Tainan

Early history Archaeological excavations in Zuojhen District suggest that the Tainan region has been inhabited for at least 20,000 to 31,000 years. The indigenous Siraya tribe dominated the region by the 16th century. The Sakam people of the Sinkan sub-tribe inhabited the area of the present-day city. Other Sirayan sub-tribes, including the Soelangh, Mattauw and Baccloangh inhabited the surrounding area. By the late 16th century, Chinese merchants and fishermen had set up several bases along the west coast of the island, including a sandbar across the Taikang Inner Sea () off the bay of Sakam village (modern-day Fort Provintia). The Chinese adopted '''' (modern-day Anping) as the name of the sandbar. Dutch colony ) of the Dutch East India Company/United East Indies Company (VOC). Early Dutch colonists had attempted but failed to control Macau and the Penghu islands. In July 1622, the Dutch East India Company textile merchant Cornelis Reyersz sailed to Taiwan in search of a suitable location to build a trading post. In 1624 he established a small fort named 'Orange' on the sandy peninsula they called Tayouan (modern-day Anping). The fort was then expanded and renamed . The settlement was initially designed as a base to attack their Spanish rivals and as a trading post between China and Batavia in Indonesia. Later the post became the center of Dutch trade between China, Japan and Europe. Tensions arose between the Dutch and the Chinese inhabitants of Taiwan due to heavy Dutch taxation and Dutch participation in plunder during the collapse of the Ming dynasty. Eventually, this led to the brief, but bloody, Guo Huaiyi Rebellion in 1652. at modern-day Tainan. Taiwan County is also established as the first county of the Prefecture, located around the prefecture seat. In 1721, Chinese peasants and indigenous tribes rose in rebellion against Qing misrule. The rebels, led by Zhu Yigui, captured Tainan without a fight. Turmoil ensued as the rebels soon fought amongst themselves. It was only after a Qing army was dispatched from mainland China that order was restored. Zhu was captured and executed. As Qing law prohibited the building of city walls in Taiwan, Qing authorities decided to create a defensive boundary around the city by growing bamboo around the perimeter. After several further uprisings across the island, work on a city wall began in the late 1780s. After 174 years of restrictions on trade with the Europeans, the Qing reopened Anping port as part of the Tianjin treaty following the Second Opium War in 1858. The Anping Customs house was established in 1864. Western merchants built trading posts near the remains of Fort Zeelandia. Following the murder of 54 Japanese sailors by Paiwan aborigines near the southwestern tip of Taiwan in 1871, the punitive Japanese Expedition of 1874 to Taiwan revealed the fragility of the Qing dynasty's hold on Taiwan. As a result, the Qing sent the imperial commissioner Shen Baozhen to Taiwan to strengthen its defense. In Tainan, Shen made several efforts to modernize the defenses including inviting French engineers to design the Eternal Golden Castle in Erkunshen. He also recommended setting up a telegraph cable link between Tainan and Amoy. After over 200 years of development, Tainan had become the largest city in Taiwan and a Chinese city with foreign influence. The following is a description of the city by the Scottish missionary William Campbell upon his first arrival to the island in 1871: In 1885, the Qing government commenced work to develop the island into Taiwan Province. The capital of the island (and its designation as "Taiwanfu") was moved to Toatun (modern-day Taichung). The name of the old Taiwanfu was changed to Tainanfu, the seat of Tainan Prefecture. Japanese rule As a consequence of the Chinese losing the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895, Taiwan and the Penghu Islands were ceded to Japan by the Treaty of Shimonoseki. The Republic of Formosa was proclaimed in Tainan in May 1895, in an effort to forestall the incoming Japanese occupation. A Japanese army arrived at Tainan in October 1895. Liu Yongfu and the other Republican leaders fled, leaving the city in disarray. A Scottish missionary, Thomas Barclay, was chosen by local elites and foreign merchants to negotiate the Japanese entry into the city. As a result, Tainan was taken without resistance. Under Japanese rule, Tainan was initially administered under . The anti-Japanese uprising known as the Tapani Incident began in Ta-pa-ni (modern-day Yujing) on April 9, 1915. The revolt, led by , spread quickly across the whole island and was supported by both Chinese and indigenous Taiwanese. The Japanese crushed the uprising. Many villages were destroyed and thousands of people were killed during the repression which followed. Yu Qingfang was captured on August 22, 1915. More than 800 people were sentenced to death in Tainan. Over 100 of them were executed while the rest were pardoned by the new Taishō Emperor. The place where the rebellion began, Xilai Temple in Tainan (臺南西來庵), was demolished. Republic of China The Republic of China (ROC) took over Taiwan on October 