my mind.

 

[warpus]

Unexpected Pork Cutlet (想不到豬排)

The restaurant I ordered this at (Farmland Noodle Artisan) has been described as a noodle shop interrupted by a pork cutlet. The cutlet is worth writing about and is definitely the thing to order if you are only going to come here once. It is technically a fusion dish, but it has strong roots in the traditional Japanese tonkatsu style.

The other things popular here are spicy tofu, cold noodles, and hot and sour soup.. Taiwanese staples with strong roots in traditional Chinese cuisine. You would usually not expect to find a Japanese style pork cutlet at a restaurant like this, especially such a well prepared one. But here it is! And it is delicious

The spicy tofu was also good, as was the hot and sour soup, but the pork cutlet just blew everything else out of the water. As for the cold noodles I was not a big fan, but it's such a popular Taiwanese dish I wish I gave them another try somewhere else.

 

[warpus]

Koxinga's Shrine (延平郡王祠)

Koxinga is an important figure in Taiwanese history. He was born in Japan in 1624 to a powerful Chinese merchant father and Japanese mother as Zheng Chenggong (鄭成功). At 7 years old he moved to Fujian province, southern China, with his father, in order to acquire a Confucian education. When he turned 20 he moved to Nanjing and entered the Imperial Academy there.

It turns out that his move to Nanjing coincided with a rather key moment in Chinese history. Beijing had just fallen to Shun dynasty forces and the Ming dynasty was crumbling. The Ming emperor committed suicide, but the Shun were only able to hold Beijing for 42 days. A Ming general had a decision to make and ended up allying his army with approaching Qing forces, lead by the Manchu, looking to exploit the situation. The Ming general essentially opened the gates for the Qing forces to march in. The Shun did not last long.

Zheng Chenggong's (Koxinga's) father at the time controlled the most powerful naval forces in southern China. He pledged his allegiance to the Qing, who were in the process of conquering most of mainland China.

Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga) on the other hand pledged his allegiance to a Ming prince in exile, the then de facto Ming emperor. He began to rally loyalist forces and was able to convince the vast majority of his father's fleet to switch allegiance and join him in support of the Ming by 1648. For his loyalty the Ming emperor gave Zheng Chenggong the honorific title Guóxìngyé (國姓爺), which translates to "Lord of the Imperial Surname".

The name Koxinga comes from the Hokkien pronunciation of Guóxìngyé. If you are curious about Hokkien, it is from the Min Chinese subfamily of languages, distinct from Mandarin or Cantonese. For context, Mandarin is the official language of Taiwan, but about 70% of the population speaks Hokkien.

Koxinga spent most of the 1650s fighting the Qing and upgrading his inherited naval fleet. He led a famous northern expedition with a powerful fleet and 100,000 men that was almost successful in recapturing Nanjing from the Qing, but which ultimately failed. You might wonder if he ever faced his father in battle, and the answer is no. His father was arrested after surrendering and was basically removed from the political and military scene.

In 1661 Koxinga staged a daring attack on the Dutch East India Company in the form of sieges of Fort Zeelandia and Fort Provintia. He was hoping to conquer the island and use it as a staging ground for attacks on the Qing. The siege lasted 10 months and left Koxinga in control of southwestern Taiwan, ending 38 years of Dutch rule. Shortly thereafter Koxinga established the Kingdom of Tungning, the first Han Chinese led government on the island of Taiwan, which directly governed about 1/3 of the island. (The rest of the island was dominated by indigenous Austronesian tribes)

Perhaps a bit tragic, Koxinga passed not a half a year after, likely from malaria. His son, Zheng Jing, ruled the Kingdom of Tungning until 1683, when it was conquered by the Qing.

Koxinga is credited with laying the first political and cultural foundations for what would eventually become modern Taiwan. His government introduced Confucian education, land tax systems, military-agricultural colonies, and a Chinese-style administration, all institutional blueprints for later Han Chinese governance of the island. Koxinga also encouraged Han migration, transforming Taiwan from a Dutch outpost to a sort of Chinese settled frontier.

Some scholars compare Koxinga a bit to Columbus, in reference to his indigenous land dispossession policies during increased Han migration, but I don't really know enough about the nuances of the situation to comment on that. In mainstream Taiwanese society Koxinga seems to remain as a symbol of resilience and cultural pride. He is commemorated annually in a state ceremony.

