Anping, Tainan
Encyclopedia
Anping District is a district of Tainan City. The history of Anping dates back to the 17th century, when Dutch East India Company
occupied Tayuan/Tayoan/Tayouan/Tayowan (Chinese characters: 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣, referring to the Sirayan origin of the modern name Taiwan
). In the period of the Japanese occupation
, the history of trade between China and Japan unfolded at Anping.
Anping was originally a small island separated from the mainland of Tainan until the 19th century. Due to the ocean current, the small lagoon between Anping island and Tainan was silted up and gradually disappeared, and Anping became a part of Tainan.
When the Dutch occupied Tayoan, they built up the first castle in Taiwan called Fort Zeelandia. At that time, it was the heartbeat of politics and trade in Taiwan. Over the years, Fort Zeelandia had several name changes and is currently known as Anping Castle.
Eternal Golden Castle or Uhrkuenni Battery was built in 1874 by Shen Baozhen, a famous Qing Dynasty
official. At that time it was used to fend off the Japanese and defend Anping from attack from the sea.
In 1895, when Japan took over Taiwan, the Taiwanese resisted the Japanese's warship from this fortress. During the Russo-Japanese War
, the Japanese government sold some of Eternal Golden Castle's guns in order to pay for the war. Afterwards, the fortress lost its military value.
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
occupied Tayuan/Tayoan/Tayouan/Tayowan (Chinese characters: 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣, referring to the Sirayan origin of the modern name Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
). In the period of the Japanese occupation
Taiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
, the history of trade between China and Japan unfolded at Anping.
Anping was originally a small island separated from the mainland of Tainan until the 19th century. Due to the ocean current, the small lagoon between Anping island and Tainan was silted up and gradually disappeared, and Anping became a part of Tainan.
Attractions
- Fort ZeelandiaFort Zeelandia (Taiwan)Fort Zeelandia was a fortress built over ten years from 1624–1634 by the Dutch Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, in the town of Anping on the island of Formosa, present day Taiwan, during their 38-year rule over the western part of it...
When the Dutch occupied Tayoan, they built up the first castle in Taiwan called Fort Zeelandia. At that time, it was the heartbeat of politics and trade in Taiwan. Over the years, Fort Zeelandia had several name changes and is currently known as Anping Castle.
- Eternal Golden CastleEternal Golden CastleThe Eternal Golden Castle , alternatively but less well known as Uhrkuenshen Battery , is a defensive castle in Anping, Tainan, Taiwan. The castle was built in 1874 by the famous Qing official Shen Baozhen in order to safeguard the coast and to defend the island against Japanese invasions.In 1895,...
(億載金城 or 二鯤鯓砲台)
Eternal Golden Castle or Uhrkuenni Battery was built in 1874 by Shen Baozhen, a famous Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
official. At that time it was used to fend off the Japanese and defend Anping from attack from the sea.
In 1895, when Japan took over Taiwan, the Taiwanese resisted the Japanese's warship from this fortress. During the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, the Japanese government sold some of Eternal Golden Castle's guns in order to pay for the war. Afterwards, the fortress lost its military value.