Spectral Codex

Spectral Codex
Princess of Eight Treasures Temple (墾丁大灣萬應公祠)
Spectral Codex
Shanghai Municipal Council Slaughterhouse (上海公共租界工部局宰牲場)
Spectral Codex
Taipei Railway Workshop Dormitories (臺北機廠宿舍)
Spectral Codex
Fenyuan Village Office (芬園庄役場)
Spectral Codex
Shigang Rice Barn (石岡穀倉)
Profile photo of Alexander Synaptic, founder of Spectral Codex
Alexander Synaptic
Curator, Spectral Codex

Welcome to Spectral Codex, a digital garden, a travel journal, photography portfolio, and geospatial database curated by Alexander Synaptic. This site is completely ad-free and features no sponsored content, though you’re welcome to support my work via Patreon if you like what you find here. Read a little more about my background and motivations, or start browsing the collection!

Currently this project features 6,560 locations (1,359 with images), 114 posts, 515 regions, 103 themes, 8,182 images, 20,438 outbound links, and 979,086 words, mostly covering topics related to Taiwan. Gathered below are some of the better and more recent links from around the site to get you started…

Recent Updates

Eighteen Arhats Cave(十八羅漢洞)

Keelung
Zhongzheng, Keelung

Keelung Shengji Temple(基隆聖濟宮)

Keelung
Zhongzheng, Keelung

Dongshi Loyalty Monument(東勢表忠碑)

Taichung
Dongshi

Yuanlin Credit Union(員林信用合作社)

Changhua
Yuanlin

Ershui Public Hall(二水公會堂)

Changhua
Ershui

Karenko POW Camp(花蓮戰俘營)

Hualien
Hualien City

Jinzi Theater(金紫戲院)

Tainan
Houbi

Ohashi-gumi Supervisor’s Dormitory(豐里移民村大橋組指導官舍)

Changhua
Beidou

Putuoshan White Temple(普陀山白衣道場)

Tainan
Nanhua

Dongtaizigong Salt Transfer Station(東太子宮鹽運聯合轉運臺)

Tainan
Xinying

Qigu Saltworks Dingshan Production Area(七股鹽場頂山生產區)

Tainan
Qigu

Eguchi Ryozaburo Monument(江口氏紀念碑)

Hualien
Hualien City

Shirakawa Shinto Shrine(瑞穗白川神社)

Hualien
Ruisui

Fuxing Fishermen’s Association Welfare Store(彰化縣福興區漁會漁民福利社)

Changhua
Fuxing

Mailiao Jincheng Theater(麥寮金城大戲院)

Yunlin
Mailiao

Lincuo Anti-Airborne Fortifications North Section(林厝反空降陣地北段)

Taichung
Daya

Themes

Many different themes are explored on this site, generally as a way of making sense of history and socioeconomic change. Each theme features posts, field notes about specific locations, and a map to help navigate the geospatial dimension of a subject. I recommend having at least a glance at my most ambitious project, an extensive overview of nearly 1,200 movie theaters across Taiwan.

Theaters in Taiwan(台灣老戲院)

Locations: 1,149
Posts: 5

Animal Spirit Monuments in Taiwan(台灣畜魂碑)

Locations: 24

Confucian Academies in Taiwan(臺灣書院)

Locations: 32

Zhaijiao in Taiwan(台灣齋教)

Locations: 30

Koxinga in Taiwan(鄭成功與台灣)

Locations: 22

Alishan Forestry District(阿里山林場)

Locations: 35

Taipingshan Forestry District(太平山林場)

Locations: 25

Postcards From Taiwan(台灣明信片)

Posts: 15

Series

Complete series of photo essays and field notes from some of the many road trips and bicycle journeys I’ve undertaken over the years, mostly around Taiwan. If you prefer more of a narrative structure to explore the many places documented on this site you might like to start here.

Huadong Valley Ride 2018

Locations: 6
Posts: 6

Nantou Road Trip 2015

Locations: 4
Posts: 5

Southern Taiwan Ride 2015

Locations: 10
Posts: 7

Taiwan Summer Road Trip 2017

Locations: 32
Posts: 5