25, 1945, after World War II. Tainan City and Tainan County were established and became separate local entities under Taiwan Province in 1946. There was civil unrest in Tainan as part of the February 28 Incident in 1947. Tang De-Jhang, an ethnic Japanese man and Japanese educated lawyer, was a member of government which set up "The February 28 Incident Commission" and a popular candidate for city mayor, was accused of being a separatist and arrested by the ROC army on March 11. He was tortured and executed the next day in the park in front of Tainan City Hall (now named Tang Te-chang Memorial Park). Tang was posthumously pronounced not guilty by court later in March. Like other regions in Taiwan, many people in Tainan suffered for their real or perceived opposition to the Kuomintang (KMT, Chinese Nationalist Party) during the autocratic era. The city held its first councilor and mayoral elections in 1950. In the 1960s, Tainan was overtaken by Kaohsiung as the economic center of southern Taiwan due to the redevelopment of Kaohsiung port. While Tainan City struggled through the second half of twentieth century, the county, especially the river south region, benefited from prioritization by national programs. The completion of the National Highway No. 1 was followed by the building of many industrial parks and other road improvements. As a result, the city sprawled inland into North, East and then the Yongkang and Rende districts. In 1992, a redevelopment plan in the West district, to widen Haian Rd and build an underground plaza proved a failure as lack of geological surveying and overall planning meant that the works ran into a layer of groundwater. The development destroyed part of the historic Go-tiau-kang area. As a consequence, the Zhongzheng Road district, previously the most popular shopping precinct in Tainan since Japanese rule, went into decline due to the poor quality of the environment. By the mid-1990s, there was a growing awareness of the need to protect Tainan's historical and cultural treasures. Since then, the government and civil societies have worked to protect Tainan's heritage. It is an ongoing issue for Tainan to protect its past while reviving its old business center. Following the establishment of the Southern Taiwan Science Park in 1995, the outskirt of the city saw a rapid growth in population through the 2000s. The city became more prosperous after the completion of several major transport infrastructure plans. The city center shifted eastward in the mid-1990s, closer to the densely populated Yongkang, East and North districts. There are several redevelopment plans to transform these districts into the new business centers of the city. On March 19, 2004, President Chen Shui-bian was shot while campaigning for reelection in Tainan, a city that has been a major center for the pro-independent movement since the end of Japanese rule. On October 21, 2008, Chinese ARATS Vice President Zhang Mingqing was injured when he encountered protesters in Tainan Confucius Temple. In June 2009, the Executive Yuan approved the plan to merge Tainan County and Tainan City to form a larger municipality of Tainan City. On December 25, 2010, Tainan County and Tainan City merged to become Tainan special municipality. On February 6, 2016, the area was hit by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, causing 116 fatalities and major damage, including building collapses (see 2016 Kaohsiung earthquake). ==Culture==

served with sweet sauce Tainan claims its name as one of the Taiwanese cultural capitals for its abundant historic monument and citizen lifestyle. The city is dotted by Taoist temples, Buddhist temples and churches. Many of them are among the oldest in Taiwan. The city also has its own unique traditions and cuisines developed by Chinese frontiers over its long history. Folk cultures The lives of Tainan citizens are closely related to many Chinese Deities and temples. Parents bring their children to the "Weaving Maid Goddess" (), the children's goddess, to wish for goodwill. Traditionally Chinese people step into adulthood when they are 20. In Tainan, there is a large ritual celebration for all 16-year-olds on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the goddess's birthday. This extended celebration is unique to Tainan: In the past, families with children working in the harbour took the advantage of this ceremony to show the employers that their children should be paid in adult rate after this day. Before any form of examination, people visit the temple of Wenchangdijun, the God of Literature, to pray for blessings of good grades. One of the Wenchang temples is on the top floor of the Fort Provintia. Many final-year high school students preparing for university exams visit the temple in June, before the exam. Those seeking for good marriage will worship Yuelao, the God of Marriage. People also visit temples for many reasons, from simply praying for good luck to celebrating particular Deity's birthday to even communicating with the Netherworld. A wedding ceremony in Tainan is a series of complex processes that are very exact and detailed. Both groom and bride need