Tainan and Chihgu

Tainan and Chihgu

Tainan city (¡ÈTai¡É for Taiwan and ¡Ènan¡É meaning south), located on the southeast coast of Taiwan is famous for its ancient and historical sites. Historical sites are well-preserved within this modern and fourth most-populous city in Taiwan. The people of Tainan are hospitable and convey a proud appreciation of their heritage . They are proud of the important and carefully protected historical sites and ruins located in their hometown. Tainan County's bountiful agriculture and proximity to the coast has made Tainan a favorite destination for gourmets to savor its tasty local cuisine and snacks. It's often said that even tourists on a strict diet cannot resist Tainan's delicious cuisine and healthy snacks. Chihgu is a popular small town within a 20 minute drive of Tainan. Glistening snow-white salt-mountains and the Chihgu wetlands at sunset and sunrise provide excellent backdrops in this romantic and nostalgic setting renowned for bird watching or simply relaxing. Taking the train to Tainan is much more fun than driving. The trip from Taipei to Tainan takes about 4 hours by car or train.

With the Tropic of Cancer crossing the middle of Taiwan, the climate of southern Taiwan is hot and sultry. Changes in the weather associated with the seasons are subtle in southern Taiwan. The temperature is above 25¡î near 9 months of the year. Even in winter, the temperature is close 15¡î - 18¡î. Today however, Sunscreen lotion an umbrella or hats are useful items to help to shield the sun and staying cool while touring Tainan outdoors.

Spring

Nature has provided Tainan with just enough winter chilling to nurture an abundance of trees to break bud and flowers to blossom during the spring. The whole city becomes a green landscape conducive for outdoor activities. Spring is a good time to visit Tainan. Temperatures range from warm to hot, 22¡î - 27¡î. The Tainan spring is comfortable for residents of Taiwan,especially when the gentle breeze blows across a clear spring sky. People often forgo coats while walking on the streets of Tainan during the spring.

Summer

The summer is not a comfortable season to visit Tainan. The climate is hot and sultry. The hottest month, July can bring temperatures to 32¡î - 37¡î. However many special festivals celebrating the diverse history and customs of Tainan take place during the summer. The festivals are well worth enduring the hot summers of Tainan. Just remember to use sunscreen and have an umbrella or hat to shield you from the midday sun. Milkfish is a featured menu specialty menu n during the summer. Even with the warm weather, Tainanese enjoy a hot breakfast of tasty milkfish congee for breakfast.

Fall&Winter

Winter temperatures in January range from18.5¡î - 20.5¡î. Since, January is the coldest month of the year; it means that autumn and winter are fine seasons to visit Tainan. The northeastern trade-winds carry storms that bring windy and wet weather. Even with the cooler and wetter climate, most people find the fall and winter of Tainan very comfortable. Nearly two-thirds of the world's black-faced spoonbill herons migrate to the lagoons in Chihgu's wetlands during the fall and winter.The black-faced spoonbill heron is, a protected migrant bird that graces Tainan and. Chihgu is a small suburb within a 20 minute drive of Tainan renowned by birdwatchers for its migratory birds during the fall and winter.

Chihgu lagoon

Chihgu is a fishing village located near the end of Tseng-Wen Creek,besides the Taiwan Strait. Only a 20 minute drive from Tainan, the coastal fishing village ambiance of Chihgu, encompassed by nearby marine wetlands and lagoons teeming with unique flora and wildlife uniquely compliments the city and cultural treasures of Tainan city.In prehistoric time, Chihgu was a part of the Tai-chiang Inland sea. The ancient Tai-chiang Inland sea was a huge 15,000 hectares lagoon area encompassing half of what is today, Tainan

city. Tseng-wen Creek changed its course 4 times from 1823 until 1911. Each change brought debris flows of sand and rocks downstream filling the large parts of the Tai-chiang Inland sea. The Chihgu lagoon area with an area of 1600 hectares is what remains of the Tai-chiang Inland Before visiting Chihgu for my first time I pictured Chihgu only for its renown bird-watching. Wide expanses of white salt fields stretch seemingly endlessly on the way to Chihgu. The monotony of continuous salt fields soon led to an incredibly diverse marine wetland and lagoon teeming with flora and wildlife. Most of oysters and milkfish sold in the markets are the nearby Chihgu area. For centuries, fishermen have valued and respected the 1600-hectares of the Chihgu marine lagoon area for its rich fishing grounds. Increasing awareness for conservation and demand for seafood has resulted in aquaculture for fish and to meet demands.Aquaculture reduces the demand and over fishing of aquatic resources in the Chihgu lagoon and wetlands. Tides bring in and replenish the seaweeds and plankton that are the natural food for both wild and aquaculture aquatic production. The fresh sea water and natural food make the oysters and milkfish naturally tasty and sought after in hihgu's fish markets.

