Tour Story - OUR TOWN

Hamasen Walking Tour

Rose — Sat, 04 May 2024 06:14:58 +0000

edited by Luis

Zuoying Old City of Fengshan

The history of this extraordinary city certainly “leaves a sweet taste in the mouth” of every citizen. And as a native, nothing intrigues me more than seeing the birth of modern Kaohsiung within the matrix of a remarkable feat of engineering. In order to facilitate the exportation of sugar and other Taiwanese produced commodities, a railway directly connected to the port was needed. But there was one problem back then, we had neither of them in southern Taiwan. At the turn of the previous century, the Japanese regime came up with a clever project aiming at killing two birds with just one stone. As a result, Takao port (Kaohsiung) was expanded to better fit modern merchant vessels, while at the same time, the adjacent docking infrastructure received a whopping makeover. Dredging machines working around the clock made sure that the progress of land reclamation was finished after four years of backbreaking hard work. This is a compelling proof that a city can indeed “grow” in different ways.

In 1912, Takao residents had a brand-new port in addition to more square miles of dry land; which was in fact the landfill formed by the waste created in the process. For the first time in history, Taiwan was joined from north to south by a “life-giving” railway. This became “the spinal cord” of Taiwan, and akin to the boom towns in America, within just a few years, Kaohsiung went from a small fishing village backwater to a port city on par with other major contemporaries. Once becoming a transportation hub with a decent merchant harbor, spawning new businesses filled the nearby area, and streets teeming with shoppers and visitors from all over the island became a daily occurrence. Many innovations took place in this new man-made district, things like running water, electrical power lines, postal service, telephone, new schools, public transportation, checkered street patterns, to name but a few. Thanks to the new train terminal, the Japanese named this place “Hamasen”, which translates into “coastal railway line.”

This promised land became the holy grail of new entrepreneurs and startup medium and small businesses. It was around this time when out-of-towners started gushing in and eventually made this place home after years of striving and thriving. On the avenue perpendicular to the station were the headquarters of banking and financial services, insurance company, bicycle shop, top-notch hotel, restaurant, supply chain logistics, and many more. No wonder it was dubbed “the Wall Street of Kaohsiung” despite running for less than 200 meters. This speaks volumes about the insane amount of commercial transactions taking place on a daily basis. In a nutshell, Hamasen is arguably the legendary kick-start of modern Kaohsiung city. And unquestionably, in the minds of locals, this is a magnificent story that needs no “sugar coating.”

步行遊覽包括以下七個站點：
The walking tour covered the following seven stops:

1. 打狗驛 Takao station

2. 春田館支店 Haruta Hotel

3. 三和銀行 Sanwa Ginko

4. 山形屋 (壹貳樓) Yamagataya bookstore

5. 愛國婦人會館 Takao Patriotic Women Hall

6. 武德殿 Butokuden Martial Arts Hall

7. 打狗尋常高等小學校--鼓山國小 Takao Ordinary Senior Elementary School

Takao Railway Museum

by Julie

In 1860, the Qing Dynasty lost the war with the British and French forces, and Taiwan was forced to open a port. Kaohsiung Port (known as Takao) was one of the listed opening ports. However, the Qing government ignored old problems such as insufficient depth, and the siltation became more and more serious, and eventually foreign businessmen abandoned Kaohsiung Port and moved to Anping, causing Kaohsiung Port to gradually decline again.

In 1895, the Japanese occupation of Formosa. They had different thoughts about this newly governed place. After investigation and discussion, they decided to focus on the sugar industry as Taiwan's development. How do you get the goods transported? Japan began to build a railway to send the goods back to Japan via the port. The section from Kaohsiung to Tainan was first opened to traffic in 1900. Goods can be quickly shipped back to Japan. However, after it was opened, it was discovered that the Station (called Takao depot at the time) was some distance away from the port, making cargo loading and unloading very inconvenient. So the Taiwan Governor-General resorted to land-reclamation, and the Hamasen area was born. Later, in 1905, the railway was pulled southward to the pier, so this area was called "Hamasen," meaning beach railway line. In 1908, the Takao Station located in the current location was completed. In 1920, the name of Takao Station was changed to Kaohsiung Station (Kaohsiung Railway Station), which is the largest freight station in Taiwan. Later, it was renamed Kaohsiung Port Railway Station. Now it’s the Story House of Jiudagouy.

