A Catholic church in Sincheng Township (新城), Hualien County, has helped save a century-old Japanese torii from destruction.
Many of the old Japanese-built temples around Taiwan were torn down or repurposed after the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government ordered in 1974 that all Japanese relics that symbolized Japanese imperialism or colonial rule be removed, said the church’s 66-year-old Swiss priest, known by his Chinese name of Tai Hung-chi (戴宏基).
A Catholic parish church had moved into the former Japanese temple on the site in 1956 and tried to preserve the temple’s architecture where possible, successfully creating an architectural style that took the best of two religions and different building styles, he said.
Photo: Wang Chun-chi, Taipei Times
However, after the 1974 order, the church decided to add two lower posts to the side of the torii that had been erected outside the temple and also made additions to the Japanese-style stone lanterns and sculptures, he said.
The site where the Japanese temple had been located was designated as a Hualien County heritage site in 2005, Tai said, adding that he hoped the designation would help the area around the third torii be restored to its original look.
The church is working with a temple in the county on an exhibition of old photographs and relics, the priest said.
He said that he hoped the exhibition would help visitors understand the “actual” history of Taiwan and the stories of the land they live in.
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