to prepare 12 specific gifts representing different meanings during their engagement ceremony with more to come in the wedding. People believe this complexity is a sign of being civilized. Cuisine During the more than 200 years that Tainan spent as the local capital the population developed cosmopolitan tastes due to exposure to food from around the world. Portions are often larger than elsewhere in Taiwan. Many well-known Taiwanese food dishes originated in Tainan. Since Tainan was a center of sugar production, Tainan cuisine tends to be sweeter than other Taiwanese cuisines. For example, eel noodle soup has a distinctive sweet and sour taste. Milkfish dishes are very popular in Tainan, where locals also call it "Koxinga's fish" (). People believe the Chinese name of the fish () was given by Koxinga, and this name has been loaned into Japanese as . The fish are bred in farms located in the coastal outskirts of the city. Many Tainan restaurants and snack stands have histories that trace back to the Qing or Japanese eras. Temples Tainan is famous for its diversity and density of temples and shrines. Some of them are the only of its kind in Taiwan. In all, there are officially listed seven Buddhist temples and eight Taoist shrines (七寺八廟). The seven Buddhist temples are: • Kaiyuan Temple, originally the royal gardens of the Tungning Kingdom, became a Buddhist temple in 1690. • Zhuxi Temple, founded in the Tungning Kingdom period. • Fahua Temple, founded in the Tungning Kingdom period. • Mituo Temple, founded in the Tungning Kingdom period. • Longshan Temple, founded in the Qing dynasty. • Chongqing Temple, founded in the Qing dynasty. • Huangbo Temple, founded in the Qing dynasty but demolished by the Japanese. The worshiped statues were migrated to the Altar of Heaven temple. The eight Taoist shrines are: • Grand Matsu Temple (大天后宮), dedicated to the Goddess of Sea, Mazu. Originally the residence of the King Ningjing of the Tungning Kingdom. • Sidian Wumiao (祀典武廟), the Official Martial God temple, dedicated to Lord Guan, was built in 1665. • Dongyue Dian (東嶽殿), the Lord of Underworld temple, dedicated to Dongyue Dadi, was built in 1673. • Fuchenghuang Temple (府城隍廟), the temple of the Prefecture City God, was built in 1669. • Longwang Temple (龍王廟), the shrine dedicated to the Dragon King of Eastern Sea, was built in 1716 but demolished by the Japanese. • Fongshen Temple (風神廟), the God of Wind temple, was built in 1739. This is the only temple in Taiwan that dedicated to the God of Wind. and symphony orchestra. There are also private performance groups such as Chimei Mandolin Performance Group, Chimei Philharmonic Orchestra and Chang Jung Christianity University Symphony Orchestra. Ten Drum Art Percussion Group () is a percussion performance group established in the year 2000. The group is dedicated in producing percussion performances that highlights the history, the culture and the image of Taiwan. The group first performed internationally in the festivals during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Following this event, the group has performed in many occasions both internationally and domestically. The group has its own campus located in an old sugar factory in Rende District. The campus provides education on percussion performances at all levels and regular performances to general public. Museums and parks On top of its plentiful living culture, Tainan host several museums and parks. The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is in the former city hall; National Museum of Taiwan History is in the Annan district; Chimei Museum is in the Rende district; Taijiang National Park follows the coast; Anping Historic Scenic Park includes the entire old Anping town and the north ward of Anping harbor; and Siraya National Scenic Area includes the Wusanto Reservoir built by Yoichi Hatta. In the city center, many historic monuments from Zheng's regime, the Qing dynasty, and the Japanese colonial era are preserved including the Confucius temple, two major city gates and former city hall. ==Tourism==

Tainan has a tangible sense of history and is the site of several spectacular religious festivals. As well as its string of forts, the first capital of Taiwan has some 300 ancient sanctuaries, from the island's first Confucian temple to its first Taoist temple. . . Taiwan Confucian Temple The Taiwan Confucian Temple (or the Scholarly Temple) was built in 1665 by Cheng Ching, son of Koxinga, to offer lectures and cultivate intellectuals. It was the first learning institute for children when Taiwan was ruled by the Qing dynasty. As a result, it is also called the First Academy of Taiwan. The temple is a popular tourist attraction and preserves ancient Confucian ceremonies, which are conducted regularly. The grounds include storerooms for the ritual implements and musical instruments that are used in these ceremonies. National Museum of Taiwan History The National Museum of Taiwan History is located in the Annan District. The construction of the Exhibition and Education Building began in 2005, and opened on October 29, 2011. The main objectives of this museum include