Preserving Heritage: Exploring the Historic Buildings of Hsinchu City

Hsinchu, known as the windy city of Taiwan, is the oldest city in Northern Taiwan with a history of 400 years. It was originally inhabited by the Taokas tribe, an aboriginal people. The city was named Chuchang until the end of the 19th century.

During the Qing dynasty in 1826, the city walls and four gates were constructed. The East Gate (竹塹城迎曦門) is an important landmark of Hsinchu and the only gate that remains standing; the other three were destroyed during the Japanese occupation.

East Gate - Yingximen (竹塹城迎曦門)

In 1733, bamboo was the main building material for the city walls. However, during the Qing Dynasty in 1827, the walls were reconstructed using brick and stone, and a moat was dug. At the beginning of the Japanese occupation in 1902, the Governor's Office of Taiwan decided to make urban corrections, resulting in the demolition of the city walls and gates, leaving only the East Gate. The East Gate is a two-story colonnade-style tower with arched door holes and a title on the top of the main entrance. The roof was originally made of wood but was later supported with concrete during renovation.

During the Japanese era, Hsinchu served as the main administrative center between Taipei and Taichung. The city became known for its production of glass for medical equipment until 1960 when it shifted its focus to producing craft items. Today, Hsinchu is recognized as a center for decorative glass products.

See also: Beipu

   

Hsinchu Railway Station (新竹火車站)

Another historic building worth visiting is Hsinchu Railway Station. The railway station was first opened at the end of 1893, and the current railway building was constructed between 1908 and 1913 during the Japanese era. The Japanese architect was inspired by Western Gothic and Baroque styles that were popular at the time. It is the oldest active station in Taiwan and is designated as a national monument. The building was destroyed during World War II but was later repaired in 1947 with funds raised by the Taiwan Provincial Government. In 1989, after the complete abolition of steam locomotives, the fan-shaped garage was removed. The only remaining fan-shaped garage in Taiwan can be seen in Changhua.

See also: Changhua Fan Shaped Garrage

Hsinchu City Government (新竹州廳) 

Hsinchu State Hall is another monument that was built during the Japanese occupation and has been preserved to this day. The hall was originally built in 1925, and the entrance porch was expanded in 1932. In 1945, Hsinchu City Government was established, and the State Hall building was used as an office building. In 1982, Hsinchu became a provincially-administrated city, and the state office became the municipal government office. In 1988, the Taiwan Provincial Government listed the State Hall as a provincial monument, and it underwent renovations between 2000 and 2005. The State Hall is built in a Western style, with a two-story brick building. The floor and beams are mainly made of reinforced concrete, and the roof is made of wood.

Hsinchu City Fire Museum (消防博物館)

Hsinchu City Fire Museum was originally built as a fire station but has been converted into a museum to preserve its historic value. Inside, you can see an old fire engine and equipment used by firefighters.

Chenghuang Temple (新竹都城隍廟)

The most important temple in Hsinchu City is Chenghuang Temple (新竹都城隍廟), built in 1748, which is the most famous temple in Hsinchu. Initially, the temple might not be easy to notice among the numerous food stalls around it. It's a very popular place. 

Chenghuang (meaning city wall and moat) is the city God of justice. It's believed that prayers in this temple will be rewarded because the spirits of the deceased always inform the God of good and evil deeds. The God not only guards the city but can also be asked for help during natural disasters or for people accused of crimes. Hsinchu Chenghuang Temple is one of the three main temples, and during the Qing Dynasty, it was the only City God Temple in Taiwan.

During the Japanese occupation, the temple underwent renovations, and many decorations were added. Chenghuang's birthday is celebrated on the 29th of November in the Lunar Calendar and is traditionally marked with a parade and firecrackers. 

The Chenghuang Temple's Night Market has a long history. The market began during the Japanese era with only four vendors, and over time, more and more vendors gathered here. The market around the temple is open every day from 10 am to 10 pm. You can find many delicious foods there, such as oyster omelettes, meatballs (rou yuan), shaved ice, cooked mochi, and traditional bitter tea.

Next to the Chenghuang Temple is Falian Temple, which was added during renovations in 1803.

