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INTERESTING PLACES |
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Pagoda |
Shihtou Shah or Lion’s Head Mountain which
is 20 kilometers east of the North-South
Highway of Taiwan is a pleasant excursion
bound for travelers . When viewed from the
proper angle, the peak does bear a
resemblance to the king of beasts. But the
mountain’s main significance is as a center
of Buddhism, most of the temples here were
built directly in natural caves during the
past 75 years. From the arched entrance
above the parking lot, it is possible to
hike up the lion’s head, then down along its
spine, visiting the temples and other sights
along the way. From the old stone arch at
the entrance, 1,500 steps lead up to the
top,or head. From there, a path leads down
to the tail of the lion. The round-trip walk
takes about three hours with the last part
as an enjoyable stroll through flower
scented forests and patches of bamboo. The
first main temple on the path is the
Chunghua Tang. Hearty, healthy vegetarian
meals cooked by Buddhist nuns are available
in several of the temples on the route. The
main shrine hall just above the dining room,
rises on beautifully sculpted stone columns
that depict celestial animals and ancient
Buddhist legends.
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| Cheng Huang Miao |
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Cheng Huang Miao, is a small, old and very
original temple. Tainan’s residents believe that
their behaviour is reported to the emperors of
heaven and hell by Cheng Huang, the city deity. The
main shrine is a fascinating jumble of smoke-stained
icons, antique hardwood fixtures and intricately-hewns
beams. Within is a solemn bearded statue of the
deity, with life sized statues of a warrior and a
scholar standing guard on either side. In the
side-wall niches are two dozens icons of smooth
camphorwood, clothed in silk brocade. The facial
features and poses are highly individual. Behind the
main
shrine is a smaller hall and shrine. The side walls
are lined painted clay statues, depicting famous
monks and masters of the past. The open beam-work on
the temple ceiling is noteworthy. Unlike the other
ceilings, this one is varnished rather than painted,
its surface etched with fine filigree.
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| Lanyu or Orcid Island |
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Lanyu, or Orchid Island, is the most
unlikely jewel in the waters surrounding
Taiwan. An island of 45 square kilometers,
it is 60 kilometers east of Taiwan’s
southern tip and 80 kilometers southeast of
Taitung. Lanyu is home to 4,250 Yami,
Taiwan’s smallest minority tribe, With
colorful costumes and a strongly-matriarchal
society, the Yami are often regarded as the
northernmost extent of Polynesian ancestry.
These people live simple from the
 fruits
of the sea, supplementing their daily catch
with taro and a few fruits. The entire
island can be driven around in a little over
two hours. The coastal rock formations,
eroded by weather and water, are particular
impressive. One thing conspicuosly missing,
given the island’s English name are wild
orchids. They have all been dug up and sold.
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