collection, categorization, preservation, research, exhibition, education and promotion of artifacts related to Taiwan's history and culture for both locals and visitors. National Museum of Taiwan Literature The National Museum of Taiwan Literature researches, catalogs, preserves, and exhibits local literary artifacts as part of its multilingual, multi-ethnic focus. The museum is housed in the former Tainan City Hall, constructed in 1916 and famous for its historical significance. National Cheng Kung University Museum The National Cheng Kung University Museum is located at the National Cheng Kung University. One of the youngest museums in Tainan. Exhibits important objects from the history of education in southern Taiwan. The museum is ICOM member since 2016. Fort Provintia Fort Provintia was built in 1653 by the Dutch during their colonization of Taiwan and was eventually surrendered to Koxinga. Since 1945, the site has been known as "Chihkan Tower", a phonetic derivation from "Sakam" (also spelled "Chakam" or "Sakkam"). In addition to the site's architectural and artistic significance, its library of dictionaries and business transactions documents the Siraya language spoken by the native inhabitants of the region during Dutch rule. Shopping and recreation era. As Tainan is one of the larger metropolitan areas in Taiwan, it has many department stores, shopping malls and prestigious boutiques. Several of the best-known luxury brands have branches or counters in Tainan. Flower Night Market is one of the most famous Night markets in Taiwan and it is often considered to be the largest night market in Taiwan; however, unlike the others, this night market is open for business three days a week – Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Beehives In Yanshuei District, the most important and prominent fireworks in Lantern Festival are the so-called "beehives", essentially multiple launchers of bottle rockets. These rocket forts are actually thousands of bottle rockets arranged row atop row in an iron-and-wooden framework. The set-up looks like a beehive full of unleashed gunpowder. When the contraption is ignited, rockets shoot out rapidly in all directions. Dazzling explosives whiz and whirl across the sky and often into the crowd itself, both thrilling and intimidating the spectators. ==Climate==

Tainan has a warm humid subtropical climate, tropical wet and dry climate near (Köppen Aw) with mild, dry winters and hot, humid summers. Beyond south of the city, the climate transitions from subtropical to tropical. ==Cityscape==

The Great Cross Street The earliest plan of the city was designed by Dutch colonist Cornelis Jansz. Plockhoy, the designer of this new settlement, laid a 25-30m wide main street (on today's Minquan Rd Sec. 2) across the settlement and radial roads than ran deep into agricultural developments. Due to the Chinese tradition where different trades and regions worship different Taoist gods, the city later developed into neighborhoods, each with own center temple. the green boulevard ring, the blue belt Anping cannel and the Zhonghua road system. The green boulevard ring and Zhonghua road system first appeared on the 1937 city redevelopment plan proposed by the Japanese colonial government. The green boulevard was a Japanese response to the garden city trend of early 20th century urban planning. The River North Region This region is one of the major agricultural centers in Taiwan. There are several regional centers; some of them are as old as Tainan city. These centers are: Xinying, Yujing, Jiali, and Madou. Xinying was the seat of the former Tainan County Government and currently serves as the administration center for the region. Yujing is a regional center for the hilly districts east of the city; it is famous for its mango and was the scene of the Tapani incident. Jiali is the regional center of the coastal Tainan. It was the base of the Soelangh sub-tribe. Near the bank of the Zengwen River, Madou is the regional center of the lower plain area that bears the name of the river. The town was home to the Mattauw sub-tribe. ==Government and politics==

Tainan City is a special municipality, which is the highest level local government under Local Government Law of Republic of China. Technically it is at the same level as Province, although Province is being streamlined. The city is led by the elected city mayor and supervised by the city council. Its subdivisions qu or districts do not have the autonomy power, instead they are administration units only. Further to the citywide election, there are urban villages (里 li) and neighborhood (鄰 lin) functioning as primary local autonomy entity. Currently there are two administration centers, one in Anping District and another in Xinying District. They are former Provincial Tainan city government and Tainan county government respectively. Administration centers manages citywide affairs and developments such as education and city planning. Apart from administration centers, there are district offices functioning as local access point to the governmental services. The city has generally been seen as a powerbase for the Democratic Progressive