Nanshe Academy

Founded outside Tainan’s Great South Gate in 1726 by the Qing official Shi Shibang (施世榜) as the Jingsheng Pavilion (敬聖樓), reputedly the first ritual paper incinerator established in Taiwan. The structure enshrined Wenchang (文昌) and existed to burn used paper bearing characters out of reverence for the written word. After several Qing dynasty era reconstruction the pavilion was expanded in 1799 with an additional altar to Cangjie (倉頡), the mythic inventor of Chinese writing, and was renamed Nanshe Academy (南社書院). Long since demolished; the original site lies somewhere along today’s Shulin Street but no trace remains.