In 1941, passenger and freight trains were separated. The Takao Station was relocated to Taikō Village (Tai-káng-po) on the east side of the Love River, and the original location was renamed Kaohsiung Port Station featuring the development exclusively for cargo. In January 1945 at the end of World War II, the US army began a large-scale and intensive bombing in Taiwan. Kaohsiung was the target due to its industrial and military importance. Kaohsiung Port, which was the land and sea transport hub, was severely damaged after the war. The existing station was rebuilt in 1947. It was declared a historical building in 2003. On the 9th of November, 2008, the last train departed from the station at 5.30 p.m. After the station closure, the Railway Culture Society managed the station as the Takao Railway Museum. The museum is currently part of the Kaohsiung Museum of History.

Kaohsiung Port Station is the best-preserved freight station in Taiwan. It was adopted by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government in October 2010 and transformed into a Takao Railway Story Museum, showing the atmosphere of its heyday back in the 1960s and 1970s.

In September 2017, the light rail Hamasen Station was opened to traffic. The station kept the platform and the signal building completely preserved. The museum also has the first railway reference room for the public. For reading and data searching, in addition to railway books and information, there is also a Railway Bulletin from 1951 to the present.

In its heyday, Kaohsiung Port Station had many trains and had a "North Signal Building" for vehicle mobilization and signal switching. This is the only remaining mechanical signal building in Taiwan that retains complete linkage devices. It can be seen as the asset of the old Takao Station Story Museum.

Haruta Hotel

by Luis

Shortly after it was inaugurated, the Hamasen district was arguably “the rising star” among the major cities in Taiwan. Interestingly enough, it was also the time when the rest of the world experienced the Roaring Twenties followed by the Great Depression very much like riding in a roller-coaster. Among the early businesses that arrived was the Haruta Hotel. Initially opened in Taichung in 1896, the second branch store materialized here in Takao by 1907, this is an obvious indication of the good prospects ahead. Like many of its nearby neighbors, it was a two-story wooden building with a hip roof; but that’s where the similarities end. The Takao Haruta Hotel provided top-notch accommodation and dining services for business travelers, officials, prominent figures, and all those who could afford a staggering splurge. According to some sources, the money for just one night of luxury was the equivalent of a tailor-made suit. And thanks to its location just across the train terminal, it was frequently the first choice of special VIPs and connoisseurs.

With 23 rooms available, they offered different room types for guests and visitors of all kinds, but of course, it didn’t have a swimming pool or other amenities within its premises. By the standards of the time, the Haruta Hotel was even more than anyone could ever ask for. Sadly enough, it was destroyed during the air raids in WW2 leaving insufficient records for its rebuilding in 1951. The current Haruta Hotel is a four-story RC structure building using many of the architectural elements inherited from the Japanese period; such things like additional round pillars for cosmetic purposes, western style main entrance and windows, wooden truss hip roof for lighter weight, and stucco washing finish for the exterior walls. Undeniably, it does have its own style despite not being the original, and maybe for some this can be like a paint smudge on a masterpiece. Regardless, something that transcended from its legacy was the fact that Haruta became a synonym of extravagance and luxury.

provided by Michael Lin from FB 雄中鄉土文化研究社

Sanwa Bank

by Louis Lu

The bank building was the branch of Sanjushi-Ginko Bank set up in 1921. In 1933, the bank was changed to Sanwa Bank after a series of merging negotiations. After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China in 1945, the Kaohsiung branch of Sanwa Bank was merged with other branches into the Bank of Taiwan. The bank building was then turned into the property of Sinbin Police Station under the Kaohsiung City Police Department. In 1990, the police station was moved to its current location due to space congestion. The building has then been idle.

The bank uses reinforced concrete beam-column structure. Its exterior walls are covered with khaki face bricks and stucco washing finish. Its ceiling is mud-plastered with bamboo inside.

Takao Patriotic Women Hall

Gender equality is one of the hottest conversation topics nowadays, and sometimes the exchange of opinions can lead to earth shattering conclusions. Whether it’s a magazine, a TV show, or even social media, the discussion is never too far from the “epicenter.” As soon as I found out that the Takao Patriotic Women Hall was built in 1922, I was so taken aback since the role of women is rarely exalted in Japanese culture. Furthermore, we need to take into account the location in which it was built, the Hamasen area. It was a time when most people hardly ever heard of the word “feminism,” not to mention building a venue in a place with skyrocketing real estate value in honor of women. Many will wonder what kind of cause could have justified such expenses and effort put into the project.

However, there’s no denying that women have always played an essential role in the history of civilization; above all, they are the other half of the sky. As early as the first half of the 20th century, here in Taiwan, women constituted a force to be reckoned with, even in national affairs. Maybe the members of the association were not prominent or successful themselves, but in some ways they were certainly influential. They may be from a well to do family, or have a spouse with outstanding achievements. When it comes to “calibrating” the value of women, things have not changed too much after all. They raised funds from donations and organized volunteer groups to support the nation’s foreign affairs in Manchuria and the Korean peninsula, and later even in the South Pacific war effort. Among the services provided were nursing, teaching, childcare, war logistics, you name it. And since it was a time of austerity, every individual’s contribution counted in one way or another regardless of gender.

