Taiwan Travelogue: O little Town of Wulai

From the spellbinding scenes of nature which welcomed us from the bus ride to the arrival to the glimpse of this petite little town bustling with the local scenes of everyday life among the town's long time dwellers.

Take a stroll through the town and enjoy the scenic view beckoning out from every part of the town; the town is easily explored on foot and there is no need for any transportation to get around this little town, which is just filled with interesting sights from the shops and stalls selling food in a marketplace on the Wulai Old Street.













Walk through the street in the compact town of Wulai, past the excited traders yelling out in courting tones to draw you to their products or shop and maybe along the way, fall to their sweet words and give in to a snack or two as you head to explore the rest of Wulai's treasures.
(You will pass by the town again as you head back out to catch your bus home anyway).

After the short stroll through the Old Street of Wulai, one should head to the famous waterfall of Wulai which is one of the main attraction here. One would definitely have heard of the mention (or many mentions) of this natural landmark the minute you descend from the bus as the overly helpful taxi drivers lurking at the bus station approaches you with the offer to bring you to the waterfall by claiming that it is too far to reach there on foot.

It is hardly true, as it is a pleasant journey from the bus stop through the town and to the waterfall.
One can even walk all the way to reach the waterfall, passing by the marketplace on the Old Street of Wulai, and the Lovers Bridge and take a short hike towards the location.

Lovers' Bridge

One can still pass by this bridge on the way down, if you were to walk down heading towards the town after the visit to the waterfall.

Alternatively, there is an adorable old-fashioned little train which could transport you on a short 5-10 minutes ride to the waterfalls for only NT$50 per trip, and is indeed a great experience.







A glimpse of the waterfall (or 'pu pu', as they call it in Chinese) from afar, as the train approaches the station at the top.




The slight elevation on where the waterfall is located provides a cooler temperature, though not to a freezing level and is just pleasant enough for one to enjoy a stroll and the view of the waterfall and the nature.

A row of shophouses line the streets but it was generally a rather quiet street leading to the waterfall with the area being more of a residential area (and street).




Locals dressed in the aboriginal costumes, perhaps for the cultural shows and performances available, or simply, as a way of promoting the Atayal's culture?




Stay tune for the next post, dedicated to the waterfall of Wulai...

Taiwan Travelogue: Zhishan Garden

Just a stone's throw away from the National Palace Museum of Taipei is a charming classical garden, Zhishan Garden (至善園).
The ticket stubs from the entrance to the National Palace Museum grants free admission to this garden, which is accessible through a small path from the walkway to the museum.






Taking a walk in the garden makes one feel as though they have been momentarily transported out of Taiwan in an out-of-body experience and ended up in one of those ancient gardens in China; with the tranquility that beckons from beyond the fish ponds, pavilions, and willowy trees which sway in the wind pieced together as a panoramic masterpiece of art before one's very eyes.
(If you have been to China, or any Chinese-themed garden, you'd know what it means).

I had been expecting a quick walk around the garden; thinking that this would be yet another typical Chinese garden, but I was quickly filled with a euphoric sense of relaxation and curiosity to enjoy a little more of the garden's beauty before concluding that this is just, as I have thought, another garden.
I was not disappointed, for the garden; with its land coverage of an approximation of 1.88 acres, was filled with captivating Chinese inspired architectural landscapes and it is no surprise that the garden was designed after the renowned structural styles introduced back in the Song and Ming dynasties in China.



The grounds will take more than an hour or two to explore and to appreciate; and unless you are a local, you will not have the luxury of time and leisure to take in each and every tree in the garden. However, that does not mean you will not be able to enjoy it with a quick round of exploring as the garden's directory provides a clear guidance on the recommended attractions to look out for, at a glance.

The following are the key landmarks to look out for in Zhishan Garden:-

1. Grand entrance


2. Pine Wind Pavilion



3. West Bridge Pavilion



4.  Dragon Pond (near to Pine Wind Pavilion)

5. Brush Washing Pond
(near to West Bridge Pavilion)


6. The Cage-changing Goose; by Master Calligrapher Wang His Chih



7. The Winding Canal


8. The Orchid Pavilion

The key attractions are strategically located across each other; forming the complete landscaping of the garden and one can enjoy a stroll in the morning or the evening; accompanied by the breezy wind (especially in the winter months) blowing against your cheek, and feeling that zen-like peace calming the nerves in your system.

