/countries/show/taiwan/1.rss en-us The fascinating Wen Wu Temple of Sun Moon Lake is located in Shuei-She Village, Yuchih township, Nantou county in central Taiwan. The Wen Wu Temple of Sun Moon Lake has a rich and well documented history. Sun Moon Lake used to have two temples: the “Benefit Temple” located at the Jihyueh Village, and the “Dragon-Phoenix Temple” of Shuishe Village. In 1931, Taipower Corporation constructed a dam at the Lake to generate electricity, and in 1934, the cultivated land submerged due to a high water level, and the residents had to be evacuated. The two temples were then relocated. The two temples were later sold to Taipower and the proceeds used to construct the Wen Wu Temple in another location, but the administrators didn’t want to separate the gods, and opted to merge the two temples to make the Wen Wu Temple of Sun Moon Lake. Construction of the Temple begun in 1934 and was built on the foot of the northern mountain of Sun Moon Lake. It was completed in 1938. The Wen Wu Temple consecrates Confucius, (God of Scholar), Guan Gong (Saintly Emperor Guan), and other gods, including many cultural and martial gods. This is why it is called “Wen Wu Temple,” meaning Cultural and Martial Temple. The Wen Wu Temple of Sun Moon Lake is a large structure with three separate halls. The design was based on the palace of Northern China. There is a shrine on the second floor devoted to the First Ancestor Kaiji (the God of Literature), and the central hall is devoted to Guan Gong (the God of War) and the warrior-god Yue Fei. The rear hall is dedicated to Confucius. The Wen Wu Temple of Sun Moon Lake has a bronze statue of a seated Confucius, which makes this temple the only one in Taiwan that has the sage’s image. It is also the only Confucius temple that keeps its central door continuously open because there are so many tourists. The main entrance of “Gateway and Ceremonial Arch” is a northern style monumental archway made of Green stone. The Wen Wu Temple has two vermillion stone lions on the two sides of the front plaza, which is one of its interesting features. The only way to reach Wen Wu Temple before was a boat ride to the pier below the Temple, and everyone had to climb steep stairways called "Stairway to Heaven" in the early days. The administrators recently made renovations to the steps, and there are now 366 steps, so it’s called the “Year of the steps,” symbolizing the 366 days in a year plus an extra day during a leap year. Visitors use wind chimes along the steps to ask for blessings. They first proceed to Wen Wu Temple to buy wind chimes that correspond to their Zodiac sign, and pass them through incense smoke by the Temple workers. They then write their names and wishes on a red paper, go to the top of the “Year of Steps” to ring the chimes, and finally, they go down the steps and hang the chimes beside those steps that represent their birthdays. The Wen Wu Temple is a complete expression of belief, culture and tourism. Travelling to Wen Wu Temple is such an amazing and breathtaking experience. Tue, 23 Aug 2011 22:00:51 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/wenwu-temple http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/wenwu-temple The best food in Taipei is enjoyed at night, on the street, from a cart. Anyone who visits the capital of Taiwan will tell you that you must visit a night market to truly sample the culinary excellence of Taipei. Forget black-vested waiters with white towels. This is time to get down and dirty, and plunge right into the mounds of “stinky” tofu, fried sausages, and oyster pancakes. (“Down and dirty” was just an expression—most vendors are quite clean). Of the six major night markets in Taipei, Shilin Market is the biggest and the most famous. A trip to Shilin Market is like going to the county fair, but with heaps more crowds, neon lights, and a much wider variety of food. Immediately upon entering the market, visitors will find themselves bombarded with music from the arcade games, vendors hawking cheap jewellery and clothing, and the smell of frying grease. One part of the market is devoted to street food, where most food devotees will head first. Forget your diet; you're going to be packing in a lot of calories tonight. First and foremost, the king of Taiwanese food is the oyster pancake. This humble concoction has somehow managed to elbow its way into the forefront of Taiwanese cuisine, becoming the icon of Taiwanese food. Batter and eggs are fried together with a heap of little sweet oysters, a handful of lettuce, and topped with a sweet sauce. Get one fresh enough, and you'll