As for the architecture, the Meiji restoration saw the introduction of western styles with Japanese motifs blended in between. They certainly paid close attention in designing everything to better fit into the subtropical weather in Taiwan. The two-story building features innovative techniques even by modern standards. It combines a raised foundation for better ventilation and humidity control, masonry main structure for stronger support, long narrow windows for better ventilation and illumination during the day, timber hip roof for lighter weight, fair-face bricks on exterior walls for simplicity and style, increased floor height for better air convection, overhanging roof ends for better gutter installation, to name just a few. In a sense, this is more or less what we call a green building today.

Looking back, people 100 years ago were indeed way more ahead of their time than we think. I’m sure many of you would love to go on a journey back in time to get a taste of the nostalgic past; but before time machines become available, it’s safe to say that the only way to do so is to join a walking tour. If anyone wants to work on this, be my guest!

provided by Carter from 高雄畫刊高雄市政府新聞局

Butokuden Martial Arts Hall

by Madina

Hello, everyone. As you can see, there are a few pillars here, right? These pillars are pretty similar to the pillars in classical Roman architecture, especially for the Colosseum. In Chinese, we call it "羅馬競技場". Oh, I forgot to mention. This is a really interesting building in Taiwan because it combines Western and Eastern culture. As for the pillars, I’m going to talk more about them. Like I just said, the pillars are pretty similar to the pillars in Roman architecture. We call this special kind of pillar” Tuscan Order”, or “托斯坎柱式" in Chinese.

Next, I am going to explain the Eastern part of Butokuden. As you can see, there is a wavy rooftop. It’s a pretty special rooftop in Taiwan because the design style is from Japan. If you have a chance to visit local old buildings in Japan, like temples, shrines, and castles, you may see similar rooftops like that. In Taiwan, we call this special kind of rooftop "唐破風" or “Karahafu” in Japanese. Sorry for my Japanese pronunciation.

Let’s step inside. I am going to introduce the internal look of Butokuden. This is the middle of Butokuden. On my left is the place for Judo training, and the right side is for Kendo. This place is pretty huge. You might think” Oh? really?” In fact, this place can house 100 people.

History

by Abby

Do you know where is the other Butokuden in 高雄? That is the Butokuden in 旗山 .

So, what is so special about Butokuden? Let me tell you. First of all, Takao Butokuden was built in 1924 during the Japanese colonial period. After the second war, it was used as a classroom and dormitory. But it had been sitting there for a while and the environment was messy. In 2003, the government planned to renovate it, and a year after, it was completed.

Second, the original name of Takao Butokuden is 振武館 in Chinese, it means to develop the value of soldiers.

Finally, it is the decorations. The pillars are two shapes. One is the square and the other is the circle. The squares stand for bad habits; however, after learning the martial arts, you get rid of bad habits and become a better person.

On the outside wall are pictures in relief with an arrow piercing the bullseye, which means the traditional activity and blessing.

Through our tour, you must learn more about Butokuden and hope you can share what you’ve learned with your family and friends. Thank you for listening.

Takao Ordinary Senior Elementary School

by Julie

Takao No.1 Elementary School, referred to as "No. 1", was originally named "Takao Ordinary Senior Elementary School". It was founded on May 24, 1907 (Meiji 40). Since the school building was not built yet, they temporarily borrowed a private house in Yancheng Village as a stopgap. It provided education for Japanese children. At that time, there were 653 Japanese households in Takao with 1,730 people.

In 1908 (Meiji 41), the first phase of the Takao Port construction project began. The area around Shao Chuantou Street became a gathering place for relevant technical personnel. There were 935 Japanese households with 2,394 people working at Takao Port. In 1911, the school was relocated to the foot of Takao Mountain (the exact school address is unknown)

In 1913, Takao Ordinary senior Elementary School moved to the current location at No. 50, Linhai 2nd Road (according to the Meiji era, if the national elementary school had a four-year system, It is called an elementary school; if it is a six-year system, it is called an institution of higher learning).

Visiting Ancient Houses in the Zuoying Old Settlement

Rose — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 06:47:59 +0000

written by Luis

photographed by all activity staff

Nothing gets me more excited than visiting ancient dwellings in the Zuoying old settlement. This place is also called Fengshan Old Town since this is the place where it all started here in modern Kaohsiung City. It’s intriguing to see how people lived hundreds of years ago. These old houses speak volumes about their values and philosophy; and they’re in fact a gateway taking us on a journey back in time. Now that there’s no exact translation in English for such historical relics, we’ll just call them “old house” for the sake of simplicity; even though “historical house”, “old mansion” and the like can all be viewed as the same thing technically speaking. If you are interested in more content about this topic, please go to ourtown.tw and check out another coverage I’ve written called “Living in silk and satin–Opulent mansions of the Old Town.” Well, what are we waiting for? Come on, let’s go!