This shrine and the surrounding grounds were established right after Koxinga died, in 1662. Under the Qing this site was known as the Temple of the King Who Opened the Mountains though, since worship of Koxinga was forbidden at the time. Under colonial Japanese rule it was converted into a Shinto shrine and renamed to Kaizan Jinja. In 1947 it was reastablished as a Confucian ancestral shrine.

In the end, it's worth summarizing that Koxinga transformed Taiwan, he put in motion demographic, political, and cultural gears that were instrumental in making Taiwan what it is today.

 

[warpus]

Lady Linshui Temple (開基臨水夫人媽廟)

This temple was likely founded in the 1740s by immigrants from Fuzhou, mainland China. It has been officially designated as the earliest Linshui temple in Taiwan.

Lady Linshui, also known as Chen Jinggu, reminds me a bit of Mazu, in that she appears to have been a real historical person. Records indicate that she likely lived in Fujian province, mainland China, at some point during the 8th or 9th century CE, perhaps 100 years or so before Mazu was born. Both women lived in Fujian province and both women's stories spread after their death, leading to worship, and eventual deification.

Lady Linshui was a healer and a shaman, known for her clairvoyance and rituals involving the protection of women and children, especially during childbirth. Like with Mazu, her cult began locally and spread over time to other parts of China, Taiwan, and parts of southeast Asia. She reportedly died while pregnant, performing a rain ritual during a severe drought. It was this final act that kickstarted her elevation to the divine.

Lady Linshui was declared a deity in the 13th century and decreed a protector of childbirth and children. Her temples are popular with women who are hoping to conceive or are seeking protection for their children. Her mythology blends Daoist rituals, folk beliefs, and female empowerment.

The above mural intrigued me. As best as I could decipher it is tied to one or more of the Daoist rituals performed at this temple. 過囝仔關 (Crossing the Child’s Gate) for instance is a ritual performed with a child present who is facing some obstacle, medical condition, misfortune, or developmental challenge. This mural is used as a sort of visual symbolic guide during the ceremony. It is tempting to look at the mural and conclude that Lady Linshui and her 2 companions are about to battle the four characters on the left, but every single reference I've found is telling me that these characters represent something more symbolic like forces being subdued, ritual targets, or spiritual energies being realigned. These symbolic elements of this mural are referenced during the ritual, during which the child is carried through a symbolic threshold - an act of crossing that symbolizes leaving danger behind. I'm not an expert so take it with a grain of salt, but that's what this appears to be. Other rituals performed at this temple include fertility as well as cleansing & protection rituals.

I brought up Mazu earlier also because both of these deities point to a deeper cultural link between Taiwan and Fujian province, mainland China. Many of the Han Chinese immigrants who settled Taiwan came from Fujian province, most notably from the coastal regions. It is of course not a surprise that these immigrants brought with them certain cultural practices that have become a part of Taiwanese culture today, but there is a deeper link between coastal Fujian and Taiwan than I initially thought.

 

[warpus]

Pèng Bǐng (膨餅)

This pastry has deep historical and cultural roots to the city of Tainan, although there are other dishes locals would point to as quintessential Tainan eats. Nevertheless, pèng bǐng is worth writing about, as it plays a somewhat unique role in Tainan's cultural history. Many would say it's one of the most representative traditional cultural icons of Tainan.

The name itself literally translates to "Puffed cake". The earliest documented versions of this pastry date back to the late Ming dynasty years (1600s?) in the coastal regions of Fujian province of mainland China. Not so coincidentally, this is where many of the early Han settlers of Taiwan came from. The pastry likely evolved from earlier sweet pastries made for temple offerings or milestone celebrations.

During the 1600s and 1700s, settlers from Fujian adapted the recipe to make use of more easily available local ingredients, resulting in a slightly sweeter, lighter version. Over time the pastry became associated with certain local customs, the most noteworthy of which is the use of pèng bǐng as a postpartum recovery food. Women who had just given birth were served pèng bǐng cooked in sesame oil, ginger, and brown sugar, sometimes with egg and dried longan. This became a sort of speciality of Tainan, as postpartum cuisine was tightly linked to local Hokkien customs.

Pèng bǐng is also used in community ceremonies and award events, as a temple offering, and as a festival treat. It is also sometimes given as a reconciliation gift, after an argument between two parties is on its way to a resolution.

