Immersing yourself in flashing lights, pulsing music, and smoke machines can indeed be a grand way to celebrate the weekend. That being said, it can also be immensely rewarding to unwind by another route: to step back from the sometimes relentless, never-ending motion of Taipei City life, treat yourself to a quick getaway, and soak up some sun and culture. There’s no need to book a flight, hop on a plane, and jet over to the nearest white sand beach just so you can de-stress, either – which is ironically quite stressful in itself. Sometimes, the greatest treasures are hidden in our own backyards. 

Just recently, Taiwan Observer joined MyTaiwanTour (click the link to find tours like this and more) on a trip to Tainan, the oldest city and one-time capital of the island. Tainan’s love for timeless recipes, the genuine hospitality of its locals, and its vintage, time capsule-like quality are just a few of its charms. Here are some of the attractions you don’t want to miss:

Huoshan Biyun Temple (火山碧雲寺)

Nestled about midway up Zhentou Mountain (Pillow Mountain) in Tainan’s Baihe District, the sanctuary bears all the hallmarks of a classic Taiwanese temple – from its remote location and mystical aesthetic to its own unique folklore. The temple, which features a blend of Japanese and Fujian architectural styles, has remained largely untouched since its debut 221 years ago; some of the red bricks and wooden beams used in its original construction are still visible. Next to the temple is a cluster of boulders with a small cavity in its center. Legend has it that rice magically streamed out of the hole year round, providing the temple residents with ample food day in and day out. That was until a gluttonous monk attempted not only to take more than his share, but to hoard all the blessings. Never again has a single grain of rice tumbled out of that hole.       

Guanziling Mud Hot Springs (關子嶺溫泉風景區)

Those looking for a twist on the traditional hot spring experience or to unleash your inner swine will want to check out the Guanziling Hot Springs, home to the only mud baths on the island. Japanese soldiers brawling with local anti-Japanese forces stumbled upon one of these unusual springs in the late 19th century. Specialists who were convinced by the medicinal properties of the mud pools aided in propelling Guanziling to the forefront of the hot spring game; it was soon crowned “Taiwan’s Number One Hot Spring.” 

The rejuvenating mud baths are replete with natural minerals and antibacterial sulfur that are said to eliminate toxins, fortify the immune system, alleviate joint pain, and soothe certain skin conditions and minor ailments. Take a dip in the velvety pearl-gray waters, whip up a creamy lather, and bask in the sun like a majestic seal. Be prepared to emerge fully relaxed with all the negative energy flushed out of your system and buttery-soft skin to boot.      

“Salt Town”/YanXiang B&B Restaurant (鹽鄉民宿餐廳‧古早味風味餐) Traditional Beimen Cuisine

The restaurant owner, Mr. Hong, who has become something of a celebrity in these parts, decided to return to Jingzhaijiao years ago to launch a business that would celebrate the underrated culture of his beloved hometown. The rustic interior is a throwback to simpler times and offers the kind of warmth associated with visiting a dear relative or old friend, but its award-winning dishes are the stars of the show. Be sure to try their signature crispy boneless milkfish, milkfish sausages, oyster rice noodles, and a steaming plate of extra-large, deliciously juicy clams. Postcards and letters from happy customers are proudly displayed under the glass tops of the dining tables. 

Beimen Saltworks

After lunch, we were given a tour – via a miniature train – of the Beimen salterns (北門鹽場) and the old saltworks by Mr. Hong himself, which included a stopover at Saltern No. 16 to sample some edible grass. The Beimen Salt Works Administration Office, listed as a historic building, is easily one of the most standout structures within the saltworks complex. The turquoise timber structure, which features quintessential Japanese Colonial and British building techniques, was constructed in 1923, and was the former center of the surrounding salt fields, overseeing taxes as well as the sales and distribution of the hot commodity. 

Mercy’s Door Free Clinic

In the wake of the 1957 outbreak of blackfoot disease that swept across Beimen and other neighboring townships, Dr. Wang King-Ho (also spelled “Wang Jin-He) and Presbyterian missionary Lillian Disckson, on behalf of the Mustard Seed Mission, co-founded the Mercy’s Door Free Clinic. The blackfoot epidemic, which resulted in raw, pus-gushing lesions, blackened and mummified gangrene-riddled appendages, and a host of organ-specific cancers, was most likely caused by the locals’ 80-year exposure to “artesian well water” tainted with arsenic. The clinic opened its doors to the public three years later with Wang as head physician, and between 1960 and 1986, served as a safe haven for sufferers of the terrible disease, who received medical treatments free of charge.    

Jingzhaijiao Tile-Paved Salt Fields (井仔腳瓦)

Set against a backdrop of the glittering Beimen Lagoon, the Jingzhaijiao Tile-Paved Salt Fields are a spectacular sight. The salt ponds, the oldest of its kind in Taiwan, are neatly spread out across square mosaic tiles, hence its name, with conical mounds of lace-white salt seated within each square of the glassy grid. The iconic salt fields were first developed in 1818 during the reign of Qing Emperor Jiaqing, and was originally known as the “Laidong Salt Fields.” Salt miners ingeniously sprinkled broken pottery fragments over the salt ponds to keep salt crystals from clinging to the soil. 

