What's your impression of Taipei? If you once lived or are living in Taipei, have you ever taken a good look at the city? Do you know all the interesting stories behind the scenic or historical spots you once visited? Maybe you have never been to Taipei or know nothing about it. No matter what category you belong to, please allow me to introduce Taipei - the Cultural City of Asia-Pacific 2001 - to you.

The first Asia-Pacific Cultural Summit, attended by mayors and cultural officials from forty-four cities in twelve countries, was held in Taipei last June. In addition to Taiwan, the countries represented included the United States, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Israel, the Marshall Islands, India, the Philippines, Korea, Fiji and Japan.

The participants signed the "Asia-Pacific Cultural Cities Resolution" and agreed to take turns hosting the Asia-Pacific Cultural Cities campaign. The main purpose of this campaign is to combine tourism, arts and academic exchange, and to promote a more diversified cultural exchange between cities. It was decided that Taipei would host the Asia-Pacific Cultural Cities activity this year.

The theme of the campaign this year is "Leaping Across Borders." It was hoped that the activity would become an international cultural event and help dissolve the boundaries between different regions and languages.

Seven events are being held in Taipei for the campaign: the Culture Fair, Asia-Pacific Cultural Cooperation Conference, Taipei Culture Tour Bus, Taipei Children's Arts Festival, Artists-in-Residence Exchange Program, International Poetry Festival, and Taipei Arts Festival. Other than these events in Taipei, many other cultural activities will be held in other cities and counties in Taiwan.

The Taipei Culture Tour Bus

Of the seven events held in Taipei, the Taipei Culture Tour Bus is the one that will last for the longest period of time. The buses are also called the "Traveling Dragon Buses." You only need to spend NT$15 [US$0.40] and you can take as many bus rides as you want in a day. These buses take you to museums, historical spots and memorial sites, where artistic, cultural and literary activities are held on weekends.

Many of the spots provide free guided tours, and some also provide group guided tours if tourists book in advance. The Taipei Archives Commission, a department of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taipei, is responsible for training tour guides who, with their abundant knowledge, will ensure you a delightful and fruitful trip.

Temples

Since many people living in Taiwan are Buddhists and Taoists, temples play an important part in their lives. These religious sanctuaries, usually with significant cultural and historical value, are an important feature of the Taipei Culture Tour Bus activity. At present, most temples on the island combine both Buddhist and Taoist characteristics. Only a few pure Buddhist temples remain.

An important part of Chinese culture, Taoism was suppressed by government officials during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan (1895 - 1945). Taoists were forced to offer sacrifices to their deities in Buddhist temples. Later, offering sacrifices to deities of different religions enshrined in the same temple became a distinctive religious feature of Taiwan.

Other than Buddhist and Taoist temples, Confucian temples are also important to people on the island. Compared with mainland China, Taiwan has preserved more of the traditional Chinese Confucian heritage. One example is the yearly Confucius Ceremony. Roughly eighty percent of the rituals performed during this annual ceremony, held at the Taipei Confucius Temple on September 28 (Confucius' Birthday), is performed in accordance with ancient records passed down from the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 ad).

Most large-scale temples not only provide religious services, they also conduct classes, establish libraries, participate in charity work, offer scholarships to students in difficult financial circumstances, and organize local activities. In addition to their religious value, temples also play an important part in the daily life of the local people.

The architecture of these temples is fascinating. One cannot help but be amazed by the wisdom and craftsmanship of our ancestors. For example, a traditional temple is constructed with no nails and all the joints are exquisitely carved. The carvings and sculptures in the Taipei Confucius Temple were created by two sculptors, so we can enjoy two different artistic styles.

Behind the history of a temple, there are usually a lot of interesting stories and legends waiting for us to discover. Below are two stories about the Manka Lungshan Temple and the Pao-an Temple.

Kuan Yin, the Great Compassion Bodhisattva, is the main deity of the Manka Lungshan Temple. The tale about the establishment of the temple goes like this. During the reign of the Ching Emperor Yung Cheng (1723 - 1736 ad), a Chinese immigrant brought to Taiwan a bag containing incense ash he had obtained from the Quanzhou Anhai Lungshan Temple in China. As he passed through Manka, he hung the bag on a tree and took a nap. When he got up and continued his journey, he forgot to take it with him. At night, light radiated from the bag. Taking this as a divine manifestation of Kuan Yin, local people decided that a temple should be built in honor of the goddess.

The great Emperor Pao Sheng (also known as the Medicine God), the principal deity of the Pao-an Temple, is one of the most popular Taoist deities. He did not ride on a horse, but on a tiger which is respectfully addressed as General Black Tiger. It was said that the beast used to be savage and fierce. One day, after he had eaten a woman, her hairpin got stuck in his throat. He went to Emperor Pao Sheng for help, but the emperor refused to help him because he was too brutal. The tiger then sincerely repented of his wrongdoing. Only after that did the emperor agree to cure him. From then on, General Black Tiger stayed with the emperor to protect him.

Other scenic spots

This bus tour includes a variety of spots that cater to the needs of different types of people, including shopping centers, parks, museums, artistic and cultural spots, and historical sites.

The Taipei Municipal Children's Recreation Center is an excellent place for parents and children to visit together. It is divided into three parts: the World of Amusement, the World of Yesterday and the World of Tomorrow. The World of Yesterday invites performers and folk artists to perform and conduct classes in traditional arts on weekends. There are also displays and exhibitions of handicrafts that children enjoy. The World of Tomorrow includes the Space Theater and the Children's Science Exhibition Hall, where children can have fun and learn new things at the same time.

Another interesting scenic spot is the Lin An-tai Ancestral Home, which was built in the architectural style popular in the late Ming and early Ching dynasties in Fujian Province, southeast China. The Lin An-tai Ancestral Home was built around 1783 - 1785. As in many other traditional Chinese buildings, there is a pond in front. When the house was being built, construction workers gathered clay from in front of the house to create adobe bricks. By the time the mansion was completed a large hole had been formed, which was then filled with water to create a pond. The pond had many functions. In addition to serving as a place where fish and domestic fowls could be raised, it also prevented fire, supplied water, and cooled the area during summertime. It was such an efficient design!

Many parents take their children on this bus tour for family outings on weekends. It is especially enjoyable and relaxing to spend an afternoon walking around with a tour guide and listening to amazing little stories about each site. Did this brief introduction arouse your curiosity about Taipei?

Note: The whole campaign started from 19 July and will conclude on December 31. However, the Taipei Cultural Tour Bus ended on November 18.