Category Archives: PLACES OF INTEREST

Hwahsi Tourist Night Market (Taipei City, Taiwan)

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From Longshan Temple, Jandy, Isha and I walked, a few streets away, to a nearby night market to do some souvenir shopping.  A well-lit Chinese-style arch pointed us to an excellent night market divided into two segments. We went to the part of the market with the roof called Snake Alley a.k.a. the Hwahsi Street Tourist Night Market, said to be the oldest night market in Taipei. The surrounding area is the local market. Night markets are listed among Taiwan’s most popular tourist spots.

Gateway to Hwahsi Tourist Night Market

The “Tourist” in the official name is something of a misnomer as the market is a bit overrated and can be a bit creepy, if you are not into snakes or exotic foods.  One store had one of these huge writhing, white and yellow serpents at their shopfront (the snake handler cum store owner, however, didn’t allow me to take pictures).  Snake meat, according to traditional Chinese lore, have health (and libido) enhancing properties (something to do with this reptile’s impressive length).  Before its conversion into a night market, Snake Alley used to be notorious for its prostitution (banned since the 1990’s).

Its no surprise that snake meat (and snake blood, bile or sperm is mixed with a local liquor called gao liang) is served up as dinner at rows of eateries within the market. These eateries also serve red bean soup, Taiwanese-style muah chee, danzi noodles (also called tan tsai noodles), thick cuttlefish soup, eel noodles, shrimp in wine, grilled Taiwanese sausages, etc. There are also eateries serving even more unusual and “special” (and controversial) turtle meat and soup, stir-fried mouse as well as crocodile meat. Truly a place for people who live by the motto “I’ll try anything at least once.”  It just so happen that we weren’t one of those people.

Apart from the eateries, the night market is actually just one row of shops selling bags, cheap watches, hats, DVD and VCD movies, and souvenir items such as fans, place mats, key chains, Buddha figurines,brass sculptures,  jade amulets, etc.  Isha bought some these souvenir items as gifts for friends back home.  I bought a number of brass key chains.  There were also shops selling sex toys as well as kinky key chains (some were smaller, brass key chain versions of the wooden Ifugao barrel man, a man in a barrel which, when lifted, triggers a spring that releases a penis).  There were also a number of legitimate massage parlors (offering foot, half body or whole body massages) and stores where artists sell their paintings.

Kinky brass key chains

Having finished our souvenir shopping, we took a taxi and dropped off at the first MacDonald’s outlet we saw.  After another burger dinner here, we all boarded another taxi, dropping off Isha at her hotel before proceeding to the Gala Hotel.  It was now very late in the evening and, quite tired from a fruitful day of sightseeing and shopping, decided to call it a night.

Hwahsi Street Tourist Night Market: Hwahsi St., Wanghwa District, Taipei, Taiwan. Tel: (+886-2) 2336-9781. Open daily, 7 PM-2 AM.

How to Get There: from Taipei Main Station on the Blue Line, go two stops west to the Longshan Temple MRT. Come out  Exit 1 and take a right.

Mengjia Longshan Temple (Taipei City, Taiwan)

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From Taipei 101, Jandy, Isha and I again walked to the Taipei City Hall MRT Station where we boarded the MRT to Longshan MRT Station.  It was just about dusk when we arrived at the station.  Before exiting, we all bought cups of coffee for take out and, upon exiting, leisurely sipped it while watching a Chinese dance being performed, beside the fountain, at Manka Park.

Gateway of Mengjia Longshan Temple

After finishing our coffee, we all walked over to the Mengjia Longshan (also spelled as Lungshan) Temple in front of the park, one of Taiwan’s most important places of worship.  Surrounding the temple are antique shops, Buddhists article shops, fortune tellers, traditional Chinese medicine shops and paper stores selling paper products that are burned for the deceased.

Waterfall of Cleaning Your Heart

Built in 1738 (during the Qing Dynasty), on a much smaller scale, as the spiritual center of Han settlers from the Jinjiang, Nan’an and Hui’an districts of Quanzhou County, Fujian, China, the temple has been destroyed, either in full or in part, by numerous earthquakes and fires. Nevertheless, Taipei residents have consistently rebuilt and renovated it. From 1919-1924, it was renovated, in large scale,  under the direction of famous architect Wang Yi-shun, a master of temple building in Fukien.

