"According to historic records and relevant literature, salt fields have existed in Yancheng as early as 1665 during the Kingdom of Tungning. The field was known as Seguchi Salt Field and it was most likely the first of its kind in Taiwan. The former Monopoly Bureau Branch of Taiwan Governor’s Office, which has become a municipal heritage site today, used to be known as the “Yancheng Office”.
Yangcheng Library looks like a crystal made up of stacked books symbolizing knowledge in a nod to its role and local background. The library will have a collection of 100,000 books including children’s books, fiction, sports and health. Audio-visual materials will also be available for the general public to borrow. Once complete, it will hopefully become the learning and lifestyle hub of the South District.
Built in 1684, the temple enshrines Xuan Tian Shang Di (Dark Heavenly Highest Deity). Beiji Temple’s historical evolution is closely connected to early salt field culture. For over 300 years, it has protected the local farmers and salt workers, and is the spiritual center for local people. In early times, the people of Yancheng would send dried salt from Pan Port(泮港) near Beiji Temple to Anping and other places. The river port is no longer visible but the complex arrangement of streets around the temple are clues to its former existence.
Fenghuang Suspension Bridge(鳳凰吊橋)spans the Zhu River (竹溪) and connects old Zhuxi Temple(竹溪寺) and Tainan City Sports Park. The 25-metre long bridge was built in 1982. It is small but matches perfectly with the surrounding scenery. It is not known why it was named Fenghuang Suspension Bridge “Phoenix Bridge”; it could be because Tainan is also known as Phoenix City or it was named after the flame trees that stand nearby (called phoenix trees in Chinese). In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Zhu River was a popular travel destination for the literati.
Inside the SBL Bio Tourism Factory (新百祿燕窩觀光工廠) enthusiastic tour guides will take you on an explanatory tour. Adorable animations are used to explain the ecology and nesting process of the swallow. Because swallows' nests are not easy to obtain, imitation nests in the factory allow swallows to come and build nests in the swallow room, and watching the workers in Southeast Asia gathering swallow nests also makes for interesting viewing.
Bao-an Temple(保安宮) was built in 1946. Despite being a relative newcomer amongst temples in Taiwan, it houses extremely precious cultural heritage in the form of the works of four winners of the Folk Art Heritage Award. Few, if any, temples in Taiwan can equal this; there are fragmented ceramic works by master Ye Jin-lu, door god paintings and beam paintings by master Pan Li-shui, altar murals by master Tsai Cao-ru, and stone carvings by Shi Hong-yi, the masterpieces of four acclaimed artists under one roof.
Located at Wanli in Tainan’s South District, Wannian Temple is the main belief center of the people of Wanli. It was built in 1729 and enshrines the San Fu Qian Sui gods Ye, Zhu, and Li (葉、朱、李三府千歲). The jianjiao sacrificial ceremony held every 12 years is a grand event that goes on for months. It features a procession in which the King Boat that the temple enshrines is carried around.
Wanhuang Temple(萬皇宮) was built in 1739 and enshrines lordsYe, Zhu and Li San Fu Qian Sui who conduct a “hunting tour on behalf of heaven” (代天巡狩), and is the local belief center. The temple has a palace architectural style and is large and magnificent. The paintings and carvings inside were all done by renowned craftsmen, with works by masters Pan Li-shui, Tsai Cao-ru and Shi Hong-yi to be seen. The King Boat Ceremony held every 12 years is a grand local event. A platform as large as the temple itself and a king boat are constructed.
A short distance from the hustle and bustle of Anping (安平) is a small settlement unlike the city. Walk along the seaside path to discover a decorated flyover rising over the path; one end connects to an elementary school, and the other end leads to the beach.
The beach at Sikunshen (四鯤鯓) is really startling; just think, Tainan's beaches can be this beautiful. If you visit, please remember to help protect her; this beach is the result of the collaborative efforts of a great many people.
Longshan Temple, commonly called Quantai Kaiji Sikunshen Temple(全台開基四鯤鯓龍山寺), was the earliest temple to enshrine Qingshui Zushi(清水祖師) in Taiwan. The temple was built in during the 19th year of the reign of the Yongli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty in 1665. Military personnel and civilians from Anxi County in Quanzhou who came with Koxinga welcomed a statue of Qingshui Zushi from Anxi Qingshui Temple (安溪清水巖), and settlers from Pinghe County in Zhangzhou (漳州府平和縣) welcomed a statue of Sanping Zushi(三平祖師) from Sanping Temple.