Cultural tour buses roll through southern Taipei

Despite the devastation caused by typhoon Xangsane, the southern route of the Taipei City tour buses will be launched as scheduled today.

The six city tour buses, emblazoned with the cartoon figure of "Chubby Dragon" (胖胖龍), have been commissioned by the city's Bureau of Cultural Affairs (文化局) and are sponsored by the Liberty Times, Taipei Times and many other organizations.

The trial service run began on Oct. 7 with the northern route. The southern route, which will run on Saturdays and Sundays between today and Dec. 10, will cover eight stops.

Major tourist attractions include the Lungshan Temple (龍山寺), the National Museum of History (歷史博物館), Taipei 228 Memorial Museum (二二八紀念館), Taipei City Mayor's Official Residence (市長官邸) and Ta-an Forest Park (大安森林公園).

Service hours will be 9am to 5pm, and the service will run at 20-to 25-minute intervals.

The starting point of the southern route will be the Taipei Main Station MRT stop.

Bus fares are NT$15 for adults; NT$12 for students, soldiers and police officers; and NT$8 for children, senior citizens and those who are physically and/or mentally handicapped.

Tataocheng (大稻埕)

1. Tihua Street (迪化街)

2. Hsiahai Chenghuang Temple (霞海城隍廟)

3. Customs Museum (海關博物館)

Tataocheng is where the Pingpu people (平埔族), or early plain-dwelling tribes, used to live. The name Tataocheng means "big rice sunning square" in Chinese.

It originated in the Han Dynasty when the Pingpu tribe, most of them farmers, sunned their rice on the empty lots along the Tamsui River.

After the place became a logistics center in 1858 when Tamsui harbor was open, many shops selling different kinds of dried goods sprang up around Tihua Street. The street then became Taiwan's largest wholesale and retail market for dried food and is still a popular shopping place, especially during Chinese New Year.

The approximately 140-year-old Hsiahai Chenghuang Temple is a place for the worship of the deity Chenghuang. You will find the streets and alleys packed with people on the 13th of the fifth lunar month when the deity is paraded through the streets.

The Museum of the Directorate General of Customs (關稅總局) under the Ministry of Finance is the city's only and the largest of its kind in the world. Admission is free.

Huachiang Waterfowl Nature Park (華江雁鴨自然公園站)

Established in 1996, the park is located off Huachiang Bridge where Tahan Creek and Hsintien Creek meet. The sanctuary is made up of three areas: the central zone, buffer zone and development area.

Lungshan Temple (龍山寺)

1. Lungshan Temple (second-grade national heritage site)

2. Old streets in Manka (艋舺老街)

3. Shuehhai Institute (學海書院) (third-grade national heritage site)

Manka, also known as the Wanhua district, was where Taipei was initially developed.

Built in 1738, Lungshan Temple, which serves as a social and worship center for local residents, is the city's oldest temple. It was designated a second-grade national heritage site in 1985.

The temple's main doors are opened only during festivals and special rituals.

On the left wing of the courtyard is a bell tower and the other a drum tower. While the bell is rung in the morning, the drum is struck in the evening to remind the devotees to recite their sutras and perform proper ceremonies.

Shuehhai Institute is the city's only surviving private academy built during the Ching Dynasty.