Chigu tower

Chigu tower, also known as "Hongmao tower", experienced 300 years of changes in the Ming, Zheng and Qing Dynasties, and even in the period of Japanese occupation. It can be said that it is the epitome of Taiwan's history and the witness of Tainan's historical changes since the 17th century. From Zheng Chenggong's time as the highest administrative organ of the island to the Qing Dynasty when it was destroyed and restored, its architectural features have changed from Dutch style castles to Chinese style buildings. Today, it is not only an outdoor museum, but also the most famous monument and symbol of spirit in Tainan.

Chigu tower

Chiku building, or Chiqian building or Ciku building, is located in the central and Western District of Tainan City, Taiwan Province. It was formerly a European style building built in 1653 under the rule of the Dutch. It was once the ruling center of the whole island. By the Qing Dynasty, it had been abandoned and only some remains were left. Later, the Han people built Chinese ancestral temples on the original site. After the war, nine steles were moved from other places, which eventually became what they look like today. Today's Chigu tower is actually a remnant of the city of Zhecheng, a mixture of Haishen temple and Wenchang Pavilion. It is now listed as a first-class historic site.

Geography

Chiku building is located at the intersection of Chiku street and Minzu road in Central District of Tainan City. It was originally built by the Dutch. In the early Han Dynasty, the Dutch were called Hongmao, so Chigu Lou was also called Hongmao Lou, or Fanzi Lou. At present, Chigu Lou is listed as a national first-class historic site and a representative scenic spot in Tainan.

Chigu tower was first built in 1650 A.D. after the Dutch, Ming and Zheng dynasties and the Manchu and Qing Dynasties. Its building materials are said to have been transported from overseas by the Dutch, and it is called promin chateau. It was built by the Dutch after Guo Huaiyi, a Han uprising against the Netherlands. After Zheng Chenggong conquered Taiwan, he once changed the city of puminzhecheng into chengtianfu, the eastern capital, and took chikulou as the highest administrative organ on the island. It is opposite to Anping Castle across the Taijiang River, which is of great historical and cultural value.

Historical evolution

Immigration development

Tainan is the first place in Taiwan where Han people began to develop. In the early days, the western part of Tainan City was a vast ocean, which was called Taijiang inland sea. Surrounded by sandbanks on the western margin of the inland sea, kunfu (K ü NSH ē n, now Anping area), which is the first kunfu, is the settlement of the Pingpu Taiwan community in xilaya. On the East Bank of the Taijiang river is the plain area, where the Chigu community of Pingpu People gather. Therefore, the maps and documents of the Ming Dynasty call Taijiang and Dongan Taiyuan and Chigu respectively.

The early Han immigrants can be traced back to the middle of Ming Dynasty. At that time, there were already some Japanese pirates and pirates who took Tainan as their base in the nearby sea area. The residents of Southeast China's coastal areas and Taiwan's indigenous people were deeply harassed by them. The Ming Dynasty sent troops to fight several times and had the first contact with the indigenous people, which also opened the history of Han immigrants to Taiwan. Some residents in Fujian and Guangdong migrated to Tainan for the purpose of escaping from famine, fishing, and doing business, and gradually formed settlements in yikunlu and weishazhou on the northern line.

The common people cover the city

In 1624, the Dutch who occupied Penghu gave up their business in Penghu and occupied Tainan instead. First of all, the commercial hall was built and expanded to become a Western-style waterfront fortress, namely, the reranzhe city (now Anping Castle) on a kunlu sandbank on the West Bank of the Taijiang river. Later, in the east of the castle, the "Taiwan Street" (in the area of today's Yanping Street) and "prominzha Street" (now Minquan Road) were built respectively. The former is known as "Taiwan's first street" because it has a long history and was once a prosperous commercial street. The latter is Taiwan's first planned European Street.

In 1652, Guo Huaiyi, a Han uprising against the Netherlands, took place. In order to consolidate its colonial rule, the Dutch built the city of promingzha in the north of promingzha street. At that time, the tide of the Taijiang river could reach directly under the city. The people in Fujian called the high part of the water ‰ and mistakenly called it ＂ Gu ＂. In addition, the bricks and tiles of the city building were all red and red in the sunlight, so it was also called ＂ Chigu building ＂. Because it was built and garrisoned by the Dutch with red hair, the Han people also called it hongmaolou. Promin Zhecheng is made of sugar water, glutinous rice juice, oyster shell ash and bricks. Around 141 meters, the building is 10.5 meters high. There are lookouts in the north and South corners, two ancient wells and cellars to store grain and reserve water for wartime preparation.

Chengtianfu

In April 1661, Zheng Chenggong, under the guidance of He Bin, a Han Chinese who served as the general secretary of the Netherlands, crossed the inland waters of the Taijiang river through the port road of lu'ermen, and first conquered Pucheng. After that, the Zheng family immediately changed the city to Mingjing, the eastern capital, and set up chengtianfu, and issued an edict: "Mingjing, the eastern capital, is the foundation of a nation and a family, which can provide the foundation for all generations.". After nine months of temporary residence in Dongdu, Zheng Chenggong captured the city of reranzhe again, ending the 38 year operation of the Netherlands in Taiwan.