See also: Xinpu

Address:

1. Yingximen (East Gate): 300新竹市東區竹塹城迎曦門
2. Hsinchu Moat: 300新竹市東區護城河
3. Train Station: 300新竹市東區中華路二段445號300
4. Hsinchu City Government: 300新竹市北區中正路120號新竹市政府
5. Fire Museum: 300新竹市北區中山路4號新竹市消防博物館
6. Chenghuang Temple: 300新竹市北區中山路75號新竹市城隍廟夜市

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Blogs and vlogs about Taiwan

1. Taiwan Scene is an online magazine/blog created by My Taiwan Tour.
2. Synapticism a very detailed and thorough travel and urbex blog by Alexander Synaptic.3, Josh Ellis Photography a travel and urbex photography gallery and blog from a travel photographer in Taoyuan.
4. Taiwan Everything  a general interest guide to Taiwan, including outdoors, food, and travel. 
5. The Amazing Taitung a travel blog just about everything near and around Taitung.
6. Follow Xiaofei a travel blog mostly about finding hard to reach hot springs and other swimming spots in Taiwan. It also features frequent Vlogs.
7. Taiwan - An Expat and Foreigner's Guide  a general interest blog for foreigners written by Kyle and supported by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau.
8. Nick Kembel Spiritual Travels by author, photographer, award-winning travel blogger Nick Kembel based in Taiwan. 
9. Foreigners in Taiwan1
10. Tricky Taipei a lifestyle blog based in Taipei by Kathy Cheng, but also focusing on the Taiwan's tourism and online strategy
11. Jaysun Eats Taipei a very extensive restaurant guide to Taipei
12. Laiki Taichung: a travel and lifestyle guide to Taichung made by Anastasia.
13. Nihao's it Going by the pseudonym Mossy Konger is a general interest and opinion blog about topics especially related to foreigners in Taiwan.
14. Laoren Cha a general blog for women living in Taiwan with commentary on everything about Taiwan by Jenna Cody.
15. Taiwan Matters: a group blog on Taiwan politics, run in part by Tim Maddog and Ben Goren

Vlogs:
1. Foreigners in Taiwan: Mostly GoPro and Drone footage to supplement the blog
2. LoganDBeck Films: Travel and daily life from Logan Beck, an eccentric young American living in Changhua.
3. Stop Kiddin' Studio: A team of young foreigners in Taiwan discussing life and food in Taiwan.
4. This is Taiwan: A vlog by a South African living in Taiwan sharing all things Taiwan.
5. Xiaofei: The same blog mentioned above (Follow Xiaofei), but showing all his videos.
6. I'm Jonas: Guy from Sweden, introducing Taiwan and Sweden with his girlfriend Charlie (her vlog: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyD3eaCai2yyWZEuczgZ-fw)
7. Ku's dream 酷的夢: French guy introducing Taiwan in Chinese
8. lifeintaiwan: a British man living in Taichung

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12 things you (probably) didn't know about Taiwan!

1. No rubbish bins/garbage cans, but garbage trucks play music

When walking on the streets in Taiwan, you won't see any rubbish bins. People collect their rubbish at home and throw it into garbage trucks. The garbage trucks can be easily heard as they drive around, playing Beethoven's Für Elise.

2. Public toilets are everywhere

There are a lot of public toilets in Taiwan, and they are all free. Additionally, most shops like Family Mart or 7/11 will have a toilet. This is not the case in many European countries where you often have to pay to use public toilets, even in shopping malls!

3. There are no sidewalks

Many places in Taiwan don't have sidewalks, so pedestrians need to walk on the street. Sidewalks are mostly found near schools or parks. People also drive quite recklessly, so unfortunately, it is not uncommon to hear news about pedestrians dying on the roads.

4. Digital bus stops

Many bus stops in Taiwan (in the cities) have digital panels that display the actual bus schedule. Buses are equipped with USB ports and Wi-Fi. In some cities, there are also free buses depending on the distance you need to travel.

5. Shops open 24/7 on almost every street

Family Mart and 7/11 are two of the most popular convenience stores in Taiwan. You can find them on almost every street in cities, often right next to each other. They are open 24 hours a day, even during holidays like New Year. You can find almost everything you need there, including hot food like boiled eggs, baked sweet potatoes, or sausages.

6. Most people eat out

Many people in Taiwan don't know how to cook or don't have the time for it. Additionally, many houses in the city don't have kitchens, and those that do are much more expensive. There are plenty of breakfast shops and other small restaurants where you can find food.

