Chikan Tour
Tour guide：Finn
Hello everyone, I’m Finn. Today I’m going to introduce an important historical
site called Chikan tower. Now we’re standing in front of the entrance. We don’t
have to pay the ticket because we are students. Let’s show your student id
card and enter the Chikan tower.
Ok, now we are in the Chikan tower. And we stop here for a moment to tell a
short introduction about Chikan Tower.
Chihkan Tower was constructed by Dutch in 1653 and was originally used as
the administration center during the Dutch’s occupation. Its original name was
Provintia which means “eternity” in Dutch.
Toilet (走去廁所前建築)
Before we continue, I want to remind you that jf you want to go to the restroom,
remember it’s to the right of the statues. Take a look at these statues, these
are the Dutch officers surrounding to Koxinga (Zheng Cheng gon. Now we
can see the Dutch officers are standing there, but in the past, they kneeled.
However, the ambassador of Dutch came to visit Taiwan and he was upset
when he saw the scene. He protested to Foreign Affairs Ministry. After that,
the status was rebuilt.
Turtle Monument
Let’s go to next stop, please follow me. This is the best spot to take a photo.
Let me tell you some interesting story. Legend says the turtle is the son of the
dragon. People said that emperor Qianlong gave a general ten monuments to
praise his accomplishment to overcome riots in Taiwan. Interestingly, a turtle
fell into the sea during the transportation. Workers tired to copy one, but the
color was different. Therefore, the copy one is in 嘉義 park now. However, the
one which is falling into the sea had been found and now it is in another temple
for people to pray.
Tour guide：Abby
Chikan tower
Hello, I’m the next tour guide, Abby, and let me introduce the others spot. Now,
we’re standing in front of the Chikan Tower. The name of the Chikan Tower
comes from the story building the tower is like a high building and its old name
was Provintia. According to the legend, the Dutch only use fifteen pairs of
clothes to exchange the large land with aborigine.
Koxinga
And I want to talk about a person who is related to Chikan Tower and He’s
Koxinga. Koxinga (Zheng Cheng gong) was the first Han Chinese leader to
hold political power in the history of Taiwan. April 1661, Zheng Cheng gong
pass through by 鹿耳門 landing, at first he attacked and occupied the Provintia,
set up 承天府衙門. Nine months later, Zheng Cheng gong then take the
Zeelandia, ending a run of 38 years of the Dutch East India Company in
Taiwan. Instead of attacking the Anping Fort, Zheng Cheng gong chose the
administration center of the Dutch power, Chikan Tower, to attack because
defense was weaker here.
The Vase-Shaped Opening
The style of the tower is Chinese now. Look at the Chinese-style door. It looks
like a vase. Ok, does anyone know what the shape of the door symbolize? (ok,
nobody knows it.) The shape of the door symbolizes safe and sound because
vase is pronounced Ping; it sounds like safe and sound in Chinese.
The Dutch Well relic
Let’s look at The Dutch Well relic. It’s between the Sea God Temple and
Wanchang Pavilion. According to the legend, it connected Chikan Tower and
Anping Fort, but in fact it’s not possible because of the skill of construction in
that time is not very advanced. It had been excavated and been evidenced that
it just a well which provided the daily water for the people who lived inside the
fort.
Tour guide：Emma
Wenchang Pavilion
Hello, I’m the last tour guide, Emma, I’m gonna introduce three parts.
This is Wenchang Pavilion and Wenchang is the god of knowledge, people
believe that he can help students study. Nowadays, Wenchang is transferred
to other temple only Kuxing stay in the pavilion. Kuxing is another god of
knowledge and he dominates the essay that raises or falls. And let’s look at
this architecture. The wall of temple is white, symbolizing pureness of scholar
and the windows’ shapes are like a book. In addition, the decks of bamboo in
the window symbolize rising successively.
Kuxing
Now let’s go upstairs to take a look at Kuxing and be careful because the stair
is too narrow. You can see his feet standing on the turtle’s head that means to
be the best in any field, and he takes the pen of cinnabar that means students
write their name by the pan, and it will win top marks in the imperial
examinations. And behind you, this is a board that people prays for their
studies.
The remains of Fort Provintia
OK, we’re goona go downstairs and go to the last spot to the remains of Fort
Provintia.
The Dutch built Fort Provintia on the Chikan plateau and it built the main
squire-shaped castle and also built squire-shaped castle in the northeastern
and southwestern corner. In addition, it formed a rhombus-shaped structure to
defend.
Later, during the Japanese rule period, Fort Provintia was destroyed by
typhoon and Japanese rebuilt and excavated. And we can see the texture and
the thickness of these brick walls, including a defunct entrance behind the
stone horse, all have confirmed the amazing architectural quality of this
Dutch-built fort.
Ok, we have done the all trip in Chikan Tower. DO you learn a lot about Chikan
Tower? And now we’re gonna go to next stop. If you are thirsty, we can buy the
famous winter melon tea outside.