Later, Zheng Chenggong changed the name of re LAN Zhecheng to Anping town as Zheng's residence, and changed it to the original promin Zhecheng as the highest administrative organ of the island. However, less than half a year later, Zheng Chenggong died of illness. Shortly after his accession to the throne, Shizi ZHENGJING abolished Dongdu in 1664 and renamed Dongning. After Chengtian house was abandoned, Chigu building became a place for storing gunpowder.

Qing Dynasty

In 1721, Zhu Yigui revolted against the Qing Dynasty, and the iron gate of Chigu tower was removed to cast weapons. Later, with the human damage, wind and rain erosion, earthquake shaking, to later, Chigu building only around the decadent wall, showing a desolate scene.

In 1788, during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in his later years, the Qing Dynasty carved eight rectangular steles, which were written in Chinese and Manchu. They were placed in Chigu tower (near the magistrate's office of Taiwan in the Qing Dynasty) for people to read and admire.

In the latter half of the 19th century, the Dashi hall, the sea temple, Penghu academy, Wenchang Pavilion, Wuzi temple and other buildings were successively built on the original site of Chigu tower. These five buildings, towering, add grandeur to the dilapidated Chigu site.

After the period of Japan stealing Taiwan

During the period of Japanese stealing Taiwan, the Japanese used the sea temple, Wenchang Pavilion and Wuzi temple as hospitals and dormitories.

In 1921, when the Japanese demolished the hall of the grand master and reconstructed the site, they rediscovered the old Fort gate of Prometheus, and then discovered the remains of the Dutch fort in the northeast corner and the gateway to the basement of the fort, so they called it the history museum.

After the war, it was renovated and became the Tainan Municipal History Museum. In 1974, it was rebuilt again and became the present appearance.

Chigu tower was declared a national first-class historic site by the Ministry of interior in 1983.

Architectural features

Today's Chigu tower can not see the appearance of the common people's fortress built by the Dutch at that time. The two traditional Chinese buildings with red tile eaves, Wenchang Pavilion and Haishen temple, are the marks of Chigu tower. Haishen temple is located in the south, and Wenchang Pavilion is located in the north. The roofs of the two buildings are the representation of Xieshan with double eaves. Between the double eaves is actually the second floor, surrounded by green glazed vase railings; behind the stone horse in front of Wenchang Pavilion Fang has a door opening, which was the gate of the city covered by ordinary people. At present, Chigu building is divided into three floors, the upper floor is made of brick and stone, and there are zigzag passageways; the upper floor is decorated with cornices, and the lower floor of Chigu city is decorated with nine stone turtles, each bearing more than Zhang. They are the Royal steles written by Emperor Qianlong to pacify Lin shuangwen's rebellion. In addition, there are other artifacts such as the broken foot stone horse and the tombstone of Zheng Gong, which are quite special.

In addition, chigulou also has a vast garden. In addition to walking, the garden also has a number of historical relics, among which the most eye-catching one is the line-up stele of imperial tortoise. The one carrying the stele is not tortoise, but one of the nine sons of dragon. It is said that the heavy object of zhongshanhe is often used as the base of the stele.

Tourist attractions

Zheng Chenggong talks about peace

Walking into Chigu building, you can see the broad garden in front of the building.

In the southeast corner of the garden, there is a sculpture, Zheng Chenggong's peace talk. It is said that the original name of this sculpture was Zheng Chenggong's surrender painting. At that time, the Dutch were kneeling. Later, the Dutch leaders put forward their opinions to the Taiwan authorities, saying that they would give the Dutch a little face, so that the Dutch stood up.

On the marble base, a brief introduction of Zheng Chenggong's life is engraved. On March 23, 1661, in order to establish a stable base for anti Qing war, Zheng Chenggong led an army of 25000 people and more than 350 warships to march to Taiwan from liaoluowan, Jinmen. On the first day of April, Zheng Chenggong's fleet entered the lu'ermen waterway and landed in Taiwan. It first conquered Chiqian and then surrounded the city of re LAN Zhecheng. On December 13 (February 1, 1662, Gregorian calendar), Premier Yi, the Dutch governor, begged Zheng Chenggong to surrender and left Taiwan after 38 years of occupation. Zheng Chenggong changed Taiwan into the eastern capital, set Chiqian as chengtianfu, and set up two counties, Tianxing and Wannian, which laid the foundation for the construction of Taiwan's political power.

A stele to the Emperor

Under the south wall of Chigu tower, the most striking is the nine tortoise steles lined up. In the 51st year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, Lin shuangwen of the heaven and earth society raised his troops in Taiwan. The Qing Dynasty quickly ordered Fu kang'an, governor of Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, to lead his troops to Taiwan to put an end to the chaos. In 1788, when the war ended, Emperor Qianlong was very happy. He wrote five poems to commemorate the incident and made ten stone tablets and tortoise seats. Four of them were fully engraved in Manchu, four in Chinese and two in Chinese. One of them was in the park of Jiayi (real tablet and fake tortoise). The other nine were first placed in the memorial hall of fukang'an near Nanmen Road, Tainan, during the Japanese occupation The ancestral hall was destroyed and moved to the outer city of dananmen in 1935. In 1950, it was moved to its present position and became Chigu tower

Chinese PinYin : Chi Kan Lou