7. Uniforms and 12 hours of learning

From kindergarten, kids in Taiwan wear uniforms that are different for each school. Kids also have a heavy workload of studying. Families place a strong emphasis on education, which can put a lot of pressure on children to excel. Many kids start school at 7 am and return home between 5 pm and 9 pm, depending on whether they attend cram school or not.

8. Different meanings of colors

In the West, black is a common color for funerals. In Taiwan, you will see many people wearing white. Additionally, on wedding days, girls may wear red dresses instead of white, which represents good luck.

9. Overtime work is normal

An 8-hour workday should be the norm, right? Not in Taiwan. Many people work overtime, sometimes up to 70 hours a week. People are very busy with work and have limited time for their personal lives. This is also a reason why many people aged 35+ haven't gotten married or had children yet.

10. Women don't change their surnames after marriage

In many countries, it's common for married women to take their husband's surname. However, in Taiwan, this is not an option. Even after marriage, the surname cannot be changed. In my case, I changed my surname in my home country, so now many documents used in Taiwan have three different names: my Chinese name, maiden name, and my actual surname - super annoying!

11. Houses are built vertically

Many houses in Taiwan have three to even five floors, with usually one or two rooms on each floor. Wealthier individuals may also have elevators in their houses for convenience. You won't find gardens near cities, and often there are no garages either.

12. People avoid sunlight

Many people in Taiwan, especially girls, aspire to have fair skin, so they actively seek shade to avoid sunlight. It's common to see people walking with umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun. On the other hand, I love sunshine even if I get sunburned. I'm tan, often even darker than many Taiwanese people I have met.

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AMWF Couple: Pregnancy and giving birth in Taiwan

When people found out I was pregnant, everyone was excited except for me. I was filled with fear. We needed to choose a gynecologist, but it seemed like our only option was a male doctor. My husband insisted on someone working in a hospital rather than a small clinic. Going to a male gynecologist was difficult for me at first, but I got used to it over time. I noticed that many women who came there were usually close to 40 years old, making me the youngest one.

The nurses didn't speak English, and all the documents were in Chinese. Since I didn't know Chinese, my husband always had to accompany me. Fortunately, the doctor knew some English. The pregnancy went smoothly, except for maybe 2-3 weeks in the beginning when I felt like I was about to die, haha. Comparing myself to the other women I saw, I felt relatively good. I couldn't help but wonder why some of them walked in a peculiar way and seemed to be in pain.

I remained very active throughout my pregnancy, walking, cleaning, and doing whatever I wanted, especially indulging in sweet treats. My mother-in-law believed I shouldn't do too much and should only rest. Living with them at the time made me feel quite controlled, as I always had to inform them of my whereabouts, which made me feel restricted. In the last weeks, about a month before giving birth, our doctor had to take a month-long leave. This sudden change of doctors was stressful for me, but fortunately, the replacement doctor turned out to be better. He spoke English very well and although he used many professional terms I couldn't understand, he always explained things thoroughly. As childbirth approached, I had to spend more and more time in the hospital. The hospital was only 1 km away from our place, which was amazing because back in Poland, the nearest hospital was 35 km away.

It was already 2 days past my due date when I woke up at midnight with pain, but I initially ignored it as I had been experiencing contractions for the past few days. Around 4 am, I woke up my husband, telling him that I was going into labor. He seemed very stressed and woke up his parents, while I calmly got dressed and had breakfast. We went to the hospital, and the security guard repeatedly asked if I needed a wheelchair, but I thought walking would be better, even though people kept looking at me strangely.

I waited in the room, and the nurses came to check on me a few times. I asked for painkillers, but they thought it was too early. Well, it turned out it wasn't. Suddenly, they realized it was too late for painkillers, and it was time to give birth. I was crying and begging my husband for help. By around 10 am, everything was finished, and I was moved to a normal room. Before giving birth, they asked if I accepted visitors or not. I didn't want any, but it seemed like my husband either didn't translate it or the hospital didn't pay attention because a few minutes later, my mother-in-law showed up. Normally, I was supposed to stay in the hospital for 3 days, but I left a day earlier. According to the doctor and nurses, I was the most active woman who had just given birth.