Getting ready for the walking tour

Team coordinators and speakers of the day: Arthur 2nd left, Bobby 3rd left, Summer 4th left, May 5th right at the back, and Jay 1st right

First Stop: The Yu Family’s Old House

by 梅伊

Yu Family ancient mansion is located in the1st district (一甲) in the old settlement of Zuoying, and it was built in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. From this family came a military attaché as well as a former county magistrate, Yu Dengfa.

Why we call “一甲” , because it’s from the Japanese occupation era ,10 families form a 甲, it’s a unit to let the official to count how many families in this area, so they can calculate how many soldiers they can recruit.

We can see from the appearance of the house , it’s a Fujian style architecture, for example the roof is like the scale of the fish (Pic. 4) and there is a “山海鎮 lintel plaque hung at the entrance of the house. It was originally a feng shui treasure that can help control the house and turn evil into auspiciousness. It is common door lintels in Taiwan to expel evil spirits. It is connected by a mirror or a wooden sign, with five mountains and a sea painted on the head, which reads My home is like mountains and seas, and the rest has nothing to do with me. It means “My home has turned into a natural landscape, and any evil spirit will have no effect on my house.”

During the most prosperity period, there was a red brick pigsty aside the house. Livestock is a kind of their property; they need to keep an eye on it day and night.

There were even two deep wells. In an era of conservative thinking, water use must also comply with gender norms. The front left is called “dragon well”, which is normally used by men, and the front right is called “tiger well” for women only. We can feel the splendor of the ancient house and the full happiness.

In the 1950s Zuoying area was an entire agricultural land, and the main crop was “water chestnut” ; it was also a distribution center for peanuts. Back then, many shops around Zuoying old town went to Kaohsiung and Pingtung to purchase peanuts to sell them as processed goods. With industrial changes and urban renewal, all agricultural land was converted into construction land, and the number of peanut processing shops dwindled, with only a few still operating today. Yung Feng永豐peanut candy is the store that fit up its signboard in that time. It was found in this ancient house of the Yu family. Now the shop owner is the third generation, meanwhile in charge of keeping this old mansion.

At the Yu family old house with May

roof tiles resembling the scales of a fish

Second Stop: The Su Family’s Old House

by 林一成

Visit to the old house of Zuoying Old City to appreciate their value delivered and historical and cultural memories passed on.

Welcome you all and thank you for taking your time to get acquainted with the old houses in the Zuoying area. Your moves keep the value impact in wider scope and the buildup of memories for the future.

This is I-Chen and kindly please allow me to introduce you to the Su Family in the 2nd Zone (2甲) of Zuoying Old City. Fortunately, this Old House has been one of the somehow properly and proportionally conserved and is one of the 20-30 existing old houses nowadays. On the other hand, it is unfortunate that roughly 80% or more out of the original 150-200 units have been torn down to rebuild in modern use or just let them turn into ruins as the time went by for whatever reason, economic concern or disputes in ownership and…etc., rather than the culture and value preservation purpose.

Let me give you some background overview about the Su family. This old house was built in 1926 during the Japanese occupation period. It was a 5-open-section big house when built up. It goes with the so-called right and left arm of building for the family members and/or the younger generations to live in. Rather than an ordinary small house, that 5-open-section big house shows its wealth, prosperity and high social status.

What makes the Su Family influential enough in local 2甲 falls on its family inherited value and spirit. Their ancestors played a role of providing medical care for local residents as a doctor. However these were uncertified, informally trained physicians called “barefoot healers” ‘赤腳仙仔’. The name means a learn-by-nature doctor illustrated by extensive reading and studying at a time when a significant part of local people were illiterate (not acquainted with words and not being able to read). An old Chinese philosophical thought says clear the value of ‘Nothing is more important than learning (Studying) '萬般皆下品、唯有讀書高’. Such philosophy is passed down from generation to generation.

Why not take a glance at the building and you’ll be able to find out possible evidence to tell the inherited value of Su Family Old House now? Raise your hand and speak up to show us if you get it please. Yes, the Chinese brush pen indicates…what?

