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Temple of Jade Emperor
The left side has a hanging of a full-color reproduction of an ancient painting depicting the third-century Taoist physician, Hwa-To, performing surgery on the upper arm of a military hero Guankung, who calmly ignores the pain while having a game of chess with a friend. This is the earliest record of methodical surgery in China. Hwa-To is the father of Chinese medicine and a sagacious martial arts practitioner, as well as a faithful Taoist. The temple is one of the most ritually active temples on the island. Ceremonies and rites are held everyday, many involving trance mediums. These mediums dance to the loud incantations and sounds of gongs, drums, and cymbals while trying to get in touch with the spirits of deceased friends and relatives on behalf of avid supplicants. Antiques House On Kaishan Road is the Antiques House, which houses entities of yore. The museum-like house has four display rooms. Nature and Humanities, which contain fossils of rhinoceros and elephants found in Taiwan. Politics and Education, which has collections of documents, coins, stamps, seals, books, and other artifacts associated with Taiwan's political and social history. Literature, which has scrolls, engravings, costumes, porcelain, and statuary. Finally, the Customs and Practices of the People, which exhibits household implements. The artifacts were first housed in 1932 at Fort Zeelandia in Anping, but later moved several times before finally settling down in 1965 at the former memorial house to Koxinga.
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Another
of Tainan's oldest temples is the Temple of the Jade Emperor. This is
a Taoist temple situated near the corner of Mintsu. The temple boasts
of complex carvings in deep relief at the entrance to the central hall,
the Jade Emperor is represented by an austere stone slab marked with his
name, and a towering shrine dedicated to the red-faced warrior-god, Kuan
Kong. The shrine is covered with painted door gods and attendant dragons,
sculpted stone portraying animals and Taoist immortals, a large center
pagoda for burning offerings, and a round ceiling engraved with gilded
gods.