During modern times the pastry has also been somewhat reimagined as a heritage product and cultural souvenir. It is now often branded with colourful symbols and messages.

We shared a pastry like this during the breakfast with my new Air Force friends a couple days beforehand. Each person took a small piece of the pastry to taste, as a sort of symbolic ritual. At the time I didn't really know what it was, though. This time I walked into a bakery with a heavy pèng bǐng focus and bought one.

 

[warpus]

Tainan Wu Garden (吳園藝文中心)

This site that combines Chinese, Japanese, and western aesthetics was once considered one of Taiwan's four great classical gardens. These days it is used for community events, art exhibitions, and cultural performances. It's a popular site for family picnics and cosplay photoshoots. It's surrounded on almost all sides by apartment buildings, giving it a unique urban look and feel.

dsdaf

 

[warpus]

Tainan Art Museum (臺南市美術館)

This museum opened in 2019. It is composed of two main buildings: one constructed in 1930 during the Japanese colonial era, and the other in 2019.

The older building tends to house exhibits by local and regional artists, while the newer building has a contemporary Taiwanese art focus.

I don't really have any sort of understanding of the artists behind the works of art that I did photograph (nor the context), so I won't post them here. I did think that the Boy Love exhibit deserved a mention however, as it's not something I really expected to see there, but it does highlight that progressive aspect of Taiwanese society I've already touched on. It was actually quite interesting, a sort of dive into an art form I've never really peeked at or knew anything about. I'll leave it at the photo of the description of the exhibit though. The rest of the museum had paintings, abstract art, and a collection of Tainan building models.

 

[warpus]

Tainan Snapshots

I really enjoyed Taian, and this was my last day here, so I wanted to make good use of my time. I booked an evening train to my next destination and after checking out of the hotel left my large backpack there, so I could explore a bit more of the city, for the last time.

 

[warpus]

Last Meal in Tainan

When I first arrived in Tainan I walked past an American diner looking restaurant that specializes in chilli dogs. My experience with Taiwanese street food hinted that something like chilli dogs might end up being really good here.. but they also looked delicious. At the time I really wanted to get to my hotel though, so as a compromise I made a note of the exact location of the place for later.

The chilli dogs looked so good I definitely did not forget to drop in on my walk back to the train station. I got two of their best sellers and went to town.

Overall the perfect last meal in the city - a break from the usual Chinese or Japanese inspired fare that I enjoyed, but it really hit the spot, it reminded me of the street food here to a degree, and it was a poetic sort of connection to the beginning of my stay in Tainan.

I am including a photo of the menu to highlight how easy it is to order off menus you can't read at all these days. I couldn't even manually google any of that mandarin, but all I had to do was put my phone in front of the menu and read the Engilsh on the screen. The only downside is that it takes a bit longer, as you have to scan each set of items individually, but overall not a problem at all. Sometimes the app mistranslates a word or two, and as you move the phone around sometimes the translated words change, as new context is computed.. But overall it makes it so easy to get a good sense of what they're selling.

 

[warpus]

Train to Kaohsiung

It's only a 28 or so minute train ride south from central Tainan to central Kaohsiung. You can get that down to a 15 minute long ride if you take the high speed train, but the Tainan HSR station is not very central. On the whole journey south down the west coast, it had been more convenient for me to take the regular TRA trains, which often stop in different parts of town.. The plan was to make use of the HSR on the eventual journey back north.

The two cities are not a single continuous urban area, but they are increasingly connected and in some ways already function like one connected metropolitan corridor; The southern outskirts of Tainan and the northern outskirts of Kaohsiung blend in together. You could also say the cities are economically complementary - Kaohsiung has a focus on heavy industry and logistics, while Tainan focuses on semiconductors and R&D.

Both cities are also obvious south Taiwanese destinations. Tainan is rich in history, while Kaohsiung is considered to be Taiwan's second city.

I arrived late, but got lucky with my hotel booking in a very central part of town. All I had to do was get on the MRT metro line connected to the train station, head south two stations, walk through Central Park, and my hotel was right there.

My first impressions of Kaohsiung were very positive. It was a very short walk to my hotel, but I saw a bustling modern city - a complementary contrast to the historic Tainan. Not that Kaohsiung lacks history, but what first hits you in the face is the modern architecture.

