In the Lunar Chinese New Year in Taiwan, we can often see the spring couplet written "Heaven adds another year of time, and people add another year of life; spring comes to the world, bringing best wishes to the doors." Ten years ago, I wrote down this spring couplet in my study room, "Heaven adds another year of time, and temple adds another year of life; old temple remains intact, bringing best wishes to the doors.” Every time walking past Xia Hai City God Temple, Dalongdong Baoan Temple, Lungshan Temple in Manka, and other hundred-year-old temples, I always feel really close to the old days.

Staring at the temples, where incense curled up and people prayed sincerely, I felt peace and immense happiness. I used to walk to work, and North Gate was on my way. In that small area lie three historic sites, including North Gate, Taipei Post Office, and Railway Department. They are all national class 1 monuments. North Gate was built in the the reign of Qing Emperor Guangxu, and Taipei Post Office was built in Japanese-ruled Period. North Gate is defensive fort architecture with South-Fukien decorated gateway on the top; Railway Department is English Victorian architecture with red bricks and half wood structure; Taipei Post Office is an European building with bricks, a so-called “Eclecticism.” Wandering in the North Gate area, I feel like taking a time machine back to the Qing Dynasty and Japanese-ruled Period, while Dadaocheng, just next to the North Gate, though old but elegant, still tells the stories of old Taipei. Painter Shiy Der Chin once mentioned, “You can treat historical sites like an old friend, give him a pat.” What do you think?

It has been 20 years since I started study historical sites and documents. I wish to share my experience with young people so that we could love our country and Taipei even more.