Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In addition to offerings of incense, you'll often see flowers, face powder and make-up
left at the temple. If you are extremely lucky you might see the unique southern-temple
spectacle associated with Lady Linshui called the
Twelve Grannies Parade
.
Wufei Temple
TAOIST TEMPLE
(Wǔfēi Miào; 201 Wufei St; 8am-6pm)
When Koxinga's grandson surrendered to the Man-
chus in 1683, all hope of restoring the Ming dynasty ended. King Ning Jin, the last con-
tender for the Ming throne, knew his time was up. Before he committed suicide, his con-
cubines, claiming their honour was as important as the king's, hanged themselves on a
roof beam in the bedroom of his palace. The palace is now the shrine to Matsu's parents
at the Matsu Temple and the beam is still in place.
The dainty Wufei Temple was constructed in the concubines' honour and now sits in a
2000-sq-metre garden park off Wufei Rd. Note that the real tombs of the concubines are
behind Koxinga's Shrine and are covered with cement.
Great South Gate
HISTORIC SITE
(Dà Nánmén Chéng; Lane 34, Nanmen Rd; 8.30am-5pm)
This old city gate is the
only one in Tainan that still has its defensive wall intact. The inner grounds feature sever-
al cannons and a section of the old wall that is marvellously overgrown with thick roots.
At the far end of the park a collection of handsome
stelae
commemorates centuries of
battles, bridge constructions and official promotions.
National Museum of Taiwanese Literature
MUSEUM
(Guójiā Táiwān Wénxué Guǎn;
www.nmtl.gov.tw
; 1 Jungjeng Rd; 9am-9pm)
Honestly,
this museum highlighting the development of Taiwanese literature from the time of the
pre-Han aborigines up to the modern era is very uninteresting, but it's worth coming here
just to wander the halls and relax in the foyer, as it's a gorgeous example of Japanese co-
lonial architecture (built in 1916): it was once the Tainan District Hall.
Altar of Heaven
TAOIST TEMPLE
(Tiāntán; 16 Lane 84, Jhongyi Rd, Sec 2)
Tainan families have been coming here for genera-
tions on the 1st and 15th of every month, to pray to the supreme Taoist entity, the Jade
Emperor, for good luck. The temple has no statue of the god as the original temple was