Party, especially in nationwide elections. Although before the merger, the Kuomintang (KMT) have always had more seats in the provincial Tainan city council and KMT won the presidential elections (2008) by a narrow margin in the city. On the other hand, Democratic Progressive Party always dominated former Tainan county. In the first municipal election, after the merger, DPP dominated the political demographics of the city. William Lai, a former member of the Legislative Yuan from the DPP won the first mayoral election in 2010. City mayor , Mayor of Tainan. In 2001, Hsu Tain-Tsair of the Democratic Progressive Party was elected with 43% of the vote. His closest rival was Kuomintang legislator Chen Rong-sheng, who garnered 37%. In 2005. Mayor Hsu was re-elected, polling 46% to Chen Rong-sheng's 41%. In 2010, William Lai of the DPP was elected mayor. However, after Lai's appointment as Premier of the Republic of China in September 2017, the mayor position was filled by Li Meng-yen as acting mayor. Presidential elections A majority of city residents have voted for the winning candidates in many presidential elections since the position was first chosen by popular vote in 1996. 1996 presidential election In common with every other city and county in the Republic of China, with the exception of Nantou, a majority of Tainan residents voted for eventual winner Lee Teng-hui and vice-president Lien Chan. 2000 presidential election 2004 presidential election 2008 presidential election 2012 presidential election ==Administrative districts==

Tainan uses romanizations derived from Tongyong Pinyin in street and district names. Tainan has a total of 37 districts, the second most districts after Kaohsiung City. • Annan District was originally the An-Shun township of Tainan County, but was merged into Tainan City in 1946. In 2004, Central District and West District were merged into the new West Central district. ==Economy==

Industry Once reliant on traditional manufacturing industries, the region became a major high-tech industrial hub after the establishment of Southern Taiwan Science Park in 1995. Optoelectronics, integrated circuits, green energy and biotechnology are the park's dominant industries. Prominent companies are Chimei-Innolux, United Microelectronics and TSMC. With the establishment of Tainan Technology Park, Shugu (Tree Valley) LCD Park and Yonkang Technology Park, the city became a major center for the optoelectronics industry in Taiwan with a complete supply chain. Tainan still plays an important role in auto parts, food processing, textiles, plastics and other traditional manufacturing. Notable companies include Uni-President, Chi Mei and Tainan Spinning, which have headquarters in the city. Overall, industrial production accounted for 62.6% of the gross city product in 2010. Agriculture Agriculture is important to the city, especially the River North Region. While fisheries and fish farming signify the coastal districts, rice and fruit farms shaped the landscape of the inland agriculture region. The city is famous for its milkfish, oyster, rice, mango, sugar cane, pomelo (文旦), pineapple and lotus seed. A state-funded agricultural research center was established in Sinhua District to ensure the market competitiveness of the crop. The headquarters of the World Vegetable Center, an NPO that aims to improve crop quality in poorer countries, is in Shanhua District. Once dominant industries, salt and sugar production are declining into irrelevance. Taiyen (Taiwan salt) co. and Taiwan Sugar Corp., both headquartered in Tainan, transformed to businesses in biotechnology, quality agriculture, retail and tourism. Orchid growing is one of the most symbolic agriculture industry for its well-known brand name in the floristry world. A nationally founded special plantation district with R&D resources is established in Houbi District. Tourism Tourism is an industry with increasing importance. As the first capital of Taiwan, the wealth resource of cultural heritage and its potential is under exploration. In the first half of 2013, there were over 7 million tourist visited attractions in the city. There are high-end hotels in the city, including the Shangri-la Hotel near Tainan train station. Tainan has been praised for its variety of Xiaochi. Retail Retail and services are the largest employment sector in Tainan, margined at 52% in 2010. The city center hosts five department stores including two Shin Kong-Mitsukoshi, two FE21s and Focus square. Apart from the city center, there are shopping precincts around the city, with the strongest presence in East, North and Yongkang districts. 'Dream Mall' is a joint development project between Uni-President Corp. and Tainan Spinning Ltd. It was the largest shopping center in the city when it opened February 12, 2015, and the precinct will host the new headquarters of Tainan Spinning and a new five-star hotel. The precinct is in the designated East Tainan second CBD near the border of the East and Yongkang districts. ==Transportation==