Fauna

Before I going to Chihgu, the birds-watch was the only idea I have about this village. But the birds-watch is the most popular activity that is true. Because the Black-faced Spoonbills stay in Chihgu lagoon as their home during the annul immigration. The mangrove provides the wonderful environment for the Black-faced Spoonbills.

The mangrove is the main flora growing in Chihgu.

Mangrove trees support a variety of life in the narrow band between land and sea. The diversity of life is supported by an elaborate but intuitive food chain in this lagoon where the Black-Faced Spoonbill sits on the top of this chain. Black-Faced Spoonbill number only about 1000 in the world, of which 800 reside in Taiwan . This bird has a 2 feet wide wingspan, with a body that is about 2 feet long.The bill is shaped like a soup spoon. People named the birds with black face ¡ÈBlack-Face Spoonbill¡É.Taiwanese scientists learned that the Black-

Face Spoonbills live in Korea and the northern Mainland China in the summer. In winter time , they migrate to over winter in Chihgu.

Flora¡G

Mangrove trees anchor the shoreline of the subtropical wetlands and lagoons in Chihgu forming critical habitat, providing environmental protection and economic benefit.The earth of Chihgu can't be used.It is poor and salty. The mangrove is the one of few trees and grows in Chihgu's serious environment.This special plant is found the sea and land meet in the tropical or in the subtropical areas. Mangrove trees have a special way of coping with salty water. Special glands under the surface of the leaves concentrate salt taken up by the roots. They form crystals of salt, which are washed away when it rains.The trees provide food and shelter for animals in this place, leaves drop on the mud and rot, and are collected and eaten by snails, worms and crabs the branches off trees provide a home for birds and spiders various bird species use mangrove swamps as feeding areas during their annual migration. The trees are adapted to growing and reproducing in areas subjected to salty and brackish waters. In the past, Taiwanese extracted a red dye from the wood of mangroves. Thus, the Taiwanese sometimes refer to the mangrove as the ¡ÈRed Trees¡É.

Mangrove trees support a variety of life in the narrow band inundated by seawater between land and sea. In the southern of Taiwan, Chihgu Lagoon is the home for Black-faced Spoonbill heron during its annual migration (from where?). The thick mangrove trees growing in Chihgu Lagoon offer food and shelter for animals in the in this wetland. Nature¡Çs food chains and the web of life are vividly evident if one takes the time to look. The leaves of the Mangrove drop onto the brackish mud, where they are eaten by snails worms or decompose into food and substrate for soil dwelling organisms. The mangrove tree branches provide perches and habitats for birds. The combination of the lagoon and the mangrove trees create habitat for both marine and terrestrial animals.

The most prominent animal inhabiting Chihgu is the black-faced Spoonbill heron. There are fewer than 1000 of these herons in the world and nearly two-thirds of them reside in Taiwan. In winter time, Chihgu is a popular ¡È outdoor classroom¡É to watch birds , especially to watch the black-faced Spoonbills. This was the reason why when we drove in this area, we felt quiet and could not see the cherish birds.

