Tainan, a seacoast city located on the edge of Taiwan's southwestern plain, is the island's oldest capital. In 1661 Cheng Ch'eng-kung (Koxinga) of the Ming dynasty liberated Taiwan from Dutch colonialism and established his government in this city. From then until the late nineteenth century, Tainan served as the political, cultural and economic center of Taiwan. Its rich history has left Tainan with a heritage of cultural landmarks and scholarly contributions unmatched elsewhere on the island.

Tainan's first settlers were immigrants from Fukien and Kwangtung who arrived during the Ming dynasty. The area was later occupied by the Dutch, who used Tainan as their political and military center. After Koxinga expelled the Dutch, city gates were built, streets expanded, and the city's Anp'ing Harbor reconstructed. Tainan, like present Taipei, became the island's political, economic and cultural center, attracting merchants from all over Taiwan. During the Ching dynasty, the harbors of Tainan, Lukang and Wanhua were particularly famous for their bustling activities, with Tainan at the forefront.

As the most historic city in Taiwan, Tainan is noted for its many relics and landmarks dating back to the period of Koxinga. Its 140 historical landmarks make up over half of all those in Taiwan. Tainan's older quarters have preserved the authentic flavor of a traditional Chinese city. At the same time Tainan has all the makings of a twentieth century city, with a population of 560,000, modern stores and supermarkets, and more than 2500 factories which produce textiles, food products and construction materials.

This blend of old and new makes Tainan a city of striking contrasts. Gratings which cover nineteenth century wells are a not uncommon sight along the city's newly constructed streets. Behind the modern 12-story Far Eastern Department Store stands the Wu Yuan, a private residence built during the Ching dynasty. The playground of Chenhai Elementary School is the site of a nineteenth century cannon platform, while ancient city walls line the campus of National Cheng Kung University.

Historical relics are in fact found literally throughout the city, and a walk through Tainan is a lesson in history. Ming and Ching dynasty meeting halls, temples, fortresses and city walls are lasting reminders of the past. Tainan's museums also contain substantial collections of daily items used by the Dutch colonists, Koxinga and his descendants. The famous Peichi store houses the handwritten memorials and imperial decrees of the last emperor of the Ming dynasty.

Tainan's citizens are proud of their glorious history. Many contribute their own antiques to the city's museums, and the preservation of historical landmarks is a common topic of discussion during meetings of the city council. New construction of buildings and roads is a continual danger to the city's treasured historical architecture.

Tainan County is wide and level, with an area of approximately 68 miles. With the sea on one side and fertile plains on the other, Tainan has long been favored as both a fishing and agricultural center. Its fishery fleet brings in more than 30,000 tons of fish per year. Fish cultivation in inland ponds is also a major industry. Of the many crops produced in the area, rice, sweet potatoes, corn, sugar cane and fruit are prominent.

Tainan's rich resources attracted large numbers of immigrants and merchants at an early date. During the Ching dynasty sugar cane, rice and salt were produced for export to the mainland, while European merchants brought dry goods to exchange for local products. Prosperity continued into the twentieth century. After the Retrocession, Tainan's businessmen began investing in textiles and construction materials.

Although Kaohsiung is now Taiwan's leading port city and Taipei has become the new political center, Tainan is still active in industry, and is the current center of plastics, car parts and leather industries in southern Taiwan. Residents from outlying areas still flock to Tainan to purchase clothing, food items and other consumer goods. Textiles, metal products and plastic items are among Tainan's still prosperous light industries.

Tainan's political institutions have historically encouraged business activities. Koxinga began the tradition by establishing the city's first merchant organization. Later, the Ching emperor K'ang Hsi sent governing officials from the mainland to help organize and supervise merchant activities. Now, Tainan's current government provides aid and assistance in the development of light industries. One prosperous new production area is the Anp'ing Industrial District, a center of middle and light industries. Sixty percent of the factories in this area produce furniture.