It tells the writing, words and implies knowledge acquisition as well as the intrinsic spirit of inner hearted tranquility and consistency. What about the fine stone wall and the shaved hexagonal limestones? Rather than thorny bamboo or mudbrick- or clod fence or wall of other resident houses, the fine limestone material used for the building you see shows the Su Family’ economic wealth at the time. Any other findings can prove the Su Family’s prosperity, anyone? Sure, the colored tiles named ‘Flower Tile’ do catch our eyes. The conventional hand-made and glaze firing through the process of heating temperature of 1000-1200 degree Celsius. The flower tiles at that time were extremely expensive imported goods and are no longer produced today. They are priceless treasures as well as cultural heritage. The flower tile craftworks with convex surfaces were originally from European countries such as Great Britain and France. However, they were mainly imported to Taiwan for building construction since 1900 from Awaji Island (淡路島), Japan (pic. 5). The localized tile design with symbolic sign like pomegranate (石榴), apple, peony(牡丹花), peach, representing conventional and everlasting meaning of more children offspring, peace, fortune and longevity. The flower tiles are thought to be gorgeous enough among the old houses in Zuoying Old City.

At the Su family’s old house. Notice the color tiles from Awaji, Japan.

Third Stop: The Ko Family’s Old House

by 夏天

Ko family came from Tung-An (同安縣) in Fujian province of China in early time. Their ancestors originally lived in Liu Chia (六甲), Tainan, when they came to Taiwan, and then moved to Zuoying to make a living.

Nowadays, their members in Zuoying are divided into 4 families. The oldest and second families live in the 2nd district(二甲), the rest live in the 3rd district(三甲) in Zuoying.

This particular old house is located in the 3rd district(三甲) area in Zuoying old settlement, and was built during the Japanese occupation period. There’s a plaque on the top of the door in the hall, this is common practice for famous and rich families. And it states the clan name of the family, Mei Kuei梅魁. Spring is the beginning of the year, and plum blossoms are the queen of all the flowers . Mei Kuei梅魁 means a family with many children, only girls but no boys. In the Chinese tradition, if there is no one who can continue the future generations, it’s just like a cold winter.

People hope spring comes soon, because it is the season when flowers bloom. They expected flowers to bloom like more and more sons.

Maybe time will change their views on men, but these prestigious big families will always hope that their descendants are great and successful in every generation.

at the Ko family’s with Summer

the “right arm” seems to be in shambles

Fourth Stop: The Huang Family’s Old House（part I）

by 巴比

You had seen the side door before you entered the old house. And its name reads “五福臨門” , which means “herald of all fortunes,” the family was obviously a wealthy one (Pic. 8). In addition, the name of the lintel plaque at the entrance indicates its owner might have been an adopted son.
The ancestor, named Huang Sih (黃仕), served as an official in charge of guarding 左營 Zuoying town in Chin dynasty. And then his later generation in Japanese-colonial period, Huang Wu Chiu (黃鳥秋) had three sons, Huang Tu (黃土), Huang Sih(黃仕) and Huang Hong (黃鴻). The Huangs were getting more and more influential because they ran a rice mill, grocery stores and transportation business of ox carts. Furthermore, they also played an important role in the area because of their position of borough leader.

We're so honored to see the current female owner, who is also one of the descendants of the family showing up here！

Fourth Stop: The Huang Family’s Old House（part II）

by Luis

According to the accounts given by the owner, their early ancestor arrived in the Old Town in the Qing dynasty as a member of the garrison stationed at the south gate of the city. During the Japanese colonial period, they were forced to relocate to the present location as a result of their property being commandeered by the government for military application. The scale and opulence of the old house reveals the prestige and social status that they enjoyed at that time. Throughout the years, the family was involved in many different local business activities such as rice dehusking mill, food grocery, ox cart transportation (namely “logistics” in modern terms), local sheriff or leader of the borough (保證), banking cooperative trustee, director of the water resource bureau, and more. And again, from the perspective of the era, all the above gives us an idea on how influential they were in the nearby area.

After walking around enjoying a feast for my eyes, we finally arrived in the 4th district to see one more spectacular timeless piece of art. Of all the houses we’ve visited today, this one is by far the largest. The main section of the house is built into two tiers with yet another patio in between. This time we only got to see the first tier; and even so, we were more than impressed by the decorations in every part of the house. The lower part of the facade displays a building technique called stuco-washing, a common practice of the time. A mixture of fine gravel and cement was applied to the surface of the wall, and before it was dry, a thin layer of cement was wiped off with a damp cloth to reveal the intricate beauty of the little pebbles arranged in random order. Above the windows were scrolls and paintings that conveyed the best wishes for the forthcoming generations: skill in calligraphy and art. This may not sound extraordinary in modern terms, but in those days, being able to write and possessing a good taste in art was a matter of utmost importance and priority. As for the doorposts and the lintel, granite was used in generous amounts. This displays superb luxury since such material could only be procured from China. And let alone the bricks that covered the walls, which are also imported from the other side of the strait. It seems that they couldn’t care less for the building budget, the message delivered through the extravagance was the only thing that really mattered.