The Fore (or Front) Hall

On June 8, 1945, during World War II,  it was hit by American bombers, who claimed that the Japanese were hiding armaments inside. The whole main hall and a part of the right annex were damaged and many precious artifacts and artworks were lost in the ensuing fire. The fire somehow  missed the statue of Avalokiteshvara (in Sanskrit) or Guanyin (short for Guanshiyin which means “observing the sounds of the world”), the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy (only her toes were singed), even though the iron railing around her melted.  After the end of the war, a few months later, the temple was again rebuilt.

The main deity Guanyin with 2 bodhisattvas (Manjusri at the left and Samantabhadra on the right)

On August 19, 1985, Longshan Temple was designated as Taipei City’s fourth official historical site (after the Chang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, National Palace Museum and Taipei 101). The temple, one of the oldest and largest in Taiwan, has also been declared a Secondary National Heritage Site.

The temple courtyard packed with worshipers

We entered the temple’s gateway and, at the courtyard, noticed a small, man-made waterfall (the Waterfall of Cleaning Your Heart)  on one side and a lucky dragon fountain on the other.  The temple was already packed with locals either praying, reciting religious chants, lighting candles or burning incense sticks. They worship a  mixture of Buddhist, Taoist and folk deities such as Guanyin (also called Kuan-in), the main deity, Buddha, Matsu and other divine spirits. Thus, it is often called “meeting place of the gods” for the wealth of deities worshipped here. We didn’t see any Western tourists.

A bronze dragon pillar, the only one of its kind in Taiwan

The resplendent Longshan Temple,  with southern Chinese influences commonly seen in older buildings, is an emblematic example of Taiwanese Classical architecture.  Facing the south and mixing traditional Chinese siheyuan (“four-building courtyard”) with palace architecture in its design, it has a fore hall, main hall, a rear hall (added around the end of the 18th century) and a left and right wing.

Yuan Tung Grand Hall, the main hall

The Yuan-Tung Grand Hall, the main hall, is the center of the whole complex.  It houses the statue of Guanyin. The rear hall is divided into 3 parts.  The center is for the veneration of Matsu, the goddess of marine voyage, the left is dedicated to the gods of literature (or patrons of examination for civil service in the olden days) and the right is for Lord Kuan, the god of war.

The Rear Hall

The octagonal ceiling in its fore hall, the clock tower roof, and the circular ceiling (with its 7-layered spiral plafond) in the main hall are exceptionally elegant.  Its doors, beams and poles are also beautifully decorated.

Exquisite and elaborate carvings

A treasure trove of folk art, its fore hall is graced by a pair of unique bronze dragon pillars while the main hall has four pairs.  The walls and ceilings are covered by exquisitely delicate sculptures as well as many Chinese poems, verses and lyrics on signs, adding a touch of literature. The temple walls are graced with paintings of vivid creatures while stone statues of mystical creatures guard the temple grounds.  The wall and the roof  are joined without the use any nails or braces made of metal.

A phoenix figure on roof edge

The temple roof, representing the pinnacle of mosaic art in Taiwan, is covered with overlapping tiles and is decorated with figures of dragons, phoenixes and other auspicious creatures, all decorated with porcelain, clay, and shards of colored glass.

Drum Tower (West)

Bell Tower (East)

Two 2-storey buildings, one housing the bell on the east and a drum on the west side of the courtyard, between the fore hall and the main hall, have conic, hexagonal roofs with double eaves that forms a converse “S” curve, the first such roof design in Taiwan.

Mengjia Longshan Temple: 211 Guangzhou St., Old Town Center, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan.  Tel: (+886-2) 2302-5162. Website: http://www.lungshan.org.tw. Open daily, 6 AM-10:20 PM. Admission is free.

Taipei 101 Indoor Observatory (Taiwan)

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Our primary purpose for visiting Taipei 101 was to get 360-degree views of the city which attract visitors from around the world.  This is made possible either through the 383.4 m. (1,258 ft.) high Indoor Observatory at the 89th floor or the 391.8 m. (1,285 ft.) high Outdoor Observatory at the 91st floor, the second-highest observation deck ever provided in a skyscraper and the highest such platform in Taiwan.

