First Excursion to Tainan and Kaoshiung

Fort of Provintia (赤崁樓)

The class studied the history of Taiwan last week and are learning about the religions in Taiwan this week. To enforce the learning of these two topics, the first excursion was to Tainan (台南) and Kaoshiung (高雄). 

                             

Although the Portuguese sailors gave Taiwan its first name Formosa (beautiful island), there was no written history until the Dutch people colonized part of the island in 1642.Tainan (台南) is the port, where the Dutch colonists erected  Fort Provintia to defend anti-colonial uprising. Due to its red roof and being built by foreigners, the building obtain a Chinese name 赤崁樓. One can see the statue where Dutch surrendered to Cheng Cheng Gong (鄭成功), a general of Ming Dynasty.

We also visited a battle field castle built by Shen Baozhen (沈葆楨 ), the governor sent by Qing Dynasty court, in 1874 to defend Japanese invasion.

Eternal Golden Castle (億載金城)

Kaoshiung is the second largest city in Taiwan. We visited the two important religious sites, Dragon and Tiger Pagodas (龍虎塔) and Buddha Memorial Hall (佛陀紀念館), to represent Taoism and Buddhism, respectively. Both religions are polytheism. The main difference of the two is the goal of the belief. Buddhism is to attain enlightenment and be releases from the cycle of rebirth and death, thus attaining Nirvana, while Taoism propagate to be one with nature.

Dragon and Tiger Pagodas (龍虎塔)

Buddha Memorial Hall (佛陀紀念館)

Today in the class, we discussed the internal political situation in Taiwan and how the Green and Blue parties flight like Republicans and Democrats in USA. We also touched upon the relationship between China and Taiwan and how Taiwan is struggling under China’s political and economical pressure.  “Confucianism” will be the theme of the next week. The class will learn why Taiwanese people are proud that Confucianism has kept Taiwan in an unbroken line to the greatness of China’s past.