Postcards From Changhua City 2

彰化市明信片二號

Postcards From Changhua City 2

October 12th, 2016

Not long after moving to the administrative capital of Changhua in 2014 I published a collection of photographs entitled Postcards from Changhua City. All of the photos in that post were shot in my first few months of residency but I ended up staying for half a year. In that time I gathered more than enough material for a sequel while making my daily rounds. So here it is: more photos from my time in Changhua City, a historic town in central Taiwan. As before, additional information and links are included in the caption for each photo, where available.

The entrance to Kaihua Temple, Changhua City — The gates to Kaihua Temple in the heart of Changhua City.

Changhua City through the gates of Kaihua Temple — The city through the gates of Kāihuà Temple (開化寺). This temple dates back to 1724!

The tiny north gate shrine in the back alleys of Changhua City — In Qing dynasty times Changhua was a walled city but the Japanese colonial authorities tore them down and imposed a new urban planning order on the city. Hidden in an alleyway, the North Gate Fude Temple (北門福徳祠) used to stand next to the northern entrance to the walled city.

Great West Gate Land God Shrine 大西門福德祠 — As the name would imply the Great Western Gate Fude Temple (大西門福德祠) marks the former location of the walled city’s western gate. This one is far more accessible than the north gate shrine, however.

Inside the courtyard at the famous Changhua Confucius Temple — Inside the courtyard at the famous Changhua Confucian Temple (彰化孔子廯).

Doors to the main hall of the Changhua Confucius Temple — Doorway to the main hall of the Confucian Temple in Changhua City.

An abandoned chemical plant at the foot of Baguashan — The ruins of the China Electric Chemical Factory (中國電氣化學廠) at the base of Baguashan.

The former Gaobinge Banquet Hall in Changhua City — Gāobīngé (高賓閣), or the Changhua Railway Hospital (彰化鐵路醫院), is a unique colonial building that with a long and interesting history. It was abandoned for many years but is now being renovated by the city.

Japanese colonial era building on Yongxin Street in Changhua City — A Japanese colonial era building on Yongxing Street (永興街).

Yingong Theater, Changhua City 彰化市銀宮戲院 — The historic Yíngōng Theater (銀宮戲院), immediately across from the Confucian Temple, now a fashion retailer.

A stately row of colonial shophouses in Changhua City — A stately row of colonial shophouses on Chángshòu Street (長壽街). The one on the left has since been demolished.

Changhua Arts Museum and former Japanese colonial era public hall — An impressive example of Japanese colonial architecture at the base of Baguashan. Today this is the Changhua Arts Museum (彰化藝術館) but it was built in 1933 as the Changhua City Assembly Hall (彰化市公會堂).

A closer look at a distinctive old shophouse in Changhua City — A closer look at the unique Wángzhǎngfā Trading Company (王長發商號), one of my favourite colonial shophouses in Taiwan.

Inside the courtyard at Yuanqingguan, Changhua City — Inside the courtyard at Yuánqīngguān (元清觀), a temple with an unusual name. The censer appears to be levitating.

Ghost flowers in Changhua City — Ghost flowers: intricate arrangements of folder paper destined to be set ablaze.

Blessings from Mazu — Blessings from Mazu. Tiānshàng Shèngmǔ (天上聖母) is one of her names.

A chubby red Buddha in a temple in Changhua City.

Santaizi looking jolly at Qing'an Temple, Changhua City — A jolly Sāntàizǐ (三太子) at Qing’an Temple (慶安宮) in Changhua City.

Study rooms at Qing'an Temple, Changhua City — Study hall in the right wing of Qing’an Temple (慶安宮). These rooms are open to the public; just walk in and get to work!

Changhua City Fortune Telling — A vintage advertisement for palm reading and mole divination in the alleys of Changhua City.

Japanese Relics on Xinting Old Street 新町老街 — Japanese relics and curious pigeons on the desolate Xīntīng Old Street (新町老街).

Abandoned shophouses next to Zhonghua Bridge in Changhua City — A row of abandoned shophouses next to Zhonghua Road Bridge (中華路橋). These buildings surely predate the construction of the bridge from which this image was captured.

Former Minzu Road Police Station, Changhua City 彰化舊民族路派出所 — An abandoned Japanese colonial era police station on Minzu Road (舊民族路派出所).

Changhua City Fish Market — On the other side of Zhonghua Road Bridge is the Changhua City Fish Market (彰化市魚市場). There isn’t much to see here by day but long after dark it’s a bustling hive of activity.