 

[warpus]

Day Fourteen Reflections
Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Total Distance Walked This Day - 13 km

The absolutely last thing I did on this day is have my very first meal in Kaohsiung. And let's be clear, one of the things I loved about Tainan is the diversity and quality of the food, so I wasn't really sure how Kaohsiung would stack up.

It was late and I had those chilli dogs in Tainan.. but I was still hungry. I picked out a well reviewed Japanese inspired restaurant near my hotel, one of the only places I could find that was still open, and ordered a mushroom soup, some sort of tofu, and two spicy meatballs. One of those ended up being one of the more memorable things I ate in southern Taiwan.

I have never had tofu prepared like this. It was silky smooth and tasted like a panna cotta. If I didn't know, I wouldn't have guessed it was tofu at all. They gave me a cute little plastic shovel to eat it with, which allowed me to gradually savour this dish.

The soup or the meatballs aren't really worth posting. This tofu was the star of the show, and a great introduction to Kaohsiung. I would really miss Tainan and the new friends I had made there, but it turns out I would get a chance to meet up with one of them again later on in my trip.

 

[warpus]

Day 15

First Day in Kaohsiung
Wednesday, November 20, 2024

A late 12:30pm start to the day with no clear plan as to what was next. Which after so much walking during the previous two days and a bit of travel fatigue felt about right.

Wider streets, more of a modern look, and a bigger city feel (compared to Tainan), these were the first things I noticed about Kaohsiung.

 

[warpus]

Love River Bay (愛河灣)

The most visible urban redevelopment efforts of this part of Kaohsiung took place between 2018 and 2024, although revitalization projects date back to the early 2000s. It's the part of the city where the Love river empties into Kaohsiung Harbour, which used to be a quite industry heavy part of town. These days it's a very pedestrian friendly bay that's also serviced by the Kaohsiung LRT. You can't really tell that it used to be a loud & dirty part of town anymore.

Pictures don't do this waterfront justice, I was a big fan of it!

 

[warpus]

Kaohsiung Music Center (高雄流行音樂中心)

It's easy to predict where I walked next - towards the interesting looking building on the other side of the bay.

the Kaohsiung Music Center was built in part to help promote Taiwanese pop and indie music. Construction of this cornerstore piece of the Love River Bay revitalization project finished in late 2021. The Music Center hosts concerts, festivals, and exhibitions, and also acts as a sort of cultural anchor of the whole Asia New Bay Area. It's also meant to be a symbol of the city's shift from being an industrial to a creative city.

 

[warpus]

POP! POP! POP! An Interactive Journey

The Kaohsiung Music Center is made up of two Wave Towers and the Coral Zone Auditorium Complex. Surprisingly enough, the Wave Towers ended up containing an interactive set of exhibits celebrating Taiwanese pop music, located on multiple levels. And here I expected the towers to be full of office space.

So what did I end up learning about Taiwanese pop music? To be honest, I can't remember at all. I do remember having fun with all the interactive exhibits though! There were also several interesting exhibits there outlining the recording process, how music is processed, produced, packaged up, and marketed to the masses. Also an observation deck at the top.

Overall a very cool find at the modern looking Kaohsiung Music Center.

 

[warpus]

The Pier2 Art Center (駁二藝術特區)

This walkable area just east of the Kaohsiung Music Building is a promende right on the water, but also a collection of repurposed port warehouses. It's all part of the huge urban revitilization project known as the Asia New Bay Area.

As you will see it was getting dark, so many of the shops, restaurants, and art galleries were closed or closing down for the night, but I had a great time exploring this part of the city on foot. This ended up being my favourite part of Kaohsiung, all the way from the Love River Bay to the Railway Art district you will see pictures of another time. It's all one big connected pedestrian wonderland, with all sorts of interesting art installations along the way, as well as the previously mentioned repurposed port warehouses containing shops, eateries, and art galleries.

Two interesting pieces of urban art I passed along the way. The first was made out of old shipping containers, the second one out of chairs.

 

[warpus]

Day Fifteen Reflections
Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Total Distance Walked This Day - 8.4 km

This was a more relaxed low key kind of day that I really needed another one of on this trip. Walking as much as I do when I travel can easily catch up with you, as I briefly experienced by the Salt God statue in Tainan. I needed a less hectic day and I've got to say I picked the best part of Kaohsiung for something like this. The Asia New Bay Area is just such a well designed waterfront, with interesting architecture, cool art, shops, cafes, and restaurants along the way. I vowed to return here again at some point, so I could explore more of the area while it was still light out.