Metro The planning for the system has transitioned from early feasibility concerns to active development. The Phase 1 Blue Line, an 8.39-kilometer route featuring 10 stations located along the periphery of the urban core, was officially approved by the Executive Yuan in October 2025. This system will utilize an elevated straddle-beam monorail, the first of its kind in Taiwan. Construction is scheduled to commence in late 2026, with a target completion date of 2031. Progress on subsequent routes varies by their development phase. The Blue Line Extension, which will connect the system to HSR Tainan Station, and the Red Line, which will link to the Kaohsiung Metro, have both entered the comprehensive planning stage. Meanwhile, the Deep Green Line (intended to link the city to the Southern Taiwan Science Park) and the Green Line (an east-west underground route traversing the city center and Anping) are currently in the feasibility study stage. The Green Line, in particular, remains in early discussions due to the significant engineering complexity of tunneling through the historic urban core. Rail Tainan Station is a major hub on the Taiwan Railway (TR) Western Trunk line, providing direct express services to major cities. The city is also served by the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) via Tainan Station located in Gueiren District. The high-speed rail connects Tainan to Taipei in under 90 minutes and is accessible from the city center via the Shalun Line feeder rail or dedicated shuttle bus lines. To improve urban mobility, the Tainan Urban District Railway Underground Project is currently underway. This project involves the relocation of existing tracks underground within the city center to eliminate level crossings and reduce traffic congestion. The project also includes the addition of new stations. Combined with the Shalun Line, this modernized rail corridor is designed to serve as the backbone of Tainan's metropolitan transit system. Tainan is also known for its Taisugar railways. Historically used for transporting sugarcane and providing transportation between rural villages and local sugar refinery hubs, two tourist lines situated in the outskirts of the Sinying District remain in operation today, offering nostalgic journeys through the region's agricultural and industrial heritage. Bus Since 2013, the city's bus services have been integrated under the Tainan City Bus (大台南公車) brand. The network is divided into two primary categories: Daily Bus routes, which serve the metropolitan core (i.e., former Tainan City) using numerical designations, and the Main and Branch Line System, which serves the rural districts (i.e., former Tainan County). The latter utilizes a color-coded system consisting of six Main Routes (Green, Blue, Brown, Orange, Yellow, and Red) and over 100 branch lines. Road Neighboring National Highway Nos. 1 and 3 connect via local highways to the city itself. Tainan City has a total of of highways, including national, local, and rural highways. Air Tainan Airport (TNN), located in the South District approximately from the city center, serves as the primary aviation gateway for the region. As a joint-use military-civilian airport, it operates domestic services to Kinmen and Penghu, along with international scheduled flights to destinations such as Naha and Kumamoto, Japan. While the airport previously maintained a busy corridor to Taipei, these domestic trunk routes were discontinued following the commencement of the Taiwan High Speed Rail in 2007. Beyond passenger services, the airport is a significant hub for aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), hosting the headquarters and main facilities of Air Asia Company Limited (AACL), Taiwan’s first private aircraft maintenance company. ==Education==

• National Cheng Kung University (國立成功大學), is famous for its engineering programs. Founded in the Japanese era in 1931 as Tainan Technical College, it has a total area of . As the number of colleges expanded, it was upgraded to a provincial university in 1956, then national university in 1971. Today, National Cheng Kung University serves nearly 21,000 students through 9 colleges, 39 departments, and 49 graduate institutes. It is also ranked 2nd in Taiwan and 41st in Asia. • National University of Tainan (國立臺南大學) NUTN used to be the Institute of Teachers' In-service Education in 1988, promoted and renamed National Tainan Teachers College in 1991. In 2004, it was established as National University of Tainan until now. The motto of NUTN includes benevolence, intelligence, sincerity and uprightness. • Tainan National University of the Arts (國立臺南藝術大學) TNNUA exists to prepare talented individuals for careers in visual and performing arts, sound and image design, building arts, conservation arts, and art history and critique. The university emphasizes learning through individual attention and independent work creation. It is a public institution, established in 1996. • National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (國立陽明交通大學) NYCU Tainan campus, established in 2009. • Tainan Theological College and Seminary (臺南神學院) was established in 1876 by Thomas Barclay. • Chang Jung Christian University is a private university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. CJCU