Tunghai University

This is the last spot of my cultural journey in Taichung City, and I chose Tunghai University as my goal. Tunghai is not too far from my home , about fifteen minurtes by motorcycle. Tunghai is very attractive and charming to me. Perhaps Tunghai have not only the beautiful scenery but also the core value of te developmentof Taichung City: "Innovation."

For the one century, Christianity has played an important role and had tremendous and precious contribution to the education of China. The authority of Christinanity has established thirteen universities in Mainland. However, after the ruling of the communist, these educational institutions and systems were eliminated thoroughtly, and the education in China had paused for a very long time. In 1950, mant people who were passionately enthusiatic in education proposed a critical project to "The United Board Christian College in China, UBCCC (中國基督教大學聯合董事會). They hoped they could keep going on the spirit of educating Chimese young people and they want to establish a university which can succeed the educational affairs of Christianity in China and the great traditions of those thirteen universities were destroyed in China.

In 1952, one of the chief managers, Dr. Willian P. Fenn, came to Taiwan and discussed the establishment of a new Christian university with the authority of religion and education, and wanted to have their permission.

He thought that this university should not should not be any duplication of those thirteen in China. He said "it's a beginnign, and we will have the chance to establish a university in a new forms." The new forms mean the university should cultivate students with unique eyesight and the occupation to their whole life. It shouldn't be a factory of white-collar workers. Students should have their own awareness to their living surroungings, and avoid limiting their eyesights. This university is supposed to have the real practices of democratic conceptions of thoughts.

The circulation is not for special technical occupations and it can work on a wide range of knowledge, providing too limited sections.

There were simple but comfortable dormatories which contain five to six hundred students. All the teachers, students and workers had to live in the campus. All the staff must be full-time and believe in Christianity.

Tunghai University was permitted to set in 1953, and it was named after its position "the east of the ocean."

I parked my motorcycle outside the main gate and I walked in the campus. Walking on the road, the sunlight passed the gaps of the leaves and spread on the groung, which let me feel the connections to the nature.

There are many green trees and rivers beside the main road.

I heard that there was a Tunghai Lake in the campus, so I decided to take a look. I spent more than ten minutes to get there and expected the excellent scenery.

To my surprise, Tunghai Lake is under construction, The stones scattered on the ground. It seemed that it's not a suitable time for me to get there.

On the way to Yue-nong Rd. in the hot weather, I found a shop which sold the milk production of Tunghai University. There were shampoo, soaps and ice cream made from milk. I bought a box of milk. However, it doesn't taste any different from other place.

After passing a beautiful bridge, I lost my way.

The Luce Memorial Chapel is a Christian Chapel on the campus of Tunghai University. It was designed by the architect and artist Chen Chi-Kwan with I. M. Pei and named in honor of Rev. Heny Luce, an American missionary in China and his father HenryLuce.

After a long walking, I rested in a coffee shop and enjoyed my delicious lunch.

A wide bounevard near the chapel.

It's an office of the school.

The Literate College in Tunghai.

The new library in Tunghai.

It's much smaller than in Chung-shing.

The forest in the back of the campus.

Tunghai University was very popular because it created many novel institutions and rules which had never been before. In the past time, Tunghai succeeded the tradition in the new land. It has to cultivtate a new body in the new spirit, so it needed many innovtaions to improve it. Taichung City is a new land, and anything in here may be not as stable as other cities. Therefore, what we need to improve ourselves is "innovation." Innovation symbolizes a unlimited possibility of the future.

I bought a historical guide book of the Tunghai University and it helped me a lot with this artical.

Taichung Martyrs'Shine

The time is nearing the end of the semester, my cultural journal is close to end. Today my destination in the spot near the Confucius Temple, Taichung Martyrs' Shine.

Taichung Martys' Shine at first was a worshipping house established in Japanese occupation era in 1912. During near one century, since Japanese occupation period, and it has been rebuilt in Taiwan recovery. Taichung Martyrs' Shine always has been the center of worship in Central Taiwan. Its meaning of position and history is critically important. The government's complete law and preservation have made it a memorial building.

To whrship and respect these martys, the government set up the administrative committe after the resconstruction in 1970s. When the shine was completed, the administrative committees were combined together, Administrative Committee of Taichung Municipal Confucius Temple & Martyrs Shrine, which belongs to Taichung City Government. Its responsibilities include memorial services, administration, and preservation.


The main Hall houses the spirit tablets of matyrs who died for the republican revolutionary in the center. On the both sides are the spirit tablets od martyrs who took part in the founding of the Republic of China and the who died in anti-Japanese war. The Martyrs' Shine opens on holidays. People can come here to condole and attend memorial services; meanwhile it reminds people of these martyrs' patriotic stories and their contribution for the country. Although these martyrs sacrificed their lives, their spirit and courage have deeply influenced and educated the people, the society, and the country, that has maintained and supported our culture.

The main gate was constructed in 1970, and the ridge of the roof is decorated with animal images. The roof beams are in Chin Dynasty style. The dark red main gate, made of Chinese cypress, has bronze doorknobs shaped.

Two hexagon garden houses in front of the front hall were built in 1972. The yellow tiles were topped with treasure roof and animal images. The garden house is decorated with various colored drawings.

There are gardening scenery around the front hall, including a carp pond, flowers, and trees.

There are two tripods, made of concrete with bronze painting, on both sides of the main hall.

There is a pair of bronze lions with similar granite bases in front of the main gate.

The front hall was rebult from worshipping hall, dining room, music room, and the coorridor in 1970s. The roof is made of yellow tiles, and the windows and the door are made of carved Chinese cypress. There are halls with the official's lounge on the both sides, which are the memorial service receptions for Provincial officials. But when I got there, there was no people there.....because it's holiday.

The main hall is constructed with concrete in Ching Dynasty north place style in 1970. The roof is made of yellow tiles, and the ridge is decorated with immortals and animal images. The main hall is made of marbles and covered with red carpets.

All of us read the textbook of the history and we know there were many fierce wars in the past,which caused many soldiers and citizens dead. These people foght for our nation and society, and sacrificed themselves for the freedom of us. I read it in the textbook but now I saw their spirital tablets have been worshipped in this temple . These honored heros will rest here forever, and we living people can know all of us are parts of the history but the spirit is waht we can pass down forever.