Welcome to the Huang family’s old house

at the Huang’s with Bobby as the speaker. The lintel plaque indicates Mei Kuei梅魁

traditional floor tiles in the patio

a small detour to check out the rubbles and find details about building materials and techniques

Epilogue

Learning the history of these old houses was another way of learning the history of the Zuoying old settlement. In this day and age, education is full of alternatives, while some of them are still very old school, others are pretty cutting edge. Nothing compares to the experience lived in first person; furthermore, “walking into the book” is way better than just opening it. The tour provided everyone with an abundant harvest and first hand experience. Among the attendees were children and adults (pic. 12), audience and volunteer speakers as well. It was the best showcase in which the guests enjoyed just as much as the hosts. Thanks to the passion and effort that the speakers put into their stories, everyone present that day in some ways became the ambassadors of the nostalgic and silent past. Let’s hope next time more members from the audience would take over and lead a mini tour of their own. After all, this is exactly what the foreign language tour group was meant for, to combine your passion in history with the ability to speak another language. If you’re interested in what we do, please join us in this journey to keep ever growing. Contact us at ourtown.tw and make a change in your life.

Happy times for adults and children alike!

finishing their worksheet

Eureka!

Lotus Pond in Zouying

DC — Tue, 30 May 2023 10:03:08 +0000

by Luis

Upon arriving, many visitors wonder how many temples there are in this small town. While others might be thinking, “are there other religions?” In fact, “The old town” has the highest temple density in Taiwan. However, religion-wise, not all temples are the same. The four predominant types are Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Folk beliefs. Many locals visit different temples for prayers and spiritual serenity. On one hand, because most regard them all as institutions promoting pious doctrines; on the other, simply because many believers are not that aware of their differences either. Religious tolerance has been practiced since the era of early Chinese settlements in Taiwan. In time, all religions ended up intertwined, and hard to make out. This was something that went slowly digressing from the original religious practices taught by their ancestors back in China, and one of the reasons could be lack of resources in the frontiers. Back then, building materials were scarce and hard to get. In most cases, roof tiles, bricks, and mortar would have to be outsourced from the other side of the Taiwan strait. Kilns to fire building materials arrived much later after the Japanese occupation period (1895). This accounts for the so many different types of temples seen not just here in “the Old Town”, but also in the rest of Taiwan as well. I think it’s safe to say that variety does indeed spice up the beauty of life.

慈濟宮 Taoist Master of medicine

Have you ever imagined what it is like to be sick without doctors or hospitals nearby? Many people in the past could only leave everything to chances and face their own destiny. Nonetheless, the ancient Chinese have their own ways to deal with this. Pao-sheng Emperor is said to be the merciful protector of faithful believers. And when it comes to medical skills, he has yet to meet any match. According to legend, no illness is uncurable, even the dead come back to life after his treatment. I think it’s fair to say that he is the eastern counterpart of Jesus Christ.

Originally named Wu-tao, Pao-sheng Emperor was born in the Sung dynasty, which is roughly a millennium ago. As a child, he was smart and adept showing capability in different subjects of learning. The story goes, at the age of 17, after a divine apparition, he was granted the magical power of treating illnesses as well as exorcism. And since he was always generous in addition to compassionate, people have always seen him as the avatar of the deities from heaven.

Crouching tiger and hidden dragon…

One day walking down the mountain trails to gather herbal medicine, he met up with a panting and almost dead tiger. Being merciful even towards animals, he approached the beast offering his help. After checking, he found the problem in its throat and reached out with his arm to remove a hair pin from very deep inside. At once, the tiger was relieved from the agony of being chocked to death, and confessed that he had just devoured a lady on her way downhills. The doctor made the beast promise not to ever do that again and befriended this fearful but gallant patient from the wild.

The fame and reputation of this miraculous physician did not stop among human beings. Even the mystical dragon could not resist the idea of booking an appointment. Coming down with flu and serious eye infection, the dragon resorted to seeing him after showing up as an ordinary mortal in disguise. In almost no time, the magnificent doctor uncovered its deceiving appearance while offering his altruistic medical treatment. And very quickly, some eye drops helped the dragon regain its once heathy eyesight. As a gesture of gratitude, both the tiger and the dragon have remained at the disposal of Pao-sheng Emperor, eliminating not only wrongdoers but also sinister beings from the underworld. This is a genuine proof of the divine power that he once received from heaven to keep all mortals from the pain of health issues as well as the intimidation of evil spirits.