offers masters and doctoral degree programs and aims to promote fraternity, justice and service for Taiwan. It is located south of the city, in Gueiren. • Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (南臺科技大學), founded in 1969, is located near the northeastern border of Tainan City, within a 30-minute driving distance from the Tainan Airport. • The Tainan University of Technology (臺南應用科技大學) is a private university founded in 1964. The university offers graduate degrees in music, visual art, and applied sciences. • Aletheia University (真理大學) is a private university founded in 1882 by George Leslie Mackay. There are two branches: one in Tamsui, New Taipei City and one in Madou District, Tainan City. • CTBC Business School (中信金融管理學院) is a private university founded in 2000 (as Hsing-Kuo University) and later rebranded CTBC Business School, when CTBC Financial Holding acquired the school. It is located in Annan District. • Taiwan Shoufu University (台灣首府大學) is a private university established in 2000 as Diwan College of Management. Later, it was accredited and became known as Taiwan Shoufu University. There are three colleges: College of Education and Design, College of Leisure Industry, and College of Hotel Management. • University of Kang Ning (康寧大學) is a private university established in 2011. It is located in Annan District. Elementary schools Public • Yuwen Elementary School • Fusing Elementary School Junior high schools Public • Tainan Municipal Anping Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Chenggong Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Chongming Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Dacheng Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Fusing Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Houjia Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Jiansing Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Jincheng Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Jhongshan Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Jhongsiao Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Minde Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Sinsing Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Syuejia District Syuejia Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Wunsian Junior High School • Tainan Municipal Yanping Junior High School Senior high schools Public • National Tainan First Senior High School • National Tainan Second Senior High School • National Tainan Girls' Senior High School • National Hsin Hua Senior High School • National Chia-Chi Girls' Senior High School • National Tainan Commercial Vocational School • National Tainan Industrial Vocational School • The Affiliated Senior Industrial Vocational Continuing Education High School of National Cheng Kung University • National Tainan Marine & Fishery Vocational School • Municipal Tainan Nan-Ning Senior High School • Municipal Tainan Tu-Cheng High School • Tainan Municipal Nanning Senior High School Private • Feng-Ho Senior High School • • Sheng Kung Girls' High School • Nan Ying Vocational High School of Business & Technology • Salesian Technical School • Chang Jung Girls' Senior High School • Deguang Catholic High School • Kuang Hua Girls' Senior High School • Tainan Liuhsin Senior High School • Kuen-Shan Senior High School • Ying-Hai High School ==Notable natives==

began his political career in Tainan. Some famous people born, educated or prominent in Tainan, or otherwise associated with the city, include: • Shone An (安鈞璨) (1983–2015), singer, actor and television host. • Momofuku Ando (安藤百福) (1910–2007), founder of Nissin Foods and inventor of instant noodles. • Thomas Barclay (1849–1935), Christian missionary, lived in the city from 1875 to 1935. • William Campbell (1841–1921), Christian missionary, lived in the city from 1871 to 1917. • George Chang (張燦鍙) (born 1936), politician, former mayor of Tainan (1997–2001). • Chin-Feng Chen (陳金鋒) (born 1977), first Taiwan-born player to play Major League Baseball. • Chen Wei-ling (陳葦綾), 2008 Olympic bronze medal-winning weightlifter. • Mao Gao-wen (毛高文) (1936–2019), chemist, former president of National Tsinghua University (1981–1987) and Minister of Education (1987–1993). • Hsu Shih-Hsien (許世賢) (1908–1983), first female Taiwanese PhD. • Chin-Lung Hu (胡金龍), former MLB infielder for the New York Mets. • Jutoupi (born 1966), recording artist. • Kao Ching-yuen (高清愿) (1929–2016), businessman, founder and chairman of Uni-President. • Hong-Chih Kuo (郭泓志), former MLB pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. • Tai-Yuan Kuo (郭泰源), retired pitcher for the Seibu Lions, foreign player with the most wins in Nippon Professional Baseball history. • Chen-Yuan Lee (李鎮源) (1915–2001), pharmacologist and political activist, famous for research on snake venom. • Chou Tzu-yu (周子瑜) (born 1999), singer, youngest member of Twice. • Lien Heng (連橫) (1878–1936), historian, writer of The General History of Taiwan, grandfather of former presidential candidate Lien Chan. • En-Yu Lin (林恩宇), baseball pitcher currently playing for Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. • Lin Hsin-i (林信義) (born 1946), businessman