As the former capital of Taiwan and one of the earliest cities to be founded in Taiwan, Tainan is rich in history. On the last weekend of the Taiwan Intensive Summer Language Program, I hopped on a high-speed train bound for Tainan with two fellow classmates. It took us only 70 minutes to cover the 150 miles from our host city of Hsinchu to Tainan!
The next morning, the first site on our itinerary was Anping Old Fort (also known by its Dutch name, Fort Zeelandia). The Dutch were the first to colonize Taiwan and built this fort in the 1600s. We also visited Zeelandia Museum next to the fort. In addition to explaining the history of the fort’s construction, the museum also introduced the indigenous peoples who have called Taiwan home since prior to the arrival of the Dutch.
The Dutch intentionally built the fort close to the sea. Situated on the southwest coast of Taiwan, Tainan has many wonderful beaches. Later that day, we watched the sunset from Yuguang Island.
After visiting the beach, we had originally planned to head back to our hotel. However, on the way back, our cab driver recommended that we instead visit Tainan’s Garden Night Market. The night market did not disappoint!
At the night market, we tried coffin bread, a Tainan specialty. Despite its macabre name, coffin bread is actually quite delicious: chowder served in a hollowed-out piece of toast. (The “lid” on the toast makes the dish somewhat resemble a coffin.)
The following morning, we discovered that the main building of Tainan’s famous Chikan Tower complex (like the Anping Old Fort, also Dutch-built, then rebuilt over the following centuries) was unfortunately under construction.
However, we were still able to visit the Wenchang Pavilion, part of the Chikan Tower site. On the top floor of the pavilion, we ran into Lord Kui Xing. As the sign on the table explains, visitors are encouraged to ask the god’s permission to take a souvenir pencil using traditional Taiwanese moon-shaped wooden divination blocks (bwei). The blocks can be dropped on the floor, and depending on how they land, three different answers can be interpreted: “yes,” “no,” or “smiling/laughing.” I tried casting the divination blocks a few times, and after laughing at me a bit, Lord Kui Xing gave me a “yes” answer. Of course, I did not forget to leave a donation as well!
Our trip to Tainan overlapped with the start of Taiwan’s Ghost Month. As the name implies, during Ghost Month, one must be wary of the restless spirits out and about. Outside Tainan’s Chuanmei Theater (famous for its hand-painted movie posters) we came across tables loaded with offerings for the ghosts. Thanks to my teachers and language partner, I learned many of the do’s and don’t’s during Ghost Month. For example, one should not get too close to walls, as ghosts like to lurk there.
In the afternoon, we shopped at the Hayashi Department Store, which was constructed while Taiwan was under Japanese rule. This banner hung outside the store is advertising Tainan’s 400th birthday, with “Tainan” written in Chinese characters and in Romanized Taiwanese. While in Tainan, we could often hear people speaking Taiwanese in addition to Mandarin Chinese.
With its historic landmarks, beautiful scenery, and delicious local cuisine, visiting Tainan was a wonderful way to learn more about Taiwan’s history, geography, and culture.
Fulbright-Hays Fellowship Recipient
Hsinchu, Taiwan, Summer 2024