Recently, after watching YouTube videos from Ku's Dream, we discovered a breakfast shop that sells unusual flavors of danbing. Intrigued, we decided to visit South District. The breakfast shop is located near the Martyrs' Shrine, which we had never visited before. It always feels like there are so many things in Tainan that we have yet to explore, no matter how many times we visit.
Tainan Martyrs’ Shrine (臺南市忠烈祠)
Tainan Martyrs' Shrine was originally a private mansion. When the prince came to Taiwan to restore order, he stayed at the residence of Wu Ruxiang, a wealthy family in Tainan. Unfortunately, he contracted malaria and passed away in October. The Japanese government then designated the mansion as the "Prince Nohku Imperial Ruins of Kitashirakawa Palace," establishing a shrine to pay homage to the prince and house his relics. After World War II, the shrine was renamed the "Tainan Shrine" and later changed to the "Martyrs' Shrine" after Taiwan's recovery.
The current Tainan Martyrs' Shrine is a Chinese palace-style building. The entrance is marked by a torii gate engraved with the characters "Mighty Qianqiu." Most of the individuals memorialized at the shrine are soldiers, firefighters, and police officers who died in the line of duty. Every year on March 29th, the Youth Festival and during the Spring and Autumn Festivals on September 3rd, as well as on Military Day, ceremonies are held to honor the martyrs. Additionally, during these occasions, condolences are expressed to the families of military officers who have passed away within the last six months. While the interior of the shrine is not open to the public, the outer area offers a beautiful night view and is open for visitation. During the daytime, compared to the surrounding historic sites and temples, the shrine has a quieter atmosphere without the hustle and bustle.
The Tainan Shrine was established in 1923 in Nanmen Town (now the Central and Western District of Tainan City). The shrine also includes the imperial ruins established in 1901. It is one of only two official shrines in Taiwan. The shrine was constructed with a spiritual gate, worship hall, shrine gate, hand water house, torii, stone lanterns, and fences, all situated along the north-south axis facing Jinfuqian Road. The "Loyal Soul Stele," originally located at Taiwan's second garrison training ground outside the Great North Gate, was moved to the east of the Imperial Ruins Institute in 1903. The former Mizi Lin Chaoxing Palace was demolished, and statues of gods were placed there.
After World War II, in 1946, the Tainan Shrine was renamed the Martyrs' Shrine, and the torii gate at the entrance was replaced with a memorial arch inscribed with the characters "浩氣千秋." In 1952, the National Salvation Corps was stationed on the right side of the inner courtyard. The outer garden of the Tainan Shrine was rebuilt as Tainan Municipal Middle School in 1953. Over the years, the original outer garden was gradually demolished to make room for school expansion.
In 1969, the main building of the shrine was demolished and converted into a gymnasium. In 1991, it was transformed into a public parking lot. In 2019, the Tainan Art Museum was completed on the original site. The outer garden of the shrine is now part of Zhongyi Elementary School. In recent years, remnants of the school building of the neighboring Zhongyi Elementary School, such as the stone bridge (formerly known as Chenggong Bridge after the war), have been excavated and restored.
In July 1991, Mayor Shi Zhiming ordered the demolition of the stadium and the conversion of the area into a park and an underground parking lot in accordance with Urban Plan No. 11 Park. After the demolition, only a few remnants and objects from the Tainan Shrine were left, including the bronze horses and brow dogs that were relocated with the Martyrs' Shrine, as well as the Tainan Shrine Office, Chenggong Spring, and Wude Hall in Zhongyi Elementary School. On July 1, 2005, during the renovation of Wude Hall, the second arch bridge left in the outer garden of the shrine was excavated. It was engraved with the words "Bridge of Success," a title given by Yang Dejun, the head of Tainan Municipal High School. The city government made slight design changes, preserving the bridge deck and restoring the original appearance of Chenggong Creek.
The breakfast shop (驚炭奇) is located on the same road as the shrine. They offer a variety of breakfast options, including danbing with squid, instant noodles, and even century eggs.
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