Since his skills and knowledge in medicine was unsurpassed, it’s not hard to imagine why people come to worship him. One thing that sets this temple apart from all others is the Chinese medicine prescription granted to those who pray for health. After incense burning, prayer, and moon blocks casting, the believer gets a divine consultation by drawing sticks similar to a fortune stick oracle, but a little smaller in size. Only that in this case, instead of an explanation of their luck, they receive an instruction of what kinds of Chinese medicine to take. This sounds like a medical appointment, after which the prescription may be taken to a Chinese medicine store to have it filled. For centuries, this practice became a social norm until the advent of modern medicine and health care.

In Ming dynasty, or roughly 500 years ago, the emperor granted him a title of honor, "Imperial Inspector at Heavenly Gate, Miracle Doctor of Compassion Relief, Great Taoist Immortal, and the Long-lived Unbounded, Life-guarding Emperor” (恩主昊天金關御史慈濟馨鑒妙道真君萬賽無極保生大帝). This being complicated and too long to remember, many followers have a hard time even pronouncing his entire name. For the sake of simplicity, people throughout history call him by the name of the last four Chinese characters from the title, Pao-sheng Emperor.

龍虎塔 Majesty and Gallantry

If you ever travel to Kaohsiung, this is a spot you definitely can’t miss. It is among the top ten must-go places in Taiwan. Located at the southern end of the Lotus Pond are the magnificent Dragon and Tiger pagodas. Nothing compares to the uniqueness and craftmanship of this monumental Chinese traditional architecture, which in the eyes of many can be even seen as an installation art on steroids.

To the delight of visitors, this place is just 10 minute-walk from Zuoying train station (TRA), or you can rent a Youbike and leisurely pedal your way from the nearest MRT station, the Kaohsiung Arena.

Since early recorded history, the Turtle Mountain in front of us had always been seen as the patron protector of the village. In the distance, the mountain resembles a turtle drinking water from the pond, and hence the name. Early residents enjoyed year after year of prosperity and growth. Until disaster struck, a series of unexplainable and apprehensive incidents took place in the area. The pond water turned red, fish died in big numbers, the weather became unpredictable, and what not. According to some accounts, the reason why this area lost its once perfect condition was simply because the natural harmony of the place had been upset up to three times throughout history. That harmony is called feng-shui (風水) in Chinese, and geomancy in English. Different versions circulated in the public lore; but the following is the most prevalent. The first incident occurred in the 19th century, when prestigious people chose the Turtle Mountain as the burial place for their loved ones. It is said that the tomb stones simply obstructed the nose cavity of the animal, depriving it of fresh air. The second took place in the 1940s, when the Japanese government decided to open the street that currently runs adjacent to the ancient city wall. This time, the situation got even worse as the already weak animal was being strangled almost to death. The third and final blow occurred after the restoration in 1949, when the national government decided to build a tower at the peak of the hill in memory of a Navy general (桂永清). And this was the final nail on the coffin. The ill-fated mythological animal breathed its last, never to fulfill again its faithful duty of safeguarding locals.

In 1969, a divine revelation came from Pao-sheng emperor, whose dedicated temple is located at the foot of the turtle mountain. He indicated that a big disaster was imminent and people must brace up for this forthcoming ordeal by any means. Therefore he commissioned the building of the Dragon and Tiger towers, stipulating that the height should be even taller than the existing memorial Tower in order to suppress the energy, or simply chi in Chinese. Shortly after the completion, the plan paid off. In 1977, a big typhoon swept across Taiwan hitting hard its southern area, but fortunately the number of losses and casualties were kept at a minimum considering the magnitude of the wind. Many people interpreted the aftermath as a sign of divine protection, which otherwise would be unthinkable. From then on, the Dragon and Tiger pagodas have stood firm and tall not only by the shore of the Lotus pond, but also in the hearts and memory of the grateful locals.

The pagodas feature seven stories in all with extended pointed roofs to ensure their height. As for the architecture style, yellow walls on the exterior, red pillars and orange roof tiles remind us of the Chinese classics. But according to reliable sources, the top floors house a talisman in each of them to protect the vicinity with their magical power. The dragon and the tiger at the foot of the pagodas display vivid and vigorous energy anticipating the content of the themes depicted on the inside. As you make your way into the mouth of the dragon, you will appreciate the twenty-four filial piety stories on the left and the hellish gory images in the purgatory on the right. The message can’t be clearer, failing to respect and obey parents will unavoidably lead to dreaded consequences. In the tiger tunnel, the seventy-two disciples of Confucius the great master and the thirty-six generals stand on each side of the passage. Perhaps in the traditional Chinese philosophy, this is the epitome of what all persons should be like: strong both in knowledge and body, reflecting something similar to the harmony that westerners call spirit, body and soul. After walking out from the mouth of this fearsome beast, you’ve accomplished an auspicious endeavor, because “exiting the mouth of the tiger” implies good luck in Chinese.

