Introduction: In the far east, there is an ancient and vibrant land, which carries thousands of years of historical precipitation and exudes a unique cultural charm. Here, is the southern pearl of Taiwan - Tainan City. In this text, we will travel through time and space together, explore the past and present life of the city, and feel its unique charm and style.
Tainan cityscape, source network
1. Introduction to Tainan City
Tainan is the fourth largest city in Taiwan Province of China, one of the six prefecture-level cities in Taiwan Province, and a member of the World Historic Cities Alliance. Tainan, located in the Jianan Plain in the southwest of Taiwan Island, has a total area of about 2,192 square kilometers, like a bright pearl inlaid on the treasure island. The city is not only home to about 1.88 million inhabitants, but also a multicultural meeting point, with a rich cultural and academic atmosphere.
Tainan cityscape, source network
As one of the earliest cities in Taiwan, Tainan is not only an important historical and cultural town in Taiwan, but also a cradle of education, giving birth to countless talents. Here, there is the predecessor of National Taiwan University, Taiwan Fuxue, as well as a number of long-established institutions of higher learning, adding infinite wisdom to the city. In 2017, Tainan's total GDP was 237.827 billion yuan, and its per capita GDP was 126,500 yuan.
2. The historical evolution of Tainan
Tainan City, located in the Chia-Nan Plain in the southwest of Taiwan Province of China, is one of the oldest cities in Taiwan, and its history is as follows:
1. Ancient period: There were human activities in the Tainan area in the era of ancestral residence, and it was the residence of the Pingpu and Xiraya people in the early days.
2. Ming and Zheng period: In 1661, Zheng Chenggong led the army to recover Taiwan, and used it as a base to establish the Ming and Zheng regime, and Tainan became the political center of Taiwan at that time.
3. Qing Dynasty: In 1684, the Qing Dynasty established the Taiwan Prefecture, which was located in Tainan, known as the capital of Taiwan, and was the political, economic and cultural center of the whole island.
4. Modern Times: During the Japanese occupation period (1895-1945), Tainan City underwent changes in urban planning and construction, leaving behind some Japanese-style buildings and facilities. After the liberation of Taiwan in 1945, Tainan continued to be one of the important cities of Taiwan Province.
5. Post-war to the present: With the development of Taiwanese society, Tainan has undergone many administrative adjustments. In December 2010, the former Tainan County and Tainan City were merged and upgraded to a prefecture-level city, becoming one of the six major cities in Taiwan, as well as an important agricultural, cultural and tourism city.
Tainan City is one of the cities with the most intact traditional culture in Taiwan, China, with many historical sites, temples and traditional markets, reflecting the profound cultural heritage of southern Fujian.
3. Tainan's economic strength and honorary titles
Tainan City is an important agricultural and sugar-producing area in Taiwan Province, and its industry is dominated by sugar refining, chemical and aquatic product processing. It is located in the Chia Nan Plain in the southwest of Taiwan and has a favorable geographical location as a distribution center for agricultural products in southern Taiwan.
In 2017, Tainan's total GDP was 237.827 billion yuan, and its per capita GDP was 126,500 yuan. These data show that Tainan City has a relatively stable economic base, especially playing an important role in agriculture and related processing industries.
4. Famous tourist attractions and scenic spots in Tainan
1. Anping Castle: Located in Anping District, Tainan City, it is an important landmark in the history of Taiwan, originally built by the Dutch and rebuilt many times, witnessing Taiwan's early colonial history.
Anping Castle, source network
2. Chihkan Tower: As a first-class monument in Tainan, Chihkan Tower was once the administrative center of Taiwan, which blends Dutch and Chinese architectural styles and is an indispensable stop for understanding Taiwan's history.
Chihkan Building, source network
3. Chimei Museum: Located in Rende District, this is a private museum with a rich collection, known for its exquisite collection of Western art, including musical instruments, sculptures, paintings, and many other fields.