The Love River Bay was also within walking distance from my hotel, and on the way there I found an excellent conveyor belt sushi joint that really hit the spot. This is where I ate my first meal of the day, although I admit I needed help from the girl sitting beside me to help me navigate everything. Certain items you could order on a little display, but you could also grab whatever you wanted that was passing by. I ended up stuffing myself with way too much delicious sushi and a bit of tempura. Somehow the bill came to just about the equivalent of $30 USD or so, and that included 2 large beers.

I admit the sushi was not as good as what I had in Japan, but it was a big improvement over North American all you can eat sushi.. which isn't saying much, but my expectations when I walked in here were more than satisfied. The fish tasted super fresh and there was just so much interesting variety in what you could order! I wasn't sure if I'd manage to squeeze in sushi on this trip, but I'm glad that I did.

 

[warpus]

Day 16

My birthday!
Thursday, November 21, 2024

Yes, this was the day on which I celebrated my birthday! The first order of the day was a visit to the largest Don Don Donki store in Taiwan, which is a Japanese discount megastore of sorts, known for its quirky vibes and huge variety of Japanese goods. In Japan it is known as Don Quijote, but locations in other countries usually use the Don Don Donki branding.

I happen to dislike the shopping experience in general, but at this point in my trip I didn't mind mixing things up a bit, and this place came recommended on multiple fronts. I ended up buying gifts for my nieces back home here, as well as a small souvenir for myself.

Next up was a rendezvous with a new friend at Cijin Beach (旗津海水浴場), the famous black sand beach on Cijin island. Known for its laid back vibes and Taiwan Strait facing park & promenade, the island and beach are quite accessible from central Kaohsiung via a short ferry ride. I must rave about the convenience here - the ferry station is at most a 4 minute walk from a key MRT metro & LRT transit station, which are both inside the Asia New Bay Area. All you do is tap your EasyCard to get into the ferry station, which charges you just under $1 USD. The ferry station on the island is right by Cijin Old Street, which is a short walk away from CIjin beach & park.

A casual birthday stroll through Cijin park and a stop at a popular sunset bar were also the cards. Unfortunately by the time I wisened up to try to take a good photo of the black sand beach, it was already too dark.

 

[warpus]

Taiwanese Hot Pot (台式火鍋)
aka My Birthday Feast

In Taiwan a hot pot meal is a very popular and usually social and highly customizable dining experience. Diners share a simmering pot of broth in the middle of the table or each get their own pot of broth in which they cook the other ingredients. I was lucky enough to share this meal with somebody who has plenty of experience with all of this. This is really the way you want to ideally experience your first Taiwanese hot pot meal - with at least one person who knows what they're doing. That way you get the social aspect of the experience, but also get direct advice and instruction on how to enjoy the meal the way locals do.

We went with two bowls of broth, so that we could tailor each one to our individual flavour preferences. While I do enjoy seafood, I wanted something a bit more neutral to cook my beef slices in, while my friend preferred a fish-based broth for her squid.

An integral part of Taiwanese hot pot is the sauce bar, from which you can create your own dipping sauces.

My friend began to load up my broth with things I could not even identify. These are items I would have never selected myself! I was going to object, but quickly internally decided that I should just let her go wild with this.

Each ingredient has its own ideal cooking time. The beef slices cook really fast, you basically just dip them in the broth for a couple seconds and never let go with your chopsticks.. but a lot of the other ingredients had to be thrown right into the broth, as it was harder to overcook them and some of them needed time to hydrate and soften up.

Yeah, so that's an interesting looking pot of broth! There were a lot of different flavours and textures in there. If it had been just me I would have just had veggies and mushrooms in there to cook my beef slices in, but it ended up being great to have my gung ho friend around, it made my Taiwanese hot pot experience a lot more authentic. There's seafood and tofu in there, although I can't really say which is which. A lot of options for things to pull out with my chopsticks and eat. My favourites were definitely the Enoki mushrooms (and the beef slices), but the tofu, veggie, and seafood elements added a welcome dimension. Experimenting with the sauce bar for my dipping sauces was also fun. Some of that stuff I ended up dumping right into the broth, although from what I'm told that isn't really done.

The veggies, tofu, and mushrooms, as well as extra broth were all you can eat, while the proteins had to be ordered and paid extra for. Overall a brilliant birthday feast!