The connecting path from the shore is called “the bridge of the nine bends.” Interestingly, as you make your way in and out, such name simply doesn’t “add up”, there are only seven zigzags in total. After some explanation from tour guides, “nine” is only a metaphorical expression referring to “many” in Chinese. In reality, “seven” is a connotation coming from the sword of the seven stars. But I guess that’s good topic material for another episode in the future. And before you leave, don’t forget to touch a couple of times the “gold dumplings” on the back of the mythological animal standing at the entrance. This is a hybrid between a dragon and a turtle, and its name is Pi-xi. The Chinese regard this gesture as a sign of financial prosperity and good fortune. Until next time!

啟明堂 Four in One

For those who want to worship the many gods of the four religion types in Taiwan, visiting this temple is indeed the way to go. It will not only save you the inconvenience of going around different temples to worship but also allow you to see the marvelous feat of engineering behind the ordinary and typical façade. Chi-Ming Temple translates into “divine enlightenment”, which is the true purpose of this building. There is a temple behind the main temple, another one on top, and then another one below; making it worthy of the name, “four in one”. Inside the main temple is Kuan-Kong, the saint worshipped by all four religions in Taiwan. This larger-than-life figure was a loyal general working for a warlord roughly eighteen hundred years ago. The narrative of his stories falls somewhere between reality and fiction. But despite the apocryphal nature, many followers are both devout and pious. He’s also called the saint of literature and war due to his passion and prowess in relevant subjects. As you visit the main temple, you’ll see him reading from a scroll in his hand. That book is the all-time famous “Spring and Autumn”, one of the many Chinese classics by the great master Confucius. This by all means attracted believers from all walks of life, such as teachers, students, accountants, soldiers, police officers, and even members of underground organizations of gangsters. You wouldn’t be too far off to include just as many other professions among the worshippers.

Other gods to worship here include Confucius, Sakyamuni buddha, Jade Emperor, Kuan-in buddha, and many deities often mentioned in Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and local folk beliefs. Perhaps it was out of hospitality, or maybe due to religious tolerance, the shrines in the adjacent temples are dedicated to numerous other gods just mentioned, which re-confirms again its four in one feature. For those looking for an easier solution; no offense, but this is like a “religious supermarket” since there’s a god for just about everyone.

春秋閣 and 五裡亭 The Spring and Autumn Pavilions and the Five Mile Gazebo

Back in 1953, the only architectures on the surface of the pond were the Spring and Autumn Pavilions. The other pagodas and statues we can see today were not even built yet. In fact, in the knowledge of most locals the name of these two towers came to be the equivalent of the Lotus Pond. Green roof tiles, yellow walls, octagonal cross-section towers are all quintessential elements of the Chinese classical style.

元帝廟北極亭 Xuan-Tien Emperor

For good reasons this area has the highest temple density in Taiwan. In fact, many different gods and deities from China can be found here. Among them, Xuan-Tien Emperor stands out for his connection to astrolatry. What westerners call the Big Dipper (or the Plough in the UK), the ancient Chinese call it Xuan-Wu, the name of a dreadful menacing monster. During the Tang dynasty, it was depicted as a hybrid of a turtle and a snake. It’s interesting that depending on who you ask, these seven stars of the constellation can be interpreted as different things. Long story short, Xuan-Tien Emperor saved the day for everyone by subduing the man-eating monster under his power. As you make your way to the large statue on the Lotus Pond, you’ll see a majestic 24 meter tall ancient warrior with a sword in his left hand and stepping on a turtle and a snake under his right foot. In fact, it’s the tallest statue built on the water in southeast Asia. Different narratives circulate as for how Xuan-Tien Emperor made his way from northern China to the Lotus Pond. But I personally find it obvious because the most important elements of his story can be found here. The Turtle Mountain and the Snake Mountain witnessed the rise and fall of the Feng-Shan Old Town and they also played a vital role in the selection of the location to start a trade settlement in the early times. And it’s not by coincidence that the sword has a peculiar name, the sword of the Seven Stars. According to legend, it’s a property of Pao-Sheng Emperor, the main God in the temple across the street from the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas. Xuan-Tien borrowed the sword under the condition of temporarily sending his 36 warriors at the disposal of Pao-Sheng. In the meantime, each of them will have the other’s possession until all demons and evils in the world are kept at bay. This is another example of what a good neighbor should be like; after all that’s what friends are for.

The most interesting thing about walking around in old towns like this is that it’s full of breathtaking and fun stories from the ancient past. Even locals find it astonishing when many dots in their minds are slowly connected together into one solid piece. It’s fair to say that once is never enough to comprehend and enjoy the rich history behind. You need to visit the Old Town as many times to feel and even experience the mindset of those early settlers and then make sense of it all.