Chimei Museum, source network
4. Guanziling Hot Spring: Located in Baihe District, it is one of the famous hot spring towns in Taiwan, known for its unique mud hot springs, and is surrounded by religious attractions such as Guanziling Daxian Temple.
5. Yanping County Wang Ancestral Hall: also known as Zheng Chenggong Ancestral Hall, it is built to commemorate the national hero Zheng Chenggong who recovered Taiwan, and is one of the earliest and most famous ancestral halls in Taiwan.
Yanping County Wang Ancestral Hall, picture source network
6. Baihe Daxian Temple: This is a Buddhist temple with a long history, belonging to the Rinzai sect, and the volcano Biyun Temple is called "Guanling Yunyan", which is an important local religious tourist attraction.
7. Anping Tree House: This is a unique landscape combining nature and humanity, where huge old banyan trees and abandoned warehouses are intertwined and symbiotic, forming a wonderful scene of trees with walls as trunks and houses with leaves as tiles.
8. Tainan Confucius Temple: As the oldest Confucian temple in Taiwan, it is not only a symbol of Confucian culture, but also the birthplace of Tainan culture and education.
5. Tainan's special cuisine
Tainan City, Taiwan, is known as the "City of Food" and is home to a plethora of mouth-watering traditional snacks and specialties, and here are some of the representative Tainan cuisines:
1. Danzi noodles: One of Tainan's signature delicacies, it features a small bowl of pork and shrimp boiled broth, paired with oil noodles, bean sprouts, coriander, etc., which is delicious.
Danzi noodles, source network
2. Dried Pork Rice: A simple but classic Tainan snack with a fragrant aroma of dried pork (that is, marinade with minced meat) drizzled on soft rice, which is the hometown taste in the hearts of many people.
Dried pork rice, source network
3. Salted porridge: There are many kinds of salty porridge in Tainan, such as milkfish porridge, meat porridge, etc., and the porridge base made of fresh seafood or meat has a rich taste, which is a good choice for breakfast or supper.
4. Shrimp Balls: A translucent crust made of rice milk and sweet potato flour wraps the delicious shrimp and is usually eaten with a special sauce for a unique taste.
5. Dingbian file: A thin slice scraped along the edge of the pot with rice milk, cooked with various ingredients such as meat soup and oysters, is a traditional snack unique to Tainan.
6. Eel pasta: A combination of fried spicy eel fillets and elastic pasta (actually a kind of lasagna), it is an authentic delicacy in Tainan.
7. Rice cake and rice cake: Traditional Tainan rice food, bowl cake is steamed with rice milk, containing dried meat, dried shrimp and other fillings, and rice cake is glutinous rice products, both of which are favorite dim sum of Tainan people.
8. Oyster frying: Tainan oyster pan-fried with fresh oysters as the main ingredient, fried with sweet potato powder until the skin is golden and crispy, and the inside is tender and juicy.
6. Gonzo in Tainan
1. Saltwater bee cannon
Saltwater bee cannon is a grand celebration held during the Lantern Festival in Yanshui District of Tainan every year, originating from the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, when the plague broke out in the saltwater area, residents in order to drive away evil spirits and avoid evil, they set off a large number of firecrackers during the Lantern Festival, forming a spectacular "bee cannon" scene, praying for peace and health. Today, this tradition has become one of the important folk activities in Tainan.
Saltwater bee cannon, picture source network
2. Hair salon sprinkles dollars
In Tainan City, a newly opened hairdresser imitated the way of a fortune boy in order to attract customers, claiming to distribute $20,000 on the street, and this peculiar promotion method caused a sensation in the local area.
3. There are many interesting stories about three generations in the same house
A family of 40 people living in the same house of three generations in Nanjiang Township has become interesting in the local area, with many family members, daily meals like banquets, and tour buses need to be chartered when going out to play.
4. Protest on horseback
In 2012, in front of the Tainan City Council, horse farm operators protested on horseback to express their dissatisfaction with the banning of a horse farm, a unique form of protest that attracted widespread media attention at the time.
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