It’s easy to forget about Singang (新港) in Chiayi County, even though it plays a key role in one of the world’s largest annual religious events.
Since 1988, the multi-day parade that celebrates the birthday of the sea goddess Matsu (媽祖) has stopped at Singang’s Fengtian Temple (奉天宮). Each spring, hard-core pilgrims set out from Dajia Jenn Lann Temple (大甲鎮瀾宮) in Taichung. They walk southward as far as Singang, then begin the return leg of their epic journey.
Some years back, I visited Fengtian Temple a couple of times, and did a bit of exploring in the streets near that shrine.
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As Yunlin County loses humans, it seems to gain birds.
The county’s population peaked at just over 800,000 in the late 1970s, since when it’s fallen steadily. So far this year, it’s declined by about 5,000, and now stands below 672,000.
There are several reasons for this. When it came to high-speed rail stations and science park extensions, Yunlin was at the end of the queue. What’s more, many Taiwanese prefer to live in major cities where there are more economic and entertainment opportunities and better schools. The county’s biggest settlement has just 108,000 residents.
By contrast, Yunlin’s bird population is thriving, at
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