The old market streets of Anping are one of Taiwan's earliest developed areas. As you enter the old streets, the first thing you will notice is that the streets are very narrow - on average only about 2 to 3 meters wide. The streets would twist and turn and suddenly become wide or narrow. Visitors will feel as if they have walked into an exciting labyrinth and is on an adventure. Rustic building materials, delicately-decorated wooden doors in the wall, doors and windows of a special scale, and various kinds of amulets are not only important elements of the overall landscape in Anping, but also part of the essence and spirit of the Anping residents’ daily lives. Some of these works have a very high artistic value.
The Anping Sword Lion is the representative totem of Anping. Visitors can easily see that no two sword lions are the same. There are lions that look terrifying and threatening, or gentle and sweet. Some lions carry a single sword between their teeth, while some hold double swords in their mouths. Some lions reveal an entire row of sharp teeth, and some only reveal two small front teeth. The lions can be made of clay, wood carvings, paintings or mosaics; and can be found on the front gate, screen wall, or the sword screen (for feng sui). It can be said that almost no two sword lions are identical in Anping.
※Address: Zhongxing Street