The salt ponds were temporarily abandoned when the local salt industry crashed in 2002, but the salt fields were soon resurrected and transformed into a popular tourist attraction. Be sure to catch the salt ponds at sunset, and keep an eye out for the enchanting swirl of birds fluttering over the lagoon. Visitors can also shimmy across the walkway, and receive blessings of peace, love, and good fortune in the island’s only pig goddess (豬母娘娘) temple. After a mob of villagers decided to drive a pregnant sow off a cliff, as the legend goes, local farms and farmers became cursed by a string of bad harvests and inexplicable illnesses. They quickly erected a shrine dedicated to the sow, and only then, they say, was the curse finally lifted.

Zhuxinju Restaurant (筑馨居)

Dine like a true Qing dynasty local in this century-old house, which features most of its original doors and roof tiles, and brick walls adorned with vintage plaques, paintings, and shelves lined with old pottery and spice jars. The restaurant’s lack of a fixed menu only makes the dining experience all the more memorable. Expect textbook old-school Tainanese cuisine, which primarily focuses on seafood, local produce, and flavorful broths. The owner of the restaurant, Mr. Chou, was kind enough to introduce us to his prized antiques collection, among which included a portable general goods store mounted onto the back of a bicycle, an old-fashioned cash register, and an assortment of medicinal jars and vials.   

Thinking Homestay/Bed & Breakfast

We topped off our trip down memory lane with an evening at Thinking Homestay. Each room of the stunning old manor-turned-bed-and-breakfast boasts a distinctive decor and layout, and is furnished with Japanese-era antiques and heirlooms. Guests can also grab a nightcap at the old-timey, no-menu bar, manned by an effortlessly cool bartender, behind the reception area on the ground floor.  

Wushantou Reservoir (烏山頭水庫)

In 1919, Japanese hydraulics engineer Yoichi Hatta took on the ambitious task of designing and building an irrigation system for the Chianan Plain. Construction of the Wushantou Reservoir began the following year and was completed in May of 1930. The sprawling reservoir, which had a capacity of 150 million cubic meters and was fitted with a powerful, earthquake-resistant dam, was once the largest reservoir on the continent. Hatta’s innovative irrigation system tapped into Coral Lake, where over 30 rivers collide, and regularly supplied water to over 100,000 hectares of farmland, turning the once sterile plains into a thriving center of rice cultivation. Today, it is the only reservoir in the world that actively employs the “semi-hydraulic fill technique.”   

Statues and shrines devoted to Hatta and his family are scattered across the Yoichi Hatta Memorial Park. Tragedy struck twofold when Hatta’s ship, en route to Manila, was sunk in a World War II submarine attack in 1942; a portion of his ashes were buried on reservoir grounds. Unable to cope with the sudden loss of her husband, Hatta’s inconsolable wife, Toyoki Yonemura climbed onto the red bridge above the reservoir and leapt into the surging waters three years later. 

Visitors can also enjoy a dreamy cruise on Coral Lake, studded with 100 scenic isles and peninsulas, explore quaint Japanese-style houses, and (if you’re lucky) a lovely serenade from a local zither master.

Fully embrace the arrival of autumn this year by partaking in a beloved local tradition, modernized to show better regard for Mother Earth, and a magical outdoor festival that will have you wishing you never had to leaf.

Taiwan Observer was recently invited to a demo tour for a taste of the much-anticipated WISH 2019 Sustainable Sky Lantern Festival, hosted by MyTaiwanTour, to be held on the 12th of October in Pingxi. The sure-to-be unforgettable evening will include: a cool ride on an actual coal train, courtesy of the XPX Taiwan Coal Mine Heritage Park; a colorful market packed with delicious eats, an arts and crafts fair, and live music at that; a scrumptious farm-to-table feast in the forest perfect for Pinterest boards; and the launching of environmentally-friendly lanterns into the starry night sky.   

Pingxi and its famous sky lanterns are an indispensable item on the to-do lists of visiting tourists for obvious reasons. According to one legend, the centuries-old practice arose from the customs of Minnan settlers who came to the coal mining town in the early 1820s. When the island was under Qing rule, villagers fled deep into the mountain wilderness to escape the roving bandits – especially ravenous in the months leading up to the winter solstice – who targeted ill-guarded towns for food. The hearty young men left to defend the village released waves of lanterns to indicate that it was safe to return home.  

While undoubtedly a bewitching sight to behold, the 300,000 to 400,000 lanterns released in Pingxi each year pose a serious threat to the environment, inevitably leaving partially-burnt lanterns and other garbage strewn about in the countryside. Birds and other wildlife are also made to suffer, often becoming entangled in iron wire lantern frames that have failed to decompose. 

