Night market, special temple, calligraphy

Trip Start Apr 01, 2008
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Trip End Ongoing


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Where I stayed
Fangliao F3 Arts District ( beside train station )
(Kenting hotels)

Flag of Taiwan  , TW.04,
Wednesday, October 28, 2009

5 days trip to Pingtung County and Kaoshiung County. On the first day three of us went down to Kaoshiung by High Speed Rail, where we met 2 other friends, rent a car and went down south of Fangliao. Here we spent the afternoon leisurely in a coffee shop ( one of several on this stretch ) beside the coast.
The night we decided to stay in Fangliao's F3 Art's distict ( www.f3art.com ). We got a place in one of the buildings belonging to the Arts Village with a flair of the Hippie period. Then the evening developed unexpectedly:
 
Once-a-week or once-a-month night market with vendors from near and far. Here we sampled several typical local foods.
 
Then we visited a temple, which turned out to be Taoist with a special kick, more exactly a Japanese kick. The temple worshipers a Japanese general with the name General Tien Chung ( Chineswe adaption ) from the time of Taiwan's Japanese occupation Enjoying the ocean South of Fangliao
Enjoying the ocean South of Fangliao
 . The name of the temple is Tung Long Kung. From a lady in the temple, a kind of Taoist priest and a medium for the Japanese general, who speaks to and through her, we learn a lot about the beginnings of this temple. It was her who received the message from the general. The temple was then built and is only about 15 years old. The temple is very rich in decoration, such as wood carving. The lady herself became a Taoist priest after passing many tests, one of which has been to climbup a several meters high pole on knifes. 

Back at the Arts Village we ask two gentlemen about the name F3 for the Arts Village. The explanation is that in former times Fangliao has been the important end station for the railway in the south, before it was then extended to the East Coast to form a closed circle. The Arts Village was the 3rd warehouse area in former times. The two men were in a class room for Calligraphy study and one of the men has been a calligraphy master for 30 years and a railway director before retirement. He explains to us a lot and the paints for each of us a phrase and poem. We can choose from 4 different character styles. We are delighted and hang on to each of his words and are captured by his charism. The other gentleman is his student - he wants to learn calligraphy as is has developed an interest for Chinese painting. 

The next morning we buy our breakfast in town and enjoy it in our garden.    

All of this can be seen in the photo section. Have a look.
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