The development of TainanBefore I traveled to Tainan, I just knew the Dutch occupied this place in Tainan in the 17 century, but I did not know the land where the city now stands was under the sea 350 years ago! The shape of Tainan area is like an upside-down triangle; and is located in the south of Taiwan.. According to the ancient records , the western part of Tainan downtown was a part of ¡ÈTai-chiang Inland Sea¡É.The¡ÈTeyowan¡É aboriginal tribe were the first main inhabitants of what is now Tainan. Historians propose that the name ¡ÈTaiwan¡É originated from the ¡ÈTeyowan¡É aboriginal tribe.,The seas around Tainan were the frequent site of attacks by Japanese pirates until the Dutch arrived In 1624 and occupied southern Taiwan (for how many years?). Taiwan was planned by the Dutch to be center of commerce.. They built fortresses that still stand today. Zeeladia¡É, now known as Old Fort of An-ping was the first Dutch fortress built in Taiwan. The neighborhood around the forts became a commerce area and had the distinction of becoming the first city in Taiwan.The Dutch occupation of ended in just 37 years when General, Cheng, Cheng- Kung or ¡ÈKoxinga¡É, a loyalist of the Ming dynasty( 1368 -1644) defeated the Dutch in 1661.General Cheng, Cheng-Kung¡Çs goal was to use Taiwan as a base to restore the Chinese ¡ÈMing¡É dynasty after the Manchurian ¡ÈChing¡É dynasty (1644-1911) had taken over China.In fact, Dutch and Ching troops worked together to attack Koxinga's outpost after the initial defeat of the Dutch.After defeating the Dutch, Cheng Cheng-Kung started to develop and manage Tainan. He settled his family and army in Fort Zeelandia, and changed the name to ¡Èan-ping¡É. Cheng Cheng-Kung and his son Cheng Chin managed Tainan for 22 years. During the brief period, General Cheng¡Çs capable Minister Chen Yung Hwa helped to lead the Tainan and it¡Çs people through a golden period of development and prosperity.Tainan under the Cheng's control became a rich city. Many people ,who lived in the

southern Chinese province of Fuchien admired the progress and transformation of Tainan. Minister Chen Yung Hwa planned and built 30¡Çs temples in these 22 years. Most of the temples were remain to this day. The Confucius Temple was built in this period. A Confucius Temple is an important symbol and status for a city. It means this city is civilized. Thus, Tainan was the first civilized city with the Confucius Temple in Taiwan. This is the reason why the Tainan people are proud of their city and the history.In 1683, the Emperor Kang-Shi replaced the semi-autonomous Cheng Government, and incorporated, Taiwan into the Chinese empire ruled under the Ching dynasty The Ching Dynasty managed Taiwan for 212 years.During this period Tainan was the capital and the richest city in Taiwan. Many immigrants from the south mainland China moved to Tainan and settled throughout Taiwan during the Ching Dynasty's control.In 1895,during the last period of a weakened Ching dynasty,the Japanese conquered and colonized Taiwan.The people of Taiwan were saddened and shamed to be subjects in a colony .However,despite the shame and oppression,the 50 years' Japanese occupation of Japanese managed the development of Taiwan very well.They helped modernize much of Taiwan's infrastructure, developed its agriculture and brought strict order to the society, while at the same time extracted vast amounts of Taiwan's natural resources to fuel Japan's industrial revolution.After Japan's defeat in WWII,Taiwan was ceded back to the Chinese government. However, the Japanese left a strong civil infrastructure many development projects for this island. Even now, our government agencies that manage some of these development projects would study the records the Japanese left. So many historical sites remained in Tainan, that the local residents have a joke saying the people stumble upon history on the streets. From1624 to 2003, Tainan continued to develop through 300 years of the war and peace.Throughout this period of growth,the people of Tainan put pride in preserving historical sites so future generations could trace their ancestry. Tainan people are conservative.They are conservative and hold great pride in their local culture.They are always hospitable to friends .They are

independent and dedicated in their beliefs and principals.It is an elegant character much like what the ancient scholars taught. The rich history of Tainan has shaped the character of the people. Thus,Tainan is a modern city with a vibrant ancient heart.Cheng-Kung University located in downtown blends Tainan's vibrant past with modern applications.The young university students bring a fresh vitality to this old city.The Mayor Mr. Hsu Tien-Tsai is a well–iked mayor who brings his expertise as a financial scholar to build partnerships and sustainable funding to balance modernization while maintaining Tainan's heritage charm and cleanliness,This lovely city has little difficulty retaining the desire of its citizens to stay and attracting visitors from vast reaches.

Building in TainanPoets express their passions by words, musicians through their lyrics, melodies and motions. Buildings do not touch peoples' hearts as easily as poems or music do. Buildings appeal to people's feelings in a different way. From antiquity to present, people always built cathedrals and temples to worship gods and pay respect to ancestors.The wealthy built deluxe houses as symbols of their achievements.Emperors built the huge palaces to show their ambitions and power.These old buildings, whether complete or imperfect become legacies of past societies . These architectural legacies (e.g. construction techniques, dragon adorned columns, roof moldings, statues, finely painted artwork) form the basis for traditional Taiwanese architecture. When you visit the temples in Taiwan, you will see how this distinctive artwork. beautifies Taiwanese buildings. I don't agree that buildings need deluxe decorations to be beautiful. This time I visited Tainan, I saw a lot of fine art in old temples and houses but, what attracted me the most were simple architectural components. In this case, a small elaborately molded brick in Tainan¡Çs Confucius Temple attracted my

