Tainan is to Taiwan what 
Kyoto is to Japan.The city was capital of the island from
1663 to 1885 and its history and its modern flavor, is inextricably linked with the exploits of Koxinga. Today, Tainan remains higly conscious of its rich cultural legacy. Under a forward-thinking administration, Taiwan’s fourth largest city is just under one million people is focusing into a tourist mecca. Light industry, argriculture, fishing and tourism are all encouraged in the area, but large industrial plants and their accompanying pollution are kept arm’s length. The goal is to maintain a clean and cultured city, a showcase for visitors. The Northern Taiwanauthorities are especially determined to protect the scenic beauty and delicate ecological balance of Tainan’s tropical coastline. While Tainan is Taiwan’s most socially progressive city, it is also its most traditional. Temples are the hallmark of Tainan. The sobriquet City of a Hundred Temples is a modest understatement. In fact, there are 220 major temples and countless minor shrines scattered throughout the town and surrounding countryside.

Koxinga’s Shrine, set in a garden compound of tropical trees and breezy pavilions, the shrine was built in 1875 by imperial edict from the Manchu Qing court in Beijing. This was a landmark event, it indicated that the former Ming resistance leader had been forgiven and now had been deified as a national hero. A statue of Koxinga stands in the central shrine hall, flanked by those of his two most trusted generals. In the colonnades are enshrined the 114 loyal officers who followed him to Taiwan. The rear shrine hall houses an altar to Koxinga’s mother, accompanied by young princes. An attached museum, displays antiques, pottery, paintings, documents, and costumes reflecting the life and times of Koxinga.

Cheng Huang Miao, is a small, old and very original temple. Tainan’s residents believe that their behaviour is reported to the emperors of heaven and hell by Cheng Huang, the city deity. The main shrine is a fascinating jumble of smoke-stained icons, antique hardwood fixtures and intricately-hewns beams. Within is a solemn bearded statue of the deity, with life sized statues of a warrior and a scholar standing guard on either side. In the side-wall niches are two dozens icons of smooth camphorwood, clothed in silk brocade. The facial features and poses are highly individual. Behind the main shrine is a smaller hall and shrine. The side walls are lined painted clay statues, depicting famous monks and masters of the past. The open beam-work on the temple ceiling is noteworthy. Unlike the other ceilings, this one is varnished rather than painted, its surface etched with fine filigree.

Temple of Jade Emperor, one of the oldest and most authentic Taoist temples in Taiwan. A highly detailed fascade of stone, carved in deep relief, graces the entrance to the central hall of this gaudy complex. Inside, the Jade Emperor is represented by an austere stone slab engraved with his name. To the right, an elevated shrine is dedicated to the red-faced warrior-god, Kuan Kung. It is an exquisite shrine with finely-painted door gods and attendant dragons, side panel of sculpted stone depicting animals and Taoist immortals, a large center pagoda for burning offerings, and a circular ceiling inhabited by hundreds of carved, gilded gods.

Temple of the Holy Mother at Deer Ear Gate, is the largest temple structure in this part of Asia. Visitors can see its golden roof tiles shimmering in the distance long before they actually reach it. The entry to this temple is formed by an immense two story facade braced by a pair of large pagodas. The sculpted dragon columns that support the portico were hewn from solid stone by Taiwan’s finest temple artisans. The main wall of the double-tiered shrine inside is divided into six ornates niches, each of which enshrines the icons of major deities of Taiwan. The entire shrine area is carved, etched, painted, cast and gilded in incredible detail. The altar table is a triple-length, black-lacquered, gold-glided fantasy of intricately-carved celestial animals, heaped high with offerings to Matsu. An equally magnificient shrine halls stands behind the first, also with six major shrines in the walls and two intrincately-carved altar tables. The small black wooden icons are paraded about town on elaborate palanquins during traditional festivals. The third hall is a story taller than the first two. In the ground-floor hall are three well-crafted Buddha images. The central figure is seated on a lotus dias, the right one rides a tiger, the left one is mounted on an elephant. On the third floor is an ornate triple shrine to the Jade Emperor.

Between Chiayi and Tainan, is the two largest lakes in Taiwan, Wushantou (Coral Lake) and the Tsengwen Reservoir. An underground tunnel three kilometers long feeds Wushantou from the reservoir. Wushantou derives its name from the countless narrow inlets that probe like fingers into the surrounding hills, making the lake’s outline resemble a chunk of coral. More than 30 mountain streams flow into this 30 meter deep body of water. Swimming is not permitted as the lakes provides drinking water to the region. Boats can be rented for fishing or just cruising, in fact, the lake’s main attraction is a boat tour visits several islands, Paotzuliao Suspension Bridge and Hsikou Tunnel. A network of trails surrounds the lake. There is a small resort village, featuring a replica of Beijing’s Tiantan and several hostels and inns. Tsengwen Reservoir replaced Wushantou as Taiwan’s largest inland body of water when it was completed in 1971. This 44 square kilometer reservior also attracts boaters and hikers. Several tropical fruit plantations in the area provide delicious fresh food to this off the beaten-track resort.