We enjoyed meandering through the gardens at the Shilin Presidential Residence. The sun was shining, the air was fresh, and the scenery was delightful. There were many interesting colors and textures throughout the garden.
We found the perfect spot to enjoy the view and take a few family photos.
There were many beautiful orchids and floral displays inside the Xinlan Pavilion. The pavilion was used over the years to celebrate many of Chiang's birthdays.
Perfect day to take your pet for a walk in the garden.
The shrine was built to honor fallen Chinese soldiers. Inside the building are spirit tablets for about 390,000 soldiers who died in various wars.
The shrine was built in 1969 and the architectural design was inspired by Beijing's Hall of Supreme Harmony. There is a great deal of red paint and gold leafing on the buildings. Both colors are significant in Chinese culture.
Red is associated with good fortune and happiness. It is believed to ward off evil spirits and is symbolic of fire.
Yellow resembles the color of the soil, which was very important to an agrarian society. In ancient times, only the Emperors could wear yellow.
There was a great deal of fine detail in the building decor.
There is an elaborate changing of the guard ceremony at the Martyrs' Shrine. The ceremony is performed once each hour and lasts about thirty minutes. The soldiers are very slow and precise in each of their movements during the ceremony and it is impressive to watch.
Notice the wear pattern on the stone walkway from the entrance gate to the main shrine building caused by the repeated performance of the ceremony.
Check out the video of the changing of the guard ceremony at the Martyrs' Shrine.
Taipei is a modern city with a smattering of traditional style buildings here and there to provide colorful counterpoints. The grand hotel, for example, is one of the world's tallest (285 feet high) Chinese classical buildings. Taipei 101, also known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a landmark skyscraper that was the world's tallest building when it was finished in 2004.