interest. The brick style is named ¡È´¤áÄ ¡É ( pronounced like ¡Èwa-dan¡É in Mandarin ) were inlayed and bordered the eaves. The shape of the Wa-Dan brick like a snack-plate with a molded fine art painting. What function did the Wa-Dan bricks serve? Only on the rainy days, will people realize the wondrous function of the Wa-Dan bricks.Rain falling on the Wa-Dan bricks bordering the roof eaves become a string of falling rain drops. People sitting under the eaves, waiting for the rain to stop are amazed to see the raindrops like a crystal bead curtain cascading down from the roof. Imagine how beautiful a¡Ècrystal bead curtain¡Éof water would look! A boring moment becomes a romantic sight while waiting for the sky to clear. The creator of the Wa-Dan brick must have been a person who knew how to make routine events interesting. During my world travels I experienced, western architecture like the males, strong and steady and oriental architecture like the females, elegant, but sensitive. The beauty of Taiwanese architecture is often in it's subtleties, rather than what initially meets the eye. It is best discovered through time.

Sword and LionWalking is the best way to enjoy the old town neighborhood of Old Fort Anping area. One will discover many old traditional Taiwanese houses sited in the small and narrow alleys. Some of the best kept secrets of Tainan architecture are hung above our heads are hung bricks on the door-lintels. Each brick is painted with a lion head holding a sword in its mouth .The brick hung on the door-lintel, is a protective idol to ward off evil. Tainan people call the protective idol the ¡ÈSword and Lion¡É.In 1662,the Old Fort of Anping was called the ¡ÈImperial Castle¡É, since this was the residence of General Cheng Cheng-Kung and his son. The army and their families resided in the surrounding neighborhood of Fort Anping.Upon returning home, soldiers always put their weapons, a sword and a shield painted with a lion head, in front of the door. Thieves seeing these

weapons in front of the door would avoid ravaging this homes since they knew soldiers lived. When the army mobilized for action , their families worried about the lost of the army's protection. Smart families painted a lion head and a sword on a brick to take the place of real weapons. Soon the placement of these protective bricks became a common practice to ward off thieves.. We don't know how well the bricks protected the residents, but through time they became common protective idols in Tainan. The ¡ÈSword and Lion¡É with fine painting is a popular souvenir with visitors, when they visit Old Fort Anping.

The Great Queen of Heaven TempleIf you are interested in visiting temples, the Great Queen of Heaven Temple should be your first choice. The fishermen who live in Taiwan and mainland China contributed to building the temple dedicated to Matzo, Goddess of sea. There are about 400 Matzo Temples in Taiwan. Great Queen of Heaven Temple is the oldest Matzo Temple in Tainan. It is located in a small alley, 5 minutes walking distance from the Chihkan Towers. A great parade occurs every year on to celebrate Matzu's birthday. The celebration is an important festival in Taiwan. You won't want to miss this festival! It is a good chance to understand the religion of Taiwan's culture. Both the Great Queen of Heaven and the Martial Temple were built in 1664 for the palace of Ming Dynasty's Prince Ning-Ching. The prince is the last survivor of the Ming Royal family. During the Ching Dynasty,General Shih-lung administered Taiwan under the Kang-Shi Emperor.He pursaded the emperor to rebuild the royal residence to became the Great Queen of Heaven Temple.This temple was a symbol to show his loyalty to the emperor. However,visitors walking through the gate,may be

disappointed by the temple's plain architecture. The dragon columns statues and paintings in the main hall are the center of attraction and chrematistic of Ching dynasty art.