and politician, Minister of Economic Affairs (2000–2002), Vice Premier (2002–2004). • Lin Mosei (林茂生) (1887–1947?), first Taiwanese philosophy PhD, academic, educator and calligrapher thought to have been killed following the February 28 Incident. • Ong Iok-tek (王育德) (1924–1985), scholar and authority of the Taiwanese Hokkien dialects. • Judy Ongg (翁倩玉) (born 1950), actress, singer, author and artist. • Shi Wen-long (許文龍) (born 1928), businessman, founder of Chi Mei Corporation. • Lisa Su (born 1969), chief executive officer of Advanced Micro Devices. • Su Nan-cheng (蘇南成) (1936–2014), politician, former mayor of Tainan (1977–1985) and advisor to former Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian. • Robert Swinhoe (1836–1877), first British consul sent to Tainan 1861; ornithologist, writer on the natural history and zoology of Taiwan and China. • Shen Che-Tsai (沈哲哉) (1926–2017), oil painter. • Chien-Ming Wang (王建民), former MLB pitcher for the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, and Kansas City Royals. • Wu Hui Ju (吳蕙如), archer and also a member of the team that won the bronze medal for Chinese Taipei in 2004 Summer Olympics in the women's team archery competition. • Jacky Wu (吳宗憲) (born 1962), entertainer and talk-show host. • Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) (born 1963), chief executive officer of NVIDIA. • (何傳) (1897–1989), businessman, founder of (parent company of Bank SinoPac). • Crowd Lu (盧廣仲) (born 1985), singer-songwriter, actor ==Sports==

have been playing their home games at Tainan Municipal Baseball Stadium since 1999. Tainan is home to the Uni-President Lions, who play their home games at the Tainan Municipal Baseball Stadium. It is also the birthplace of Chien-Ming Wang, Hong-Chih Kuo, Tai-Yuan Kuo, En-Yu Lin, and many other prominent Taiwanese baseball players. Tainan also has one professional basketball team, the Tainan TSG GhostHawks of the T1 League. Tainan is the host of the biennial U-12 Baseball World Cup since 2015, organized by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). Other recent major sporting events held by Tainan include: • 2004 World University Baseball Championship • 2008 World University Archery Championships • 2010 EAFF Women's Football Championship (Semi-final) • 2027 Women's Baseball World Cup (Group Stage) ==Sister and friendship cities==

The following municipalities are sister cities or friendship cities to Tainan City: ;Domestic • Kinmen County (1981) • Penghu County (2004) ;Japan • Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture (2006) • Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture (2009) • Minakami, Gunma, Gunma Prefecture (2013) • Shiga Prefecture (2013) • Kaga, Ishikawa, Ishikawa Prefecture (2014) • Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture (2017) • Aomori Prefecture (2017) • Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture (2017) • Yamagata, Yamagata Prefecture (2017) • Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Prefecture (2023) • Hirado, Nagasaki, Nagasaki Prefecture (2024) • Naka, Ibaraki, Ibaraki Prefecture (2024) • Furano, Hokkaido, Hokkaido Prefecture (2024) • Mito, Ibaraki, Ibaraki Prefecture (2024) • Honjo, Saitama, Saitama Prefecture (2025) • Uto, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture (2025) • Uki, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture (2025) • Misato, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture (2025) • Nobeoka, Miyazaki Prefecture (2025) ;Asia and Oceania • Gwangju, South Korea (1968) • Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Korea (2024) • Cavite City, Philippines (1980) • Tagaytay, Philippines (1980) • Trece Martires, Philippines (1980) • Pasay, Philippines (1980) • Cagayan de Oro, Philippines (2005) • Province of Aklan, Philippines (2025) • Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia (1982) • Parramatta, Australia (2014) • Ra'anana, Israel (1999) • Keçiören, Turkey (2005) • Wotje Atoll, Marshall Islands (2018) ;America • Monterey, California, United States (1965) • San Jose, California United States (1977) • Kansas City, Missouri United States (1978) • Columbus, Ohio United States (1980) • Orlando, Florida United States (1982) • Fairbanks, Alaska United States (1983) • Laredo, Texas United States (1985) • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States (1986) • Huntsville, Alabama United States(1986) • Carbondale, Illinois United States(1991) • Snohomish County, Washington United States (1998) • Arizona, United States (2013) • Chandler, Arizona, United States (2016) • West Covina, California, United States (2020) • Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia (1981) • Zacapa, Guatemala (2003) • Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis (2025) ;Europe and Africa • Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa (1982) • Leuven, Belgium (1993) • Elbląg, Poland (2004) • Esbjerg Municipality, Denmark (2005) • Almere, Netherlands (2009) • Styria, Austria (2015) • Beziers City, Hérault Department, France (2023) • Jonava, Kaunas County, Lithuania (2024) • Łódź City, Łódź Voivodeship, Poland (2025) ==Relative location==