WISH aims to celebrate the treasured tradition with an eco-friendly twist. The sustainable sky lanterns, designed and developed by Bank of Culture over two-and-a-half years, are entirely made out of paper, down to its frame, which is fashioned out of egg cartons and recycled paper pulp. You can actually watch your zero-waste lantern disintegrate in the sky, crumbling into a ball of flames and vanishing into thin air, which is pretty awesome in itself.     

General Admission tickets and Forest VIP Passes are available for sale now. For more details, head over to WISH’s official website.

WISH 2019 Sustainable Sky Lantern Festival Promo Video:

Additional Reading:

https://taiwan-scene.com/8-questions-with-the-creators-of-taiwans-first-ever-eco-friendly-sky-lantern/

https://www.taiwangods.com/html/landscape_en/1_0011.aspx?i=6

Read Pt.1 here

Following a tasty Taiwanese breakfast at the canteen, the group filed into Shunsian Temple just next door to the hostel. A sweet older woman, who we learned was a volunteer, led the tour while our trusty MyTaiwanTour guide, Gordon, played translator. The natural lighting drifting into the temple was almost redundant, for the intricately carved gilded ceilings and pillars brightened up the sanctuary with ease.

First, our temple guide directed us to what appeared to be a blemished section of the wall. This was, as dictated by legend, the site of the Mazu Miracle. After a grueling day of hauling timber and mixing concrete, the laborers poured the paste for a portion of the roof and clocked out for the day. As the story goes, the laborers returned the next morning and were stopped in their tracks by the distinctive face that had supposedly materialized onto one of the walls overnight. Upon closer inspection, the laborers spotted the close-set, heavy-lidded eyes and the small, round chin of the sea goddess.

Upstairs, the guests were given a closer look at the army of brightly-painted animal statues adorning the multi-tiered roof. The Holy Dragon and Tiger paintings emblazoned across the ceilings on either side of the second floor were, in my opinion, the temple’s most memorable attractions. Peer out the windows on the upper wall from inside of the Guanyin shrine, and you’ll see the tiger silently staring you down. Shuffle out to the corridor, however, and you’ll find that the trippy tiger’s head has suddenly shifted via optical illusion, its amber eyes seemingly glued to yours.

We had circled back to the entrance on the first floor by the end of the tour. The group was given the opportunity to choose from the tridents, spears, and other pole arms and fighting knives on display for photographs with the prop weapons. The temple’s in-house performance troupe presents incense to their patron god of theater, General Tiandu, before the start of every practice.

After the quick photo session, we sidled through the swelling crowd and took our seats, just in time for the opening ceremony of Round 1. The four teams competing on Day 1 – Shih Chien University, Lunghwa University of Science & Technology, University of Taipei, and Da-Yeh University, respectively – assembled on the temple square. Each entrance was enlivened by twirling flags, swinging battle axes, synchronized spear thrusting, cheerleading, and other acrobatics.

Intermission was called following a riveting performance by Team 1. Before proceeding to the canteen for lunch, we broke away from the crowd and ducked into the basement of the Yixian Service Center, where the contestants were recharging and prepping for their upcoming numbers. Some touched up their stage make-up – from decorative swirls, intense eyeliner, extreme eyebrows, and drawn-on beards to traditional opera masks.  A few in the group had their faces painted, courtesy of a friendly student from Lunghwa University.

We walked off our lunch at Chishan (also spelled “Qishan”) Old Street. We strolled past historic Japanese architecture and baroque buildings, and snacked on the treats we picked up from the bustling market – with no shortage of free samples, much to our delight – which can only be described as “banana central.” A couple of us also purchased boxes of banana cake from a banana-themed cafe and novelty shop.

Our next stop was the Tianliao Moon World Landscape Park. The dull, beige color and jaggedness of the rambling rock-hills are reminiscent of the moon’s rugged mountains, hence the park’s name. The group split up for the hike, and eventually reunited at the top of the climbing trail, where we enjoyed a stellar panoramic view of the badlands.

We stopped at a local re-chao place for dinner on our way back from the moon before returning to Shunsian Temple for the Day 1 closing ceremony. Once again, we cut through the throng of spectators, photographers, and camera crews, and took our seats. Kaohsiung City Mayor, Han Kuo-Yu, was the guest of honor. Politics aside, the Korean Fish’s entrance was pretty spectacular.

Spectators craned their necks and teetered on the tips of their toes as Han and his entourage strode towards their seats in the front row, a swarm of photographers and camera operators in tow. He waved at the cheering crowd and hit them with a few fist-and-palm salutes. The billows of purple-tinted smoke from the fog and light machines, dancing across the stage behind him, only added to the drama of his arrival.

The event concluded with a hypnotic fireworks and dancing fountain display. You could say that the tour ended with a bang – several bangs, in fact.