The Martial Temple One of the best examples of the personage deified is Kuan-Kung. He was a general in the Three Empires Period about 1800 years ago. The people admired his loyalty to his brothers, partners, king and country. Even now,all of the police stations in Taiwan have small Kuan-Kung alters.Kuan-Kung is a popular historical figure in Taiwan. Most Kuan-Kung temples are popular to the people. The Martial Temple is one of Kuan-Kung temples located in Tainan City, next to the Great Queen of Heaven Temple . There is a famous wooded tablet written¡ÉÂç¾æÉ×¡É hung on the roof of the main hall of the temple. ¡ÉÂç¾æÉ×¡É describes a person who is a real gentleman worth to be admired. ¡ÉÂç¾æÉ×¡É is a perfect description to describe the character of Kuan-Kung. The shape of outer wall in the eastern side, named the ¡ÈMountains Wall¡Éresembles the mountains surrounding the temple.The roof molds and eastern Mountain Wall are the most beautiful roof skyline in traditional Taiwanese architecture.Another deity in this temple is the, a sort of matchmaker god worshipped by unmarried people. People believe that all they need to do is pray to the god for a red ¡Èmatrimonial thread¡É or apply their rouge before him and they will quickly find a mate.The Old Man under the Moon is also worshipped in the Great Queen of Heaven Temple. According to the local guide, the Old Man of the Moon deity in the Martial Temple is supposedly giving the best results. I followed the steps and prayed to the ¡ÈChinese Valentine ¡É.So far,I am still waiting for my Mr. Right to show up.

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.

Historic or cultural trip

Special festival or feast

Bird watching

Boating

If you are interested in a guided historical tour of Tainan tour, we recommend first touring Old Fort of Anping and exploring the old streets in the neighborhood for half a day. The balance of the tour day can be devoted to central Tainan city to visit Chihkan Towers, the Confucius Temple, the Great Queen of Heaven Temple, and the Official God of War Temple. These are very famous historical sites in Taiwan. Don't miss the delicious snacks at Hsiao-Pei Night Market.It's a perfect place to sample a variety of cuisines ,Bargaining is acceptable while and go shopping at the night market.

Itinerary¡G

Chihgu is a fishing village located near the end of Tseng-Wen Creek, besides the Taiwan Strait. Only a 20 to 30 minute drive from Tainan ,the coastal fishing village ambiance of Chihgu, encompassed by nearby marine wetlands and lagoons teeming with unique flora and wildlife uniquely compliments the city and cultural treasures of Tainan city . In prehistoric time, Chihgu was a part of the Tai-chiang Inland sea. The ancient Tai-chiang Inland sea was a huge 15,000 hectares lagoon area encompassing half of what is today, Tainan city. Tseng-wen Creek changed its course 4 times from 1823 until 1911. Each change brought debris flows of sand and rocks downstream filling the large parts of the Tai-chiang Inland sea.The Chihgu lagoon area with an area of 1600 hectares is what remains of the Tai-chiang Inland Before visiting Chihgu for my first time I pictured Chihgu only for its renown bird-watching. Wide expanses of white salt fields stretch seemingly endlessly on the way to Chihgu.The monotony of continuous salt fields soon led to an incredibly diverse marine wetland and lagoon teeming with flora and wildlife. Mangrove trees lining the shoreline are a distinctive feature of the Chihgu area. Mangrove trees support a variety of life in the narrow band inundated by seawater between land and sea.In the southern of Taiwan, Chihgu Lagoon is the home for Black-faced Spoonbill heron during its annual migration.The thick mangrove trees growing in Chihgu Lagoon offer food and shelter for animals in the in this wetland. Nature's food chains and the web of life are vividly evident if one takes the time to look.

Itinerary¡G

Travel Tidbits

There is a joke the Chinese make about themselves,when the Chinese discover an animal they had never seen before, 3 questions often come immediately to the Chinese mind. The first question is the animal was edible or not; the second how is to best eat the animal;the last question is the cooked dish was tasty or not.Indeed,we know we are the Chinese people who enjoy eating very much.Tainan is a place to enjoy some of the tastiest local foods of TaiwanIf you can speak Taiwanese, please speak it, when you travel in Tainan. Speaking Taiwanese helps you build respect from the Tainan people more than speaking Mandarin. Why? If you have been to Paris or been to Quebec in Canada, you would understand why. The people of Tainan are hospitable and convey a proud appreciation of their heritage . They own a strong mind to insist what they believe in. It is an elegant character that you will appreciate as you get to know the Tainan people.

