The National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) held the third session of the “Reading Taijiang - Educational Promotion Lecture Series” this morning (June 14) at the Wangcheng Community Activity Center in Anping District, Tainan City. The lecture, titled “Viewing Anping’s Landscape Transformation from Land, Sea, and Sky,” invited two local experts, Mr. Hsi-Tien Lin and Mr. I-Tian Chen, who have long been dedicated to the study and preservation of Anping’s heritage. Together, they guided the audience to rediscover the 400-year evolution of Anping’s landscape from multiple dimensions.
In her opening remarks, NAMR President Chung-Ling Chen noted that today’s Anping has undergone tremendous transformation—from the Dutch colonial era of Tayouan and Fort Zeelandia, through the Qing Dynasty port, the harbor construction during the Japanese period, to its emergence as a modern tourist hotspot. These transitions reflect not only the reshaping of its landforms and waterways but also the renewal of its settlements and topography as seen from an aerial perspective. She expressed her hope that by exploring Anping through the lenses of history, geography, and community, participants could rethink the profound connections between people and their land.
The lecture was organized around three major themes, tracing Anping’s historical footprints from land to sea to sky. The topics covered included the evolution of Anping from Tayouan in the Dutch period to Anping in the Qing Dynasty, the construction of the New Canal during Japanese rule, and the development of the modern Anping Port; the movement of the Anping Lighthouse, the transformation of canals and customs houses; and comparisons between old maps of Anping and recent aerial images showcasing its changing landscape. Mr. Lin, a long-time researcher of Anping’s history and author of The Ancient City of Taiwan: A Continuation, and Mr. Chen, known for his community development and field studies, jointly delivered an engaging lecture that blended historical insight with heartfelt storytelling. Their accessible approach captivated the audience, sparking enthusiastic discussion and interaction.
The event was commissioned by the NAMR and organized by the Department of History at National Cheng Kung University, with generous support from the Wangcheng Village Office, Ririho B&B, Anping New Vision, Deji Traditional Chinese Medicine Shop, and the Anping Chongyi Community Development Association. By combining historical geography with local memory, the lecture offered participants a vivid and multidimensional understanding of Anping’s history and fostered deeper community engagement with Taiwan’s rich maritime culture.