It is interesting that this beautiful garden was a transformation from what was once an ammunition depot of the Military Intelligence Bureau of Taiwan; and governed by the Ministry of National Defence who later made the decision to relieve the land of its military duties (probably relocation) in 2002. Renovation and architectural design works followed soon after; transforming what was probably filled with old war-like buildings and barracks into a cultural and ecological wonder which was then officially opened to public; and formally introduced as the Zhishan Cultural and Ecological Garden, in Taipei.
It is not surprising to see that the design of the garden was injected with the bits and pieces of Chinese inspirations; with the focus on feng shui, Chinese-themed architecture and incorporating the themes of folklore into the making of this enchanting garden.



Even the trash bins are designed to resemble an ancient Chinese bottle









A stroll in the garden, though a sidetrack/detour from the National Palace Museum left a memorable impression and nature always does it best, to calm the rush from a full-itinerary typical kind of traveling day~

Taiwan Travelogue: Longshan Temple (Dragon Mountain Temple)

Longshan Temple, or Lungshan (literally translates to Dragon Mountain Temple) is one of the oldest and beautifully renowned temples in Taiwan. The history of the temple; teamed with the local stories of the origins and magical powers of the site of the temple make this one of the most fascinating place of worship to grace the list of must-visits while in the country.
The temple was named after a famous sacred temple, built in the 17th century in the province of Fujian in China (also Dragon Mountain Temple), in honor of the sanctity of the temple worshipped by the pious devotees who later migrate to Taiwan. Most of the locals in the Manka district; where the temple is situated were said to be immigrants from the counties in the Fujian province and they were said to have migrated to make their homes here in the 18th century.

Located in the Wanhua district, and more precisely on Guangzhou street, Longshan temple was originally built in dedication to the Goddess of Mercy, whom, the locals believed was the protector and guardian of the temple. The temple, today, while maintaining her rustic charms from the ancient craftwork on the walls and stones, was not the original build from the year 1738.
Works of renovation and construction can be seen taking place at the temple since its original establishment then, due to the major events which led to its destruction back then.
The first was an Allied Air Raid or the Raid on Taipei during the World War II in the year 1945, where the attacks launched by the American were clearly targeted at the Japanese who were suspected to be hiding firearms in the temple which left the temple in thick smoke and flames, destroying most parts of the temple and the historical artifacts related to the early beginnings of the temple. Another was an earthquake, which also caused major damage to the temple.
In both incidents, the large statue of the Goddess of Mercy, remained unharmed, and perhaps only gathering the debris and dust around it, strengthening the belief in the mythical powers of the Goddess of Mercy, also known as Guanyin.

Another interesting tale is the site of the temple was originally where an amulet of the Goddess of Mercy was found hanging on a tree which casted a glow around it even in the dark that led many to believe that place was indeed sacred. Today the temple is said to attract many religious devotees who flock to the temple on a daily basis to seek for blessings due to the mythical powers exuded within the realms of the temple.



The history of the temple can be clearly traced on the fine works of art and carving on the pillars, roof and the sculptures found around the temple, making the entire place a glowing picture of classical Chinese architecture at a glance. There is no denying the beauty of the carefully crafted arts of masterpiece which stares back from almost every corner of the temple. These unique charms are attributed to the famous architect specially invited from the southern part of the Fujian Province, Mr Wang Yi-Shun, who landed his reputation as one of the best temple artists with his vast experience in temple building back in his homeland and thus, the artistic features of today's Longshan temple are modeled to his tastes and credit. Most of the stones used in constructing the courtyard were also originally from the ballast on the ships which sailed from the Fujian province, carrying the immigrants who later settled on the island of Taiwan.









