Looking at Taiwan today it is easy to get the impression that the island's first encounter with the Western world came with the arrival of McDonald's barely over a decade ago. Although this is far from true, evidence of early Western involvement in Taiwan, which dates back to the arrival of the Portuguese in 1517, is hard to come by. A fortunate exception to this general rule is found in the fishing town of Tamsui (which means "freshwater"), 20 km northwest of Taipei. Here, remnants of earlier Western contact still stand perfectly preserved.
the arrival in Taiwan of 35,000 Ming dynasty troops who, fleeing the rebel Ching (Manchu) dynasty army, ousted the Dutch from Tamsui and the rest of Taiwan. It was also about this time that the fort came to be known as Hung Mao Cheng (Fort of the Red-haired Barbarians).
The fort's history as a pawn between opposing powers remained in check until 1857, when it was leased to the British as their consulate in Taiwan. The elegant red-brick consul's residence adjoining the fort was added in 1891. A cool and stately piece of England forever marooned on a hillside overlooking a Taiwanese fishing village, it remained occupied by the British until 1972.
The fort and consul's residence are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, except Mondays and the day after holidays. Admission is NT$20. To get there from the center of town, walk about 2 km along Chungcheng Street. Running parallel to the river, this is the oldest street in Tamsui.
Ontario, Canada, dedicated himself to bringing Christianity to the people of Tamsui. As a dentist he tended to the body as well as the soul. Although he died in Tamsui in 1901, his legacy today, built up through fund-raising work on trips back to Canada, includes a hospital and a nursing college as well as the schools in Tamsui.
Chinese custom at the time insisted that foreigners and Chinese be buried separately. Dr. Mackay lies in a small private graveyard separated by a wall from the adjoining Foreign Cemetery, dating back to 1870. This small secluded spot is a poignant memory of those who many years ago began their lives in countries as far afield as Scotland, Sweden, Germany, and the United States, and together found their final resting place in Tamsui.
To get to the cemetery, continue along Chenli Street from Tamkang Middle School. Take the first left and simply follow the wall all the way to the cemetery.
Also on Chenli Street, by the gates of the Tamsui Middle School (which sits next to Tamkang Middle School), you will find a tiny food stall that has been selling spicy rice noodles for about 100 years. It closes around noon, so get there early.
Near the fort, about 1 km further along Chungcheng Street, is the Martyrs Shrine. This memorial to the island's fallen soldiers sits at the end of a tree-lined avenue a couple of hundred meters back from the road and is open on weekends and holidays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tamkang University and its sizable student body contribute significantly to the bustle of the town. The campus sits atop the hills behind Tamsui, and it is worth visiting for its Maritime Museum. The five-story ship-shaped building is unmistakable. It houses a library, engine models, a mock ship's bridge, and model ships from Columbus's Santa Maria to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.
Pretty dry stuff, maybe, but one model that should make an impression is that of Cheng Ho's treasure boat. The Chinese are better known for building walls than ships, and it may come as a surprise that from 1405 to 1433 they had a large maritime presence in the Indian Ocean, with Cheng Ho venturing as far as East Africa. More surprising still is the sophistication of the ship's
design. The boats were huge fantastical spectacles, as long as Western ships of that day and at least twice as wide. Admission to the museum is free and it is open every day except Mondays and certain holidays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
One of the highlights of visiting Tamsui is its food. Seafood, especially, is popular and plentiful. There are several fine seafood restaurants on Chungcheng Street and on the river front. Apart from seafood, there are also many food stalls clustered around the ferry landing. Here you will find two of Tamsui's most famous dishes, Yu Wan Tang (fish ball soup) and Tieh Tan. The latter
are generally dove eggs which are boiled repeatedly until they shrink, harden, and turn black. They are a far cry from your regular 3-minute egg, but their taste is not nearly as formidable as their appearance.
Across the river from Tamsui towers Kuanyinshan (Goddess of Mercy Mountain). This can be reached by a quick and cheap ferry ride. Even if you don't intend to venture up the mountain, the ferry ride is a pleasant excursion in itself. If you intend to climb the mountain to its peak, set out early--it is quite a hike. To get to the 612-m peak will take at least a couple of hours. The best views are half-way up the mountain, because those from the top are partially obscured by thick tree cover.
Stunning Sunsets
Tamsui is small enough to see in a few hours, but most people who go there make sure they don't leave until after the sun has set. Half an hour before the event, people begin to gather along the river bank looking for the best spot to watch or photograph the fiery disc sink into the sea.
Tamsui can be quickly reached from Taipei by bus. The Hsintien Bus Company operates buses (similar to Greyhounds) that run along Roosevelt Road and Chungshan Road in Taipei. Look for the Hsintien-Tamsui (·s©±-²H¤ô) characters. On Tacheng Street, near the North Gate area just west of the Taipei Train Station, bus numbers 2 and 5 will also take you there.
Copyright 1995 Vision International Publishing Co.