Inside the high-speed elevator

From the shopping mall, Jandy, Isha and I went up to the 5th floor to purchase our admission tickets (NT$450/person, around US$13), me paying via my Mastercard credit card and Isha paying in cash.  As it was drizzling outside, we weren’t allowed to go out the Outdoor Observatory.

The Damper Baby mascot

Upon purchase of our tickets, we all queued, at a long line (it being a Sunday), for our turn at one of the 2 high-speed, double deck elevators  (which access’ the 88th through 91st floors) built by the Japanese Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corporation (TELC). While on line, all visitors are requested to pose, for souvenir photos, beside a picture of Taipei 101. Isha posed alone while Jandy and I posed together.  The resulting photoshopped photos can then be purchased at the Indoor Observatory (NT$400 for Isha’s single pose and NT$600 for our joint pose).  We didn’t bite at the offer.

Taipei 101 Indoor Observatory

Once inside the NT$80 million (US$2.4 million) elevator (which accommodates 24 persons or 1,600 kgs.), we could still hear our ears pop (in spite of its atmospheric pressure control) as we ascended 1,010 m. per min., which is 16.83 m./sec. (55.22 ft./sec.) or 60.6 kms./hr. (37.7 miles/hr.).  We arrived at the 89th floor in 39 secs. flat.  In 2004, the elevator held the the Guinness World Record of the world’s fastest passenger elevator. Each elevator, which features an aerodynamic body, has state-of-the art emergency braking systems and the world’s first triple-stage, anti-overshooting system.

Special exhibit

Upon arriving at the 89th floor Indoor Observatory, we were welcomed by the Damper Baby mascot.  Before exploring on your own, we were given a free multimedia guides to listen to, with  recorded self guided voice tours, in 8 languages, detailing sights and the history of the Taipei Basin from 30,000 years ago to the present.  While listening, we all went around to appreciate the somewhat hazy view of the entire city from large, blue green-tinted windows with UV protection.  Green mountains seem to embrace the valley city of Taipei. Appropriate labels and names of the buildings and structures are posted to assist visitors.  There were also informative displays and special exhibits.

Taipei City Hall (foreground)

Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1 (foreground)

The observatory also has an outlet of Big Tom’s Ice Cream.  Posted flavors here include “Obama Brownie,”“L.F. Marionberry Cheesecake,” “Soy Cream Cinnamon Caramel” and more. Like most ice cream joints, you can choose to get your scoops in a waffle bowl.  They also offer bagels, cakes, waffles, freshly ground coffee, tea, orange juice and other specialty items to go with your ice cream.

Big Tom Ice Cream

Taipei 101 Indoor Observatory: 89/F, No.7, Hsin Yi Rd., Section 5, Taipei 110, Taipei City, Taiwan.  Tel:  (+886-2) 8101-8899. Website: Taipei-101.com.tw.

The Taipei Metro (Taiwan)

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After our short visit at Shandao Temple, Jandy, Isha and I now entered the Shandao Temple MRT Station where we plan, for the first time, to try out the Taipei Metro, more commonly known as the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit or Metro Rail Transit) or formally as the Taipei Rapid Transit System, to get to Taipei City Hall, the gateway to the iconic Taipei 101 Building.

Shandao Temple Station Entrance

This rapid transit system, Taiwan’s first metro system, was built and operated by the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC) and it first began operations on March 28, 1996.  It consists of 96 stations and 110.1 kms. (68.4 miles) of revenue track. The system, an essential part of life in Taipei, carried an average of over 1.66 million passengers per day in December 2011.

Token vending machines

The Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) System operates in all 69 stations of the network. We  purchased our IC Single Journey RFID (radio frequency identification) tokens (in our case, blue as we were traveling along the Blue Line) from a token vending machine (NT$30 each).    They are valid only on the day of purchase.  These tokens replaced the existing magnetic single journey cards in 2007 (turnstiles were also replaced with speed gates during this time). We then have our tokens scanned at the speed gates to enter the station.  Upon reaching Taipei City Hall Station, our tokens were retrieved, again at the speed gates, once we exited the station.

