Post Congress Tour - Day 5
Update Jun 12!|
Fokuangshan (Light of Buddha Mountain) -> Meinong ->
Tainan
Country ->
Anping Fort and Erkunshen Fortress (Eternal Golden Castle)
->
Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area
|
Meinong
Meinong is the hometown of paper umbrellas. According to the Hakka's custom, paper umbrella is the symbol of a circle and represents a meaning that all family members are getting together. Furthermore, in Chinese pronunciation, the sounds of "paper" and "son" are so similar that they take paper umbrellas as a dowry. Besides the Hakka culture, delicious food and paper umbrellas, handmade pottery has become another popular industry. In Meinong, the three most well-known kilns are Meinong, Shi-Chao and Dong-Men, and they all have different styles. The beautiful scenery of Chung-Cheng Lake, the living circumstances of Taiwan Yellow butterflies in Yellow Butterflies Green Valley have made these places worth paying a visit.
Anping Fort
Taiwan city was also called
"Imperial Castle", "Chihkan Fort" or "Anping Fort". Built in
1624 by the Dutch and completed in 1634. Its first name was "Orlande
City" and later it was re-named as "Fort Zeelandia". Because
Chinese people called the Dutch the Red-hair. Therefore they
called this Fort as "Castle for the Red Hair". After WWⅡ,
it has been called "Anping Fort" until now.
During the period of
occupied by the Dutch, this Fort was the capital for the
politics and economy. From Ming Dynasty to Cing Dynasty, Anping
Fort was no longer important and the government demolished the
bricks for other usage.
During the period of
Japanese occupation, in order to build the dormitory for the
Customs, Anping Fort had been totally destroyed. They built a
square ladder-style platform at original location. In the center
of the platform, they built a western-style house. That is what
we know Anping Fort now.
Over three hundred years passed, today the oldest fort of Taiwan
has left us remains of the semi-circular forts, remains of the
city wall, watchtower, exhibition and the park for the heritage
wall for us.
Erkunshen Fortress (Eternal Golden Castle)
The fortress was called Big Anping Fortress to distinguish it
from the Small Anping Fotress not so far away. As Shen, Bao-heng
had put a tablet read “Yizaijincheng” (Eternal Golden Castle) on
the entrance of the fortress, people thus called it Eternal
Golden Castle
The Eternal Golden Castle is not only the first Western modern
fortress in Taiwan, it is also Taiwan’s first fortress equipped
with British Armstrong cannons. It was damaged and deserted
during the Japanese Colonization. Later it was listed as one of
the attractions of Fucheng and the restoration work began.
Systematic restoration began after the restoration of Taiwan.
Today, it is a Class I Historical Site.
Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area
The Sun-Moon Lake, located in the middle of Taiwan, with an elevation of 748 meters above sea level, is the only natural big lake in Taiwan. The southern part of Kuang-Hua Island is shaped like a new moon, and the northern part is shaped like a sun; hence the name Sun-Moon Lake.
The most famous sights around Sun-Moon Lake are the Te-Hua House, Kuang-Hua Island, the Hsuan-Tsang Mosque, the Tzu-En Pagoda, the Wen-Wu Temple and so on. The natural forests bordering these roads are good places for bird watching. There are a lot of birds that live on the mid-elevation, such as the Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, Grap-throated Minivet, Formosan Yuhina, Gray Tree Pie, Bamboo Partridge, Chinese Bulbul, Muller's Barbet, and the Black Bulbul.
