Eternal golden castle

In 1874 during Emperor Tongzhi’s reign, Japanese troops invaded Taiwan, and Shen Boazhen was put in charge of the country’s defense system. He suggested a fortress be built in Anping, and Erkunshen Fortress, also known as Golden Castle was constructed using bricks from Fort Zeelandia.

anping’s backstreets

Tucked away all through Anping were tiny alleyways that were worth exploring. I first wound my way to Wei’s ancestral home whose past resident had been a Manchurian navy officer. But there were other tiny houses that seemed just as old. Sometimes only a roof remained, or a couple of brick walls to give a hint of what was once there.

Zeelandia fort (later anping fort)

Anping Fort was in the heart of the area’s tourist bubble, where from the bus stop, stalls lined both sides of the road all the way to the entrance into the fort. The site was typical of 17^thcentury forts and a symbol of Dutch governance on the island. 

Anping’s invaders

Long before Europeans arrived in Anping, Chinese and Japanese pirates had already been invading Taiwan. But by the mid 16^thcentury, the Dutch ruled the region for thirty-eight years. They made Anping a key international port until Koxinga gained control and encouraged foreign powers to establish trading posts on the island. For more on Koxinga —

https://malleestanley.wordpress.com/2020/10/30/koxingas-corner-of-tainan/