Tainan (CNS) -- Tainan City in southern Taiwan, the first stop of migrants from the mainland in old times, holds a rich collection of ancient Chinese buildings, such as streets of over one hundred years old, the Matsu Temple dedicated to the Chinese Goddess of the Sea built in 1684, the Confucian school–temple, aged wells in alleys and countless historical monuments.
An elder who sells white gourd tea, one of Taiwan's most famous folk drinks, said, Tainan has maintained the original style of Taiwan and local residents, mainly descendents of mainland migrants, still live a traditional lifestyle.
The three-storey Fort Provintia, a Qing-style attic reconstructed from a Dutch castle, is surrounded by tablets, rockeries and a carp pond. Decorations of the attic were crafted in typical ancient style, adding another delightful touch to its rich cultural relic holdings.
The first Confucian Temple in Taiwan was built in Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). It offered highest official education institute in Taiwan until the end of Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). A monument and a memorial archway were set up aside the temple to show respect to Confucius, the respected ancient educator.
The ancient folk culture pavilion exhibits typical Chinese ancient houses, with embellished windows, carved beams, Ming-style furniture, ancient paintings and antithetical couples, Mahjong made of china and thread stitching books. The notions of the relations between location and decoration are embedded in designs of alleys and buildings.
A bronze statue of Zheng Chenggong, a national hero of late Ming, stands in the Fort Zeelandia. Zheng's treasured calligraphies and sculptures of armed Qing soldiers are on display, as well as pictures and scripts of the wars depicting battle against foreign invaders with swords.
The Matsu Temple beside the Fort Zeelandia, built in 1668, has been blessing the city for centuries. The first Matsu school in the world was founded this year to protect and spread the ancient culture.
