Wanhua temples Travels
Michella Jade Weng, Presenter:
Hi, I'm Michella! And this is my friend...
Michael
Turton, American Expat:
Michael! I'm here today to welcome you to one of
my favorite places in Taiwan. The heart of traditional
religion in Taipei, Wanhua!
Wanhua
was once the most prosperous part of Taipei. Today
in some ways it still is. There��s an abundance of
culture and energy here. And this is the breakfast
of Wanhua champions: congee cooked with broth made
from pork, chicken, fried scallions, dried shrimp,
tofu and lots of other secret ingredients.
Fueled
and ready to go, our first stop is this restored
historical street that dates back to the Qing dynasty.
Around
the corner from Bopiliao is the famous Longshan
Temple, which houses deities from Buddhism, Confucianism
and Taoism. Worshippers sought refuge here for their
Confucian and Taoist gods during the Japanese occupation
when the government tried to rid influence of Chinese
culture. Now people come here to pray for anything
from achieving inner peace to doing well on exams
to finding their soul mate.
Next
to Longshan Temple is a tiny but very interesting
street that most people miss. This street has been
lined with medicinal herb shops, kind of like a
street of pharmacies, for centuries.
There
are two other major temples in Wanhua, lesser known,
but just as worthy a visit. This is Qingshui Temple,
originally worshipped by people from Anxi, China.
And this is Qingshan Temple, where immigrants from
Quanzhou used to pray.
If you��re looking for an adventure, check out Huaxi
Street Night Market. The main attraction here is...snake
meat.
Michella
Jade Weng, Presenter:Snake barbecue.
Michael Turton, American Expat:Tastes like chicken.
Michella Jade Weng, Presenter:Tastes like chicken?
Michael Turton, American Expat:It��s good.
Michella Jade Weng, Presenter:Really?
Michael Turton, American Expat:Uh huh.
Michael
Turton, American Expat:
I really like coming to Wanhua. It��s got that great
Taiwan flavor, that great old Taipei flavor. Bopiliao
was fantastic - very atmospheric, very traditional.
It��s really just a wonderful place just to hang
out and soak up that good Taiwan feeling.