Peeling paint and utility stickers — Peeling paint and utility stickers next to a disused apartment block on the far side of the railway tracks.

Cute luck in Changhua City — A cute character on the door of an old house in back alley Changhua City.

Back alley Changhua City style — A vintage home in the back alleys of Changhua City.

A palanquin enters Nanyao Temple, Changhua City — A palanquin entering Nányáo Temple (南瑤宮) on the south end of town.

A Republic of China gate in Nanyao Temple, Changhua City — A round portal with carved versions of the Republic of China flag inside Nanyao Temple (南瑤宮).

Pharaoh of Changhua City — The pharaoh of Changhua City? No, this is merely a statue outside an Asian-fusion restaurant named Havivi (凱悅奇兵主題飲食館).

A cuckoo clock in a Changhua City alleyway — A cuckoo clock on a wall in the back alleys of Changhua City. Totally random.

An old clinic in Changhua City — The entrance to an old medical clinic on the south side of town. The sign on the right is the schedule.

A stack of ghost money for anyone who needs it.

Poetic divination in Bailongan, a rooftop temple in Changhua City — Poetic divination in Báilóng’ān (白龍庵), a rooftop retreat in the heart of Changhua City. These fortunes are drawn by lot after asking questions of the gods in a short ceremony.

Another day in the office at an obscure shrine next to the railway tracks — Another day in the office at the obscure Bìyìng Shrine (必應祠).

A mysterious statue in back alley Changhua City — This mysterious statue at Biying Shrine vexed me while living in Changhua. I have since learned that this is Lín Xīlíng (林錫鈴), the founder or one of the original administrators of the shrine.

Electric flower car behind Jingcheng Night Market — An electric flower car (電子花車) behind Jīngchéng Night Market (精誠夜市). I think they were doing some kind of raffle.

A shrine to light up the dark night — A shrine to light up the dark night on the north side of Changhua City. This is a land god shrine, an ubiquitous feature of the Taiwanese urban landscape.

Taking the train from Changhua Station on new year's day — Taking the train from Changhua City on new year’s day.

Boxed scooter waiting on the platform at Changhua Station — Boxed scooter waiting on the platform at Changhua Station (彰化車站).

Moonrise over the ruins of a skyscraper in Changhua City — Moonrise over the towering ruins of the Qiáoyǒu Building (喬友大廈).

No evidence of a night market — No evidence of a night market by day—but after dark this empty lot will come alive with activity.

Dark night, Changhua City — Out for a night ride along Zhúhé Road (竹和路), a small artery connecting two neighbourhoods bisected by a sprawling set of chemical plants and fabric factories on the north side of town.

Shattered visions — Broken glass outside an abandoned home in Changhua City.

Stuffing a fried mantou in Changhua City — A popular local delicacy: fried and stuffed bread at Āzhēn Zhàmántou (阿貞炸饅頭).

Propeller of a warplane in Baguashan — Propeller of a warplane in Jiànkāng Trail Park (健康步道公園) up on Baguashan.

A derelict airplane in Changhua city — Inside the cockpit of a derelict C-119 Flying Boxcar resting in a park on Baguashan. Only about 7 of these Korean War-era relics remain in Taiwan (out of a fleet of more than 100 purchased from the US).

Buddhas galore on Baguashan — Buddhas galore inside the big temple at the edge of Baguashan.

Looking south along Baguashan in Changhua city — Looking south from Baguashan over a university campus and the more residential side of town.

Baguashan in the drought of 2015 — Baguashan (八卦山) in the drought of 2015. The fountain was shut off to conserve water.

The Big Buddha of Baguashan in black and white — The Big Buddha of Baguashan (八卦山大佛) in black and white.

Be sure to see the first in this series and browse around the rest of my posts from Changhua City and Changhua for more from this part of Taiwan.

Themes

Japanese Colonial Era Taiwan (台灣日治時代)
Temple Culture in Taiwan (台灣的寺廟文化)
Urban Exploration
Urban Exploration in Taiwan (台灣城市探險)
Qing Dynasty Era Taiwan (清治時期台灣)
Minnan Architecture (閩南建築)
Shophouses in Taiwan (台灣街屋)
Postcards From Taiwan (台灣明信片)

Regions

Taiwan
Changhua (彰化)
Changhua City (彰化市)

Backlinks

Postcards From Changhua City 1 (彰化市明信片一號)

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