Tainan City - Historic Anping
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Taiwan Tainan Anping Historic Places Historic Luermen
Right: Dragon Boat Races on Anping Canal The quiet Tainan suburb of Anping was once a vital trading hub at the crossroads of empires. It's worth taking the time to wander around the historical sites which go back to the Dutch occupation in the 17th century and earlier. The Anping district also has a reputation for some pretty decent sea food restaurants and it's the place to be on Dragon Boat Day. |
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Historical Overview
Prior to the arrival of Chinese settlers from the mainland, Anping was inhabited by Siraya Pingpu aborigines. The Dutch, after being expelled from The Pescadores (Penghu), made their base in Anping in 1624. The Dutch occupation ended in April 1961, when Koxinga (Zheng Cheng Gong) a Ming loyalist pirate attacked from Luermen and forced them to sue for peace. Eventually in 1863 Taiwan came under the umbrella of the Ching Dynasty, and though it remained part of the empire until 1895 there were numerous rebellions and China forbade it's citizens to travel there.
In 1894 Japan and China went to war over Korea, a war that China lost. Taiwan was subsequently ceded to Japan under he provisions of the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895. The Japanese proceded to develop the Kaohsiung harbour to the detriment of Anping. Japan was forced to withdraw from Taiwan at the conclusion of World War Two and governance passed to the Nationalist Chinese under the banner of "The Republic of China".
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Left: Lin Mo Niang Park, Anping. The historic sites in Anping can easily be visited in a day on foot, and are surprisingly well signposted. They include the Dutch built Fort Zeelandia, The Eternal Golden Castle and some 19th century Dutch German and English merchant houses. |
Taiwan Tainan Anping Historic Places Historic Luermen
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