From Japanese Rule to the Republic of China: Guanziling Hot Springs Festival Turns 100

▲ Guanziling Hot Springs area during the Japanese colonial period. (Photo / Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

This year marks exactly 100 years since the construction of Guanziling Hot Springs in Tainan. The “beauty of squares” hot springs first appeared during the Japanese colonial period. In November, Tainan City Government’s Tourism and Travel Bureau will host the Guanziling Hot Springs Festival, featuring a series of events. It will also release limited-edition stamps, postcards, vintage photos, and other valuable historical materials, inviting the public to commemorate the centennial charm of Guanziling Hot Springs.

▲ Current view of the Guanziling Hot Springs area (left), early hand-drawn map of the Guanziling Hot Springs area (right). (Photo / Courtesy of Tainan City Tourism Bureau website;Tainan Tourism Facebook Fan Page)

Built in 1913, Guanziling Hot Springs date back to the Japanese colonial period in Taiwan. At that time, all public bathhouses constructed by the Japanese in Taiwan were restricted to Japanese use only. The only facility accessible to Taiwanese was Guanziling’s standard-grade bathhouse. Although the original public bathhouse no longer exists, the resulting hot spring culture has become a local hallmark. The hot spring sources around Guanziling are located beneath the Fire King Temple. According to records in the Zhuluo County Annals, the nearby famous “Water and Fire Spring,” where water and flame emerge from the same source, has existed for 300 years.

▲ The famous natural wonder “Water and Fire Spring” in the Guanziling area. (Photo / Courtesy of Tainan City Tourism Bureau website)

The city’s Tourism and Travel Bureau stated that all 29 hot spring operators in Guanziling have obtained legal certification, ensuring visitors can enjoy the springs with complete peace of mind. This year’s hot springs festival will not only collect relevant historical materials and release commemorative stamps and postcards to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the hot springs but will also complete the restoration of the retro-style old street. Visitors can further immerse themselves in the natural and cultural charm of Guanziling Hot Springs.