The temple is divided into three parts; from the outer court to the middle hall where most of the worship takes place and the rear hall which was later added to the temple at the end of the 18th century.
The outer court is where the main entrance is located; and there is an attraction in the form of a small waterfall at the courtyard where tourists are often found to be snapping away at their cameras or just merely cooling it off while admiring the gushing waters from the man-made waterfall on the wall.

The outer courtyard upon entering the temple


The waterfall at the side of the courtyard which gathered photography enthusiasts before entering the temple


The Middle Hall, or the Main Hall is the centre of the temple where the crowds are gathered for the worship of the Goddess of Mercy, located inside the main temple and is the main attraction on which the temple was originally built. Devotees are seen to throng the area, and there is the unmistakable cloud of smoke and the intense scent from the continuous mass burning of the incense and joss sticks by the worshippers eager to offer their prayers to the Goddess, known for her kindness and compassion.


There are also tables spotted; with an assortment of colorful offerings, in the form of food, flowers, candles etc extravagantly lining the tables made in honor to the Goddess and the other deities.





Bright colors of the flowers and the offerings stare back from the tables; though mainly drenched in the rich tones of red, yellow, gold.



A man lighting the candles, offerings of prayers by the devotees


The scenes from the Middle/Main Court






While the temple was originally built in honor of the Goddess of Mercy, and started with the theme of Buddhism in its conceptualization, like most of the other temples in Taiwan, this evolved to be a multi denominational, or rather, a myriad temple worshipping various deities. The original Buddhist-themed temple is now a Taoist temple in nature, with inclusion of the many gods and deities in the rear section of the temple.



The Rear Hall is where these deities reside; with the patron of the scholars situated on the right side, and the courageous statue of the famous Guan Yu, a patron for military, righteousness and bravery sits on the other side, flanked by another deity famed for medicinal and healing, a patron for those in the medical line or seeking for recovery in sickness.
The Goddess Matsu sits in the centre of the temple; who, was highly regarded by the Taiwanese for she is the patron for voyagers of the sea, and the locals would pray for the safe return of anyone traveling or dealing with the trades of the sea. In fact, the Goddess Matsu is often found in other cultures too; and always in locations where the sea is involved for she watches over the sea and cast her protection over those who are at sea. Most fishermen or boatmen (sailors, ship crew) and sea travelers pay homage to her and pray for her protection over them.







It is also important to note that the local culture is to be respected at all times, and photography is usually not allowed inside the halls where the gods, goddesses and deities sit and no photography is allowed of the deities as well. It is considered if one were to take photos of the gods, therefore, it is important to be mindful of the locals' comfort when snapping away at the religious places.



Longshan Temple is one of my personal favorites, and the rich history and mystical power of the temple is evident in the crowds that gathered for the worship of the Goddess of Mercy and the other gods residing in the temple.
It is an interesting picture of religious beliefs and the local style in worshipping the gods; though did not differ much from other places still had its unique characteristics and the touch of the local culture.
I was in awe of the beautiful temple, and touched by the beauty of the devotion by the locals towards their religion, a trait which is to be continued and passed on to generations to come.






The temple, in her own history and legendary magic has earned her the Secondary National Heritage Site which means the temple will be in conservation for the future generations to continue the traditions and the mystic of the place.
Outside the temple is also a vibrant scene of cars, motorcycles swerving against each other amidst the   street peddlers wooing the passersby to their flowers, fruits, vegetables stalls while monks can also be spotted sitting under shaded areas near to the temple, meditating.





It is an unforgettable scene filled with the colors from the walks of life; and yes, it's a lifestyle that can be found as one arrives at Longshan Temple and should not be missed, at all.
The tales of survival of the camphor wooden statue of Goddess of Mercy from the air raid during the World War II and the earthquake which almost flattened the temple, yet the statue remains standing with only dust and debris gathered at her wooden feet is enough to put this spot on any tourist's list.

It is no wonder this is one of the most famous temples in Taiwan.

Getting to Longshan Temple
Take the Blue Line and alight at the Longshan station
(Follow the signs leading to the temple in the underground station, you will pass through an underground mall)



Admission Fee: Free
Operating Hours: 6.00am -10.00pm (Daily)