¡Èsnacks¡É in TainanThe locally prepared foods cuisines(commonly called ¡Èsnacks¡É in Taiwan) are just as important to the people of Tainan as refreshments are to the British in their tea-time. Having snacks is a part of Tainan tradition and enjoyment. Most famous snack stores and vendors have existed forever 50 years or more. In every snacks-stores,you will often see grandparents bringing their grandchildren to enjoy the lovely meals,just as their parents did with them in their childhood. The grandchildren enjoyed the tasty snacks while the grandparents enjoyed the sweet memories. The Tainan snack is not only food,but gives a strong sense of defining home to the Tainan people. My friend from Tainan who works alone in Taipei told me that the Tainan snacks keep her from being homesick. Being a native of Taipei city, I decided to try the famous snacks in a restaurant decorated like a farmer's dining room. If you want to try a real local food in Taiwan, go to a restaurant with farm decorations. I ordered 8 kinds of well-known local snacks to sample for my lunch. The lunch was fulfilling but I did feel that had overeaten. Why? the owner of this restaurant is a real business man, she is smart. She realizes what the tourists think. She knows we could not resist the attraction of the delicious meals. We were afraid to waste food by ordering too many dishes.The smart owner designed package-menus with a wide assortment

but,smaller sample portions to solve our ¡Èbig problem¡É. The price is very reasonable, even lower than ordering a la carte. This restaurant is located in the An-Ping Old Street.Night market is anther smart choice for eating and shopping. Hsiao-pei Night Market is famous in Tainan. It is a big night market with over a hundred snack stores and souvenir shops covering a whole square block. If you are a curious person, I suppose you will want to try the ¡ÈCoffin¡É.I am not joking,¡ÈCoffin¡É is a famous meal in Tainan. If you have been to the Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, you may know what the sour dough with chowder is. The Coffin is similar to sour dough with chowder. The one-inch thick fired toast,takes the place of the sour dough and carries the seafood chowder.For the thick fried toast is looked like a coffin, the creator gave a funny name ¡ÈCoffin¡É to this meal The cuisines in southern Taiwan are sweeter than in the northern Taiwan. There are many differences in food from Tainan to Taipei. Some people who are living in the northern Taiwan are not used to some foods of southern Taiwan. When I told my friends living in Taipei,that the Tainan people have tomatoes with soy sauce mixed with powdered dried plum and grounded ginger; would not believe me. The Tainan people always tell the visitors; that is the best way to eat tomatoes. How about the taste of the tomatoes with soy sauce mixed powdered dried plum and grounded ginger? For a Taipei native like I,the taste is strange,but interesting taste.

Sea foodChihgu is a fishing village located near the end of Tseng-Wen creek besides the Taiwan Strait. Only a 20-minute drive from Tainan,the coastal fishing village ambiance of Chihgu,encompassed by nearby marine wetlands and lagoons teeming with unique flora and wildlife uniquely compliments the city and cultural treasures of Tainan city.In prehistoric time,Chihgu was a part of the Tai-chiang Inland sea.

The ancient Tai-chiang Inland sea was a huge 15000 hectares lagoon area encompassing half of what is today, Tainan city. Tseng-wen creek changed its course 4 times from 1823 until 1911. Most of the oysters and milkfish sold in the markets are the aquatic products in Chihgu Lagoon area. The fishermen planed The 1600-hectares lagoon area became the natural fishing farm. The tides bring a lot seaweeds and plankton to be the natural food for the fishponds and oyster-shelters. The fresh sea water and natural food make the oysters and milkfish get tasty with natural sweet when the people taste. This is the reason why the aquatics products of Chihgu are popular in the market.

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Tips for your safety

Besides the delicious food, The old town is charming and it is a good place for a walking tour. Really! Wear comfortable walking shoes to enjoy this historical city. If you don¡Çt like walking, renting a bike is inexpensive. The Tainan government manages this city very well. The government offers free insurance (what is this for?) to the tourists who are traveling in Tainan. The signs on the roads are clear, and the people following the signs will seldom get lost. The only problem is that translations names for the famous buildings are not uniformed. Guided tours are a good way to become introduced to Tainan.After visiting Tainan, I felt this is a modern city with an ancient spirit. The modern part is similar to Taipei that is not so interesting compared to Taipei. The town is charming and it is a good place for walking tour. Really! The history and legends of this city are some of the best preserved and documented . A tour guide or a good tour book will bring to life stories and fascinating facts behind every well known or even the less famous sites that you visit in Tainan.

Study up on Tainan¡Çs history prior to your arrival will enlighten your Tainan experience. (suggest some good books or websites) Trust me, you will enjoy this city very much. The historical buildings will not the boring ¡Èold things¡É any more, and you will feel they still are living in you eyes. A guidebook is suggested to fully appreciate Tainan when you travel in this city (suggest some books). Tainan is a charming city worth your time to visit. The nearby Chihgu wetlands and lagoons provide a perfect natural match to compliment the history and historical charm of Tainan. Tainan is a modern city with an ancient spirit. Experience this treasure of human and natural history!