be in love. Hint: follow the crowds of locals to the best food stands. Next on the must-try list is the slightly raunchier stinky tofu. These squares of fried tofu may smell like something died in your shoes, but you'd never be able to tell from the hordes of locals gobbling down this Taiwanese specialty. Think of these squares of fermented tofu as the Asian equivalent of blue cheese, and you'll do all right. After the stinky tofu, something more pleasing to the Western palate is in order, so pick up a barbecued Taiwanese sausage. These red sausages are sweet, savoury, and dripping with your choice of sauce. Round out your meal with a serving of fresh dumplings, steamed or fried. After that, cool off with a bowl of silky-smooth, cold sweet tofu. Tofu as smooth as custard melts on your tongue in a bath of cool sweet gingery soup; the perfect end to a heady meal. Wed, 24 Nov 2010 02:53:16 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/night-market-taipei http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/night-market-taipei Every national park needs a crown jewel. Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park has it's red-ruby Kilauea Volcano, Malaysia's Kinabalu National Park has it's green-emerald Mount Kinabalu, and Taiwan's Yushan National Park is beautified by it's lofty Jade Mountain, so named because of her snow-capped peak which glistens in the sun like white-jade. Many of us picture high-rises and concrete madness when we think of Taiwan. After all, it made its place on the world scene in the 1990's as one of the "Four Asian Tigers." But with over 79,000,000 acres of Taiwan's landmass set aside and preserved as National Parks, this Asian province is as much a mecca for campers, hikers, adventure trekkers and nature lovers as it is for world-class business men. One of Taiwan's premiere wilderness focal points is Jade Mountain. Rising up to 3,952 meters above sea level, this magnificent peak stands as one of the tallest in Northeast Asia and pushes Taiwan up to Number Four on the list of highest islands in the world. It's no wonder that the Taiwanese have taken great care in preserving this unique beauty by dubbing the mountain's surrounding borders a national park on April 10, 1985. Today, Jade Mountain sits encircled by over 100,000 hectares of beautiful landscape known as Yushan National Park, the largest of Taiwan's seven natural preserves. But just as there are many facets to a crown, there is more to Yushan National Park than Jade Mountain. Almost 70% of the park's landmass rises to over 2,000 meters in elevation. A landscape that soars upwards must likewise descend downwards, dramatically leaving behind jagged cliffs, rugged valleys, rushing rivers and misty waterfalls in it's wake. The geography of Yushan National Park does not fail to deliver. From the park's broad and mixed-leafed forests of native fir, hemlock and Batongguan grass, to it's over 50 mammalian species, Yushan National Park offers plenty of opportunities for interaction with the wild. Native wildlife that rank high on many visitors lists include the Formosan macaque, sambar and Taiwan's most iconic native animal, the Formosan black bear. The park is divided into northwest, south and eastern sections. If you want to scale the summit, Tatajia or Dongpu from the northwest is your point of entry. To the southeast is Nanan entry-point, which opens up to quiet walks and a modest visitor's center. The town of Meishanku in the southwest is a convenient entrance with hotels, campsites and restaurants to welcome you. Access to these entry points is from differing areas in Taiwan, and these routes do not interconnect with one another within the park. It would be best to explore just one area of interest if you are short on time. Once you secure lodging within the park's boundaries you will find an impressive network of well-marked hiking trails. Some of these walks can be experienced as short day-trip adventures, and others will require a commitment of at least a few days. There are two routes up to the main peak of Jade Mountain, one for the experienced and seasoned adventure trekker and the other for the rest of us. Both trails are visibly marked and well-maintained, making it easy to stay on track while enjoying the views. So the next time you find yourself searching for the next convenient wilderness to explore, consider booking a flight over to the island of Taiwan to explore the many sides of Yushan National Park. Fri, 20 Aug 2010 04:06:06 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/yushan http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/yushan