Eating shenkeng tofu and visiting Zhinan Temple kick off my Chinese New Year

As labmates started to leave for their long holiday with their family, TeChing prompted to plan for an outing trip as the starter trip of my Chinese New Year break. Shenkeng (深坑) followed by Maokong (貓空) was our destination for this evening. Considered as a back garden of Taipei, Shenkeng Township is famous for its tofu and where TeChing knows best. From our lab (actually, he picked me up from 家樂福 near my apartment), we drove over a mountain to Shenkeng’s famous tofu alley, where many restaurants offer their specialties. When approaching the entrance of the alley, I acknowledged the presence of the (in)famous dish of the town, chou doufu, which its glory has been credited to Shenkeng’s pure water suitable for tofu production. Not all shops sold tofu, however. Some were selling several colorful and tasty snacks. A number of shops closed its business today as did TeChing’s regularly visited restaurant. This was a bit sad, but he took me to a place right by it. I assured him that we would order all “su shi” (素食; vegetarian) dishes which made him smiled because he is a vegetarian. By the time I realized I was full, all of the dishes were almost gone. One of the dishes were, of course, mala chou doufu (stinky tofu in spicy soup), along with mian xian (cold noodle), hot-plated tofu, and a vegetable dish. After the dinner we got our snack. TeChing bought two boxes of snacks, and I got a piece of rice cake, gui (in Taiwanese), which was very yummy. The snack is native to Hakka, but I do not know to call it in Hakka tongue (well TeChing did not know).

Facing a new restaurant, TeChing is thinking hard for what to order. "Chou Doufu, man! I am hungry."

Savory Mala Chou Doufu!

Mian Xian.

Hot-plate tofu.

TeChing really enjoys the dishes as do I.

Continuing with his plan, he took me to Maokong with an anticipation for a nice spot to view Taipei City at night. After many right-angle turns and high graded slopes and because rains and dimply lit street made it eery to drive, he would take me to Zhinan Gong. Such weather contributed to our mis-turn, veering us down to mountain foot at the other side. Even though I told him that I was fine if we had gone home, TeChing was still determined to climb up to visit the temple which is a famous temple in the area. And finally, we found it! However, all the shops at the entrance of the I-forgot-to-count steps were close. At the time we arrived, there were only two old men chatting loudly in a small building right next to the main shrine. Then, I realized that people had really left Taipei.

Door art at the main shrine of Zhinan Gong.

We could see scenery of the city down below, and I was trying to take a picture but not successful. A story goes because of his unsuccessful marriage of the main deity of the temple (Lü Dongbin), a couple should not come to this temple together. If so, they are doomed to be separated because it believes that he is jealous of lovers. I guess TeChing never came here with his girl, or did he?

Zhinan Gong walkway decorated by beautiful lanterns.

We walked along the walkway from the main shrine to the other two shrines that are devoted to different deities. All shrines had its door shut because of no more god visiting hour. Walkway was decorated with numerous yellow lanterns and big board signs were placed to inform visitors that Rat and Horse year peoples will be in bad luck this year and they should call the numbers (they are numbers of the temple) to donate, and the temple will pray for the god on his/her behalf. I am a horse but I don’t think that I would call these numbers. There is a shrine of Confucius at the other end of the walkway but we decided to turn back after reached Maokong Gondola Zhinan Temple Station (TeChing planed to take me here by the gondola but the gondola did not service today). In front of the station sits a bust of “a-not-so-famous” gentleman (that is why I do not know his name) who helped Taiwan during Japanese colonization era. By the time we got back to the car, it was well beyond TeChing’s bed time. After I requested another visit to Shenkeng tofu, he retraced his way back to my apartment and turned back on the same route to his Shenkeng sweet home.

In front of Zhinan Temple Station, sitting a bust of "not-so-famous" man under several lanterns hung on leave-less tree branches.