IC Single Journey RFID token

The MRT system operates daily, from 6 AM to midnight, with extended services during special events such as New Year festivities. The trains operate at intervals of 1.5 to 15 mins., depending on the line and time of day. Stations become extremely crowded during rush hours, especially at transfer stations such as Taipei Main Station, Zhongxiao Fuxing Station and Minquan West Rd.

Station speed gates

Automated station announcements are recorded in Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hakka and English. High-traffic stations, including Taipei Main Station, Zhongxiao Fuxing Station and Taipei City Hall Station, have platform gates to prevent passengers and other objects from falling onto the rails.

Taipei City Hall MRT Station

Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC): 7, Lane 48, Sec. 2, Zhongshan North Rd., 10448, Taipei City, Taiwan. Tel: (+886-2) 2536-3001.  Fax: (+886-2) 2511-5003. Website: http://english.trtc.com.tw

Shandao Temple (Taipei City, Taiwan)

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At the end of our half-day city tour, Jandy and I opted to visit the renowned Taipei 101 Building, once the highest building in the world, with Isha also joining us.  After Reto and Gabriella were dropped off at their hotel (they were leaving Taipei in the afternoon), Mr. Pang dropped us off at the Shandao Temple MRT Station where we were to take the MRT to Taipei City Hall Station (free shuttles to Taipei 101 can be taken there).

Shandao Temple

Next to the MRT station is the elegantly simple Shandao Temple, the largest of Taipei’s Buddhist temples.  We made a short visit here first.  Established in 1926 by Sera Yoshinari and Tamura Chigaku, two monks from the Japanese Pure Land School, the temple was originally called the “Pure Land School Taipei branch site.” After the defeated Japanese left Taiwan in 1945, the Taipei City government’s Department of Education expropriated the site.

Mercy and Kindness Building

The Shandao Temple originally comprised the Mahavira Hall (Precious Hall of the Great Hero), the Amitabha Hall (Maitreya Hall), the Hall of Observance and  the Merit Hall. In 1986,  the 9-storey Mercy and Kindness building was constructed over the original site of the Hall of Observance. Its 4th floor houses the Taixu Library while the 5th to 7th floors contain a museum of Buddhist history.  The museum’s collections include Buddhist artifacts from  the Northern Wei and Song Dynasties  to the present. The Amitabha Hall was converted into a 7-storey building in 2002.

The Three Treasures Buddhas at Mahavira Hall

We visited the Mahavira Hall, converted into a 10-storey building in 2003.  Its structure and feeling is very different from those built by the Taiwanese, the austerity and solemnity being the biggest differences.  Its pared down architecture is truly a soothing change from the bright colors and opulence of other temples. Inside its main hall, large enough to accommodate several hundred people, are the Three Treasures Buddhas.

Shandao Temple: Zhongxiao East Rd., Section 1, Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan.  Open Tuesdays-Sundays, 9 AM-5 PM.

Taipei National Palace Museum (Taiwan)

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After our visit to the Revolutionary Martyr’s Shrine, we were next driven to the Taiwan Handicraft Promotion Center for some souvenir shopping.  On sale were porcelain, cloisonne, oil paper umbrellas, painted fans, wood carvings, crystal, etc.  Reto, Gabriella, Jandy and I just browse around while Isha bought some souvenir gifts for her friends.

Taipei National Palace Museum

We next proceeded to the final destination in our half-day city tour – the 198-acre Taipei National Palace Museum.  The national museum of Taiwan, it houses one of the world’s largest and most valuable collection of Chinese art treasures, with over 677,687 pieces of ancient Chinese artifacts and artworks, most of them high-quality pieces from the Chinese imperial collection of China’s ancient emperors, began over 1,000 years ago in the early Song Dynasty.  The collection encompasses over 8,000 years of Chinese history,  from the Neolithic Age to the late Qing Dynasty.

Taipei National Palace Museum

As it was a weekend, the museum was packed with visitors and we had to queue in line.  We weren’t allowed to take photos of the collection.  Donning our headphones, Mr. Pang gave us interesting descriptions of the 1,700 artifacts on display which, incidentally, is only 1% of the total collection which numbers some 93,000 items of Chinese calligraphy, porcelain,  6,044 cast bronzes,  5,200 scroll paintings, 12,104 pieces of jade, 3,200 examples of lacquer and enamel ware, figurines, assorted carvings, fans, rubbings, coins, textiles and many other artifacts from Beijing’s Forbidden City as well as 562,000 rare, traditional books and documents. The rest of the collection is stored in temperature-controlled basement vaults. The displays are rotated once every 3 months, which means 60,000 pieces can be viewed in a year but it would take us nearly 12 years to see them all.