Tainan's largest present business organization is the Tainanpang, established after the Retrocession. Originally a group of textile merchants on Min Ch'uan Road, the group gradually expanded to incorporate building materials and foodstuffs industries. Now the organization consists of a large group of successful manufacturers including the Huan Ch'i Cement Company, the President Company and Sanshin Textiles.

Many feel that the character of Tainan businessmen has been a strong factor in their success. Kao Ch'ing-yuan,president of the President Company, a large producer of bread and dairy products centered in Tainan, mentions four qualities which he believes have contributed to the success of businessmen in Tainan: frugality, diligence, loyalty and honesty. With a reputation for conservatism, they have a traditional disdain for waste and unnecessary luxury. Careful, stable business practices have shown reliable results.

Kao Ch'ing-yuan enjoys comparing the methods of businessmen from the two cities of Taipei and Tainan. While a Taipei entrepreneur may invest five dollars with the goal of making ten in profit, Tainan businesses invest ten dollars with the goal of earning five. He goes further to describe the conservative tendencies of Tainan businesses in terms of borrowing for investment and the ratio of loans to capital. While those in Taipei may invest on a one to four ratio, borrowing up to four to five times the amount of their original capital, Tainan's businesses usually operate on a one to three ratio.

Despite such traditional conservatism, Tainan's industries continue to expand. Kao Ch'ing-yuan stresses that expansion for the President Company has meant not only an increase in scale, but also in product variety and new production technologies. President is a current leader in the mechanized production of bread and dairy products.

Most of the city's successful entrepreneurs began from scratch on a relatively small scale. Because of this they have a more direct understanding of workers' problems and needs. The President Company operates with the objective of satisfying four different groups of people: their workers, investors, customers and society as a whole. Of these, the interests of the workers are given particular attention.

The Ch'imei Company, a manufacturer of acrylic plastic sheets, or "acrypoly" takes similar interest in its workers. Last year after a particularly good business term, the company chartered a plane and sent its workers to Korea and Japan for a vacation.

Tainan is known for its interest in education. Its Confucian Temple, built in 1665, was the first educational center in Taiwan. It stands as a continuing symbol of the tradition of formal education in the city. This tradition is now being carried on in some 73 schools throughout the city. With free compulsory education provided through junior high school, illiteracy in Tainan has been virtually eradicated.

Tainan is the home of over 141,500 students, which make up one fifth of the city's total population. Thirty-five percent of the city's budget is allocated for education. Institutions of higher education include National Cheng Kung University, Tainan Provincial Normal University and the Tainan Theological College. The latter is the oldest extant school in Taiwan. Businessmen's willingness to invest in the Tainan area is due in part to its educated work force.

While the city's businessmen are known for their conservatism, Tainan's mayor, Shu Nan-ch'eng is in contrast progressive and dynamic. When Shu became mayor in 1977, his first goal was to help revive the booming prosperity of the city's former days as Taiwan's major economic center. During the Japanese occupation, when Tainan's population was approximately 350,000, plans had been made for the much-needed construction of 186 new roads. Shu discovered that by 1976, while the population had reached 550,000, only 45% of the previously planned roads had been completed. His first major task became road development.

In order to fund the enormous task, Mayor Shu sought a loan from the provincial government. As the standard yearly appropriation for all public construction throughout the island is US$72,500,000, officials of the provincial government were astounded when Mayor Shu requested five times that amount for a single city. When a representative was sent to investigate the request, Shu presented his plan to use only the interest from the sum for road construction. His request was subsequently granted.

While Mayor Shu's methods are quite different from that of the business community, he nevertheless enjoys strong support. Most agree that their mayor can help Tainan revive its former prosperity.

Shu did not stop at public construction however, and quickly proceeded to make plans for a city beautification program, aimed at making the city cleaner and more orderly. Part of this program involved moving a large group of street vendors from the busy traffic area on Mintsu Road to a special vending area on Hsiapei Road. Shu has also organized a number of leisure and cultural activities including an annual beauty contest, traditional wedding ceremonies and art exhibitions.

Tainan's residents are proud of their city, and aware of the changes it is currently undergoing. Despite the gradual disappearance of historic Tainan, they are excited about new city building projects and keep up eagerly with news on what will be constructed next. And Tainan's residents have every reason to be proud. For theirs is a city of history and education, industry and growth-a city with a rich past and a hopeful future.