The postpartum room usually accommodates four people. Each person has a bed and an additional chair that can also be opened as a bed for someone staying with them. There are curtains around each bed to provide privacy, but unfortunately, our curtain couldn't fully close, so people passing by always ended up watching me, which was really annoying. Another annoying thing was that my parents-in-law came to see me on the first and second day. On the second day, they stayed with me the whole day because my husband couldn't be there. I just wanted to be alone and rest at that time.

Finally, I was able to go back home, but our son still needed to stay in the hospital for one more week to ensure everything was okay.

Zuo yuezi - Postpartum centers in Taiwan

Actually, women in Taiwan don't go back home right after giving birth. They stay in postpartum centers, which feel more like going to prison to me, haha. Women are supposed to stay in bed for the entire month to recover. These postpartum centers nowadays look more like five-star hotels. There are nearly 200 registered postpartum centers around Taiwan, but staying in these places is quite expensive, costing an average of 120,000 NTD. In recent years, over 50% of women in Taiwan have chosen to stay in postpartum centers. In these centers, parents can only visit their baby for a short while during feeding time, and the baby can only be watched through a window.

The rest of the women are taken care of at home by their mother-in-law. However, even staying home with the mother-in-law can feel like being in prison at times. Women are advised not to wash their hair, take a bath, or go outdoors, although I didn't really care about those restrictions. Some foods are believed to be better during this time. Fortunately for me, I could eat and do whatever I wanted. We stayed at home, and I took my few days old baby for short walks nearly every day. People think I'm really strong, but I believe that women should take care of themselves and their babies.

Dos and don'ts of pregnancy and labor in Chinese culture

- Placing sharp objects like knives or scissors on the bed is believed to cause a cleft lip in the baby.

- Touching anything with glue is thought to result in birthmarks.

- Eating "cold" food is believed to keep the Yin and Yang balanced.

- Eating pineapple is believed to cause a miscarriage.

- The father is typically not present during delivery.

- The first few days after childbirth, women are advised to stay in bed.

- Washing hair in the first month is discouraged to avoid getting a headache.

- Taking a shower is not allowed in the first month as it is believed that water can enter the body through the loosened skin.

- Brushing teeth is thought to loosen teeth and make gums bleed.

- Eating "hot" foods is believed to increase breast milk production, while "cold" foods and fruits should be avoided.

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Yunlin travel: Xiluo Bridge and the Fuxing Temple

Yesterday was my due date, but my son doesn't seem to be in a hurry, so my husband brought me to Xiluo. His family thinks we're crazy to even go out... I feel bored at home and quite stressed about giving birth.

Xiluo Bridge (西螺大橋) crosses over the Zhuoshui River, connecting Yunlin and Changhua County. Construction of the bridge began in 1937, but it took 15 years before the project could be finished. The bridge is nearly 2 km long, and at that time, it was the second-largest bridge in the world.

In 1963, the image of Xiluo Bridge could be seen on the TWD 10 bill due to its importance and symbolic meaning in the development of transportation in Taiwan.

Religious events are also held there. People follow the Gods to cross the bridge on foot. Last November, there was a beautiful parade with many fireworks. The Goddess Mazu is taken from Fuxing Temple on a parade through the city and across this bridge.

 

Fuxing Temple (福興宮) 

Originally, Fuxing Temple was built in 1723 to enshrine the statue of Mazu brought from China in 1717. The temple was demolished in 1770 and rebuilt on the main street. In the late Qing Dynasty, the temple began holding the famous Taiping Mazu cultural festival, which includes a pilgrimage with Mazu on both banks of the Zhuoshui River.

The pilgrimage began as a thanksgiving ritual for farmers to pray for health and a bountiful harvest. Nowadays, the procession lasts 15 days and covers 14 townships, with over 200 temples along the way.

You can also take a look at Xiluo's old street with traditional shops, an old market, and the traditional soy sauce factory. The old street is located along Yenping Street. In the early days, Xiluo was a very prosperous area. Buildings along this street were built in a baroque style. Due to the earthquake in 1935, the government decided to add Chinese decorative elements to remodel the buildings. The combination of old-style design and artistic style makes the landscape special.

More informations about Xiluo Old Street: HERE

Address:

1. Xiluo Old Street: 648雲林縣西螺鎮延平路130號往東延平老街
2. Xiluo Bridge: 648雲林縣西螺鎮西螺大橋西螺大橋

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