L-R: Jandy, Gabriella, Reto and Isha

The most famous and notable pieces on display at the museum are the Jadeite Cabbage (part of the dowry of the Qing Dynasty concubine Jin), the Meat-Shaped Stone, Agate Finger Citrons, White Jade Branch of Elegant Lychee, T’ien-huang Stone Miniature Mountain, the Jiu Manzhou Dang (a set of Manchu archives), the Carved Olive-stone Boat, the Jadeite Screen Insert and “One Hundred Horses,” a painting done in 1728 by Giuseppe Castiglione.

During the civil war, these important treasures were transferred, in 2,972 boxes, to Taiwan to evade damage.  This transition brought the re-establishment of the National Palace Museum (it was first called Chungsan Museum).  Designed by Huang Baoyu, its construction was started in 1962 and the museum was inaugurated on November 12, 1965, the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925).

A sitting statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen

The museum has 4 floors, the first, second and third floors are used for exhibitions while the fourth floor is a lounge where visitors can rest.  On the left side of the museum hall is the Chih-shan Garden (showcases many of the elements of traditional Chinese gardening art) while on the right is the Chih-te Garden. Also part of the Taipei National Palace Museum is the Chang Dai-ch’ien Memorial Residence, the home of the celebrated painter Chang Dai-ch’ien (1901-1984).

Taiwan Handicraft Promotion Center: No.1 Hsu Chow Rd., Taipei, Taiwan. Tel：(+886-2) 2393-3655.　Fax: (+886-2) 2393-7330. Email: thpc@handicraft.org.tw.  Website: www.handicraft.org.tw.

National Palace Museum: No.221, Sec. 2, Zhishan Rd., Shilin District, Taipei City 11143, Taiwan. Tel: (+886-2) 2881-2021. Website: www.npm.gov.tw. Open daily, 9 AM-5 PM. Admission: NT$160.

How to Get There: take the MRT Danshui Line to the Shilin Station then take bus R30 (Red 30 – Low-floor bus) to the National Palace Museum. Other routes that will take you to and near the Museum plaza are buses 255, 304, 815 (Sanchung – NPM Line), Minibus 18 and Minibus 19.

You can also take the MRT Wenhu Line to the Dazhi Station then take bus B13 (Brown 13) to the National Palace Museum, alighting before the Front Facade Plaza of the Museum. Alternatively, visitors may choose to take the Wenhu Line and get off at Jiannan Rd. Station, then take bus B20 (Brown 20) to NPM’s front entrance (Main Building).

National Revolutionary Martyr’s Shrine (Taipei City, Taiwan)

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After the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial and photo ops at Liberty Square, we all returned to the van for our next destination, the 5,00 sq. m. National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine, dedicated to the war dead of Taiwan.  Built in 1969 on Chingshan Mountain, overlooking the Keelung River, our visit to the Martyrs Shrine again recalls the architecture of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in Beijing’s Forbidden City as the buildings on the site were skillfully crafted and designed to look like Ming Dynasty palaces.

Gate at National Revolutionary Martyr’s Shrine

The structure houses the spirit tablets of about 390,000 persons killed, among other engagements, during the Xinhai Revolution, the Northern Expedition, the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese Civil War and the First and Second Taiwan Strait Crises. It was also the site of the funeral of President Chiang Ching-kuo, the son of Chiang Kai-shek, on January 13, 1988.

The main sanctuary

Every March 29 (Youth Day, commemorating the Huanghuagang Uprising) and September 3 (Armed Forces Day) of every year, the country’s president  leads the heads of the five Yuans (branches of government) to pay their respects to the martyrs by bowing and offering incense.