(Jill Ardourel)

[Picture Caption]

1. Tainan's mayor, Shu Nan-ch'eng is dynamic and adventurous, in striking contrast to Tainan's traditionally conservative citizens. 2-4. Past and present photos of the Ch'ik'anlou, Tainan's most famous historical landmark. 2. These stone tablets from the Ching dynasty were moved to a local college campus during the Japanese occupation. 3. The Ch'ik'anlou of earlier days, surrounded by traditional Chinese residences. 4. The Ch'ik'anlou today, with the stone tablets moved to the area beside it.

1. A shot of the Anp'ing canon platform from the air. Its brick-red color blends with the surrounding turf. 2. A small child straddles a wooden beam in front of the Tach'engtien, part of Tainan's Confucian Temple.

1. This flourishing banyan tree in front of the Confucian Temple has a 300 year history. 2. Minch'uan Road is the oldest street in Tainan. The sepia photo, taken during the Retrocession era, shows an impressive procession of cars headed for a wedding.

1. Tainan is famous for baseball, and two of its little-league teams have won world championships. These young players practice in front of a mural outside the stadium. 2. The impressive interior of the Tainan City Cultural Center.

1,2. Kao Ch'ing-yuan, president of the President Company and member of the Tainanpang, displays a typical Tainan virtue-frugality, as he uses only half a tissue to wipe his comb. 3. Taiwan is the production center of acrypoly, acrylic plastic sheets used for household items. The Ch'imei Company uses the latest equipment in its manufacturing. 4. Workers at an eyeglasses company proudly try on their product. 5. The city of Tainan has begun an all-out campaign to make the city cleaner and more orderly. These women are busy writing traffic tickets.

1. Numerous temples in Tainan cater to its religious citizens. Colorful lanterns hang on the grating surrounding a dragon post at the T'ienhou Temple. 2. As part of the city beautification campaign, a large group of street vendors were moved from the congested area of North Mintsu Road to a special area on Hsiapei Road. The new vending center still uses the original name "Mintsu".

2. These stone tablets from the Ching dynasty were moved to a local college campus during the Japanese occupation.

3. The Ch'ik'anlou of earlier days, surrounded by traditional Chinese residences.

4. The Ch'ik'anlou today, with the stone tablets moved to the area beside it.

1. A shot of the Anp'ing canon platform from the air. Its brick-red color blends with the surrounding turf.

2. A small child straddles a wooden beam in front of the Tach'engtien, part of Tainan's Confucian Temple.

1. This flourishing banyan tree in front of the Confucian Temple has a 300 year history.

2. Minch'uan Road is the oldest street in Tainan. The sepia photo, taken during the Retrocession era, shows an impressive procession of cars headed for a wedding.

1. Tainan is famous for baseball, and two of its little-league teams have won world championships. These young players practice in front of a mural outside the stadium.

2. The impressive interior of the Tainan City Cultural Center.

1,2. Kao Ch'ing-yuan, president of the President Company and member of the Tainanpang, displays a typical Tainan virtue-frugality, as he uses only half a tissue to wipe his comb.

1,2. Kao Ch'ing-yuan, president of the President Company and member of the Tainanpang, displays a typical Tainan virtue-frugality, as he uses only half a tissue to wipe his comb.

3. Taiwan is the production center of acrypoly, acrylic plastic sheets used for household items. The Ch'imei Company uses the latest equipment in its manufacturing.

4. Workers at an eyeglasses company proudly try on their product.

5. The city of Tainan has begun an all-out campaign to make the city cleaner and more orderly. These women are busy writing traffic tickets.

1. Numerous temples in Tainan cater to its religious citizens. Colorful lanterns hang on the grating surrounding a dragon post at the T'ienhou Temple.

2. As part of the city beautification campaign, a large group of street vendors were moved from the congested area of North Mintsu Road to a special area on Hsiapei Road. The new vending center still uses the original name "Mintsu".