One of the shrine’s pavilions

A changing of the honor guard (the last one at 4:40 PM), from the various branches of the military, similar to the rituals we saw at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, also takes place at the shrine (and at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall)  but it wasn’t going to happen a second time.  Soldiers who have the honor of being guards at these shrines must be 1.75-1.95 m. (5′-9″-6′-3″) tall, weigh at least 65 kgs. (143 lbs.), have, at least, a high school education, have no criminal record and have lots of discipline as they have to stand still, even under the scorching sun, for an hour.  The guards on duty at this shrine, with their gleaming steel helmets, shiny leather boots and blue uniforms, were from the Air Force, 2 posted at the main shrine and 2 at the main gate along Beian Rd..

Jandy and I posing with the guard on duty

Although the Martyrs Shrine is located in Taiwan, most of the soldiers honored served China and were born in Chinese provinces. The main sanctuary was modeled after the Taiho Palace in Beijing. Plaques, paintings and friezes in the arcade surrounding the main sanctuary describe the details of various 20th-century rebellions and battles. A bell tower and drum tower are used during memorial ceremonies. Next to the shrine is the 12-storey, 490-room Grand Hotel, one of the world’s tallest Chinese classical buildings.  It was designed by Taipei-based architect Yang Cho-Cheng and completed on October 10, 1973.

National Revolutionary Martyr’s Shrine: 139 Beian Rd., Shilin, Taipei, Taiwan. Tel: (+886-2) 2349 1635 and (+886-2) 2885-4162. Open daily (except Saturdays), 9 AM-5 PM. Admission is free.

How to Get There: take a taxi from Jiantan or Yuanshan MRT stations or take the free shuttle bus from Yuanshan MRT station to the Grand Hotel, then walk 15 mins. east, alons Bei-an Road (ask for directions at The Grand Hotel).

Grand Hotel: No. 1, Section 4, Zhōngshān North Rd., Jhongshan District.  Tel:
(+886-2) 2886-8888.  Website:  www.grand-hotel.org.

Chang Kai-shek Memorial Hall – Changing of the Honor Guard Ceremony (Taipei City, Taiwan)

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Soon the memorial was officially opened and we were led up to the main hall where a crowd of tourists were already gathered.  The hall’s main feature is the massive 3-storey high bronze statue of a smiling Chiang, in traditional Chinese dress, sitting on a  dais. An elaborate caisson is set into the ceiling  which is also decorated with the emblem of the Kuomintang (KMT).  Chinese inscriptions on the walls are the characters for Ethics, Democracy, and Science.

The bronze sitting statue of Chiang Kai-Shek

Five members of the Taiwan Marines , in immaculately white uniforms and helmets, were guarding the main hall with rifles with fixed bayonets. The branch of service represented here changes periodically according to a rotating schedule  (every 4 months).  The Army wears green uniforms, the Navy wears  black in summer and white in winter, and the Air Force wears blue.

The Main Hall’s ceiling

The much anticipated, impressively synchronized Changing of the Guards ceremony soon took place at the appointed time (it takes place every hour). At this formal, elaborate and precisely choreographed ceremony, the ceremonial guards are relieved by a new batch of sentries. This ceremony is also conducted at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the National Revolutionary Martyr’s Shrine.

The Changing of the Guard ceremony

Chang Kai-shek Memorial Hall: 21 Zongshan South Rd., Section 1, Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan.  Tel: (+886-2) 2343-1100. Open daily, 9 AM-6:30 PM. Admission is free.

How to Get There: Take THSR or train to Taipei Station then transfer, via Taipei MRT, to Chiang Kaishek Memorial Hall Station.

Chang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Cultural Center (Taipei City, Taiwan)

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Liberty Square

From Tung Ho Zen Temple, we again boarded our van and went on our way to our next destination, the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, erected in memory of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887-April 5, 1975), Taiwan’s long-time leader.  Here, we were to observe the 9 AM Changing of the Honor Guard ceremony.

Presidential Office Building

Along the way to the hall, we passed the Neo-Renaissance-style Presidential Office Building, an elaborate red brick edifice built in 1919. It was already drizzling when we arrived at the Memorial Hall’s tremendous, 30 m. (98.4 ft.) high and 80 m. (262.4  ft.) high arched main gate  (which faces Chiang’s beloved China) – the Gate of Great Centrality and Perfect Uprightness.

Gate of Great Centrality and Perfect Uprightness

The main gate opened into Liberty Square with its grand vista reminiscent of my visit to Beijing’s Forbidden City, with the massive and ornate National Theater (on the south) and National Concert Hall (on the north) flanking it.  Both, completed in 1987, were modeled after the Forbidden City’s Halls of Supreme Harmony and Preserving Harmony and painted in the same brilliant Ming Dynasty style.

National Concert Hall

Added to it are immaculate grounds featuring lovely traditional Chinese sculpted gardens, miniature hills, an ornamental bridge, waterfalls and serene ponds (filled with colorful koi), truly a scene from the 1987 Bernardo Bertolucci classic film The Last Emperor.  The Gate of Great Loyalty also stands at the north side (along Xinyi Rd.) while the Gate of Great Piety stands at the south side (along Aiguo East Rd.).

National Theater

From the gate, we all walked along the Boulevard of Homage (bordered by manicured bushes), to the east end of the square where the magnificent, 76 m. (250 ft.) high 240,000 sq. m. memorial hall stands.  It has a marble facade and octagonal (the octagonal shape picks up the symbolism of the number 8, a number traditionally associated in Asia with abundance, wealth and good fortune), twin-eaved roof of brilliant blue tiles with red accents (echoing the flag of the Republic of China) crowned by a golden spur.

Chang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

The memorial’s design was based on the winning competition entry of the late, internationally renowned Chinese architect Yang Cho-cheng. Yang’s design incorporated many elements of traditional Chinese  architecture.  Started on October 31, 1976 (the 90th anniversary of Chiang’s birth), the hall was officially opened on April  5, 1980 (the fifth anniversary of the leader’s death). The hall has 2 sets of stairs, each with 89 steps, representing the age of Chiang Kai-shek at the time of his death. We didn’t climb the stairs. Instead we entered the hall via a huge doorway by the side of the stairs.

Jandy at entrance hallway

We arrived early, still minutes before the hall’s opening, so we first listened to Mr. Pang’s narrative of Chiang’s life.  Also at the ground floor is a museum with exhibit related to the late president’s life including his personal effects, photos, a mock-up of one of his offices and his bulletproof Cadillac.

Part of the ground floor museum exhibit

Chang Kai-shek Memorial Hall: 21 Zongshan South Rd., Section 1, Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan.  Tel: (+886-2) 2343-1100. Open daily, 9 AM-6:30 PM. Admission is free.

National Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center: Tel: (+886-2) 3393-9888.

How to Get There: Take THSR or train to Taipei Station then transfer, via Taipei MRT, to Chiang Kaishek Memorial Hall Station.

Tung Ho Zen Temple (Taipei City, Taiwan)

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Jandy and I woke up by 6:30 AM as our half-day city tour was scheduled this morning.  After our buffet breakfast at the Golden Ear Restaurant, we proceeded to the hotel lobby to await the arrival of our tourist guide, Mr. Pang of Edison Travel Service, who arrived by 7:45 AM.  We boarded a van and made short stopovers at 2 hotels to pick up Swiss couple Reto and Gabriella Conrad and Ms. Ishani Dave, a Marketing & New Product Development  Manager at Hannover Milano Fairs India Pvt. Ltd.

Tung Ho Zen Temple

The first item in the tour itinerary was a visit to the century-old Tung Ho Zen Temple, a Soto Zen monastery.  The temple was first started in 1908 and originally covered an area of 4,500 pings (14,850 sq. m.).  It then consisted of the Soto Zen Center, the Kuanyin Zen House, the Taipei Junior High School and the bell tower. The bell tower (designated a municipal historic landmark in 1997) and the Kuanyin Zen House are the only two remaining buildings in the area of the complex that has gradually shrunk to 700 pings (2,310 sq. m).

Interior of temple (in the foreground is the censer or incense urn)

The Kuanyin Zen House was renamed as Tung Ho Zen Temple in 1946, about the same time that the complex and the land it was built on were donated by the Japanese colonial owners to the temple’s former master, the Master Hsin Yuan.  Upon the death of  Hsin Yuan on March 1970, aged 89, the central government took over the complex a month later.

Interior of temple (at right, a devotee prays to the goddess Mazu)

Tung Ho Zen Temple: cor. Linsen South Rd. and Jenai Rd., Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan.