Join the Flower Guardians to collect treasures and win Guan Zi Lian hot spring souvenirs

By MOOK Scenic Spots House, compiled and reported

Flame Gold – as the name suggests, when the autumn breeze blows in September, the fiery golden-yellow flower clusters blaze brilliantly across the tree canopy, soon forming seed pods covered with tender red bracts. As the pods mature, their bracts swell like lanterns, gradually turning dark red. With thousands of little red lanterns hanging from the treetops, it’s also known as the “lantern tree.” To greet every pair of eyes admiring Tainan, the Taiwanese flamegold tree busily changes its attire, displaying a rich variety of colors. Its shifting hues have earned it other lovely nicknames such as “Taiwanese flamegold,” “four-color tree,” and “Taiwanese golden rain tree.”

The “Tainan Flower Viewing Open Map” is a convenient database conceived by Tainan. It reflects the government’s commitment to open data and becoming an open government. Under the concept of “open data,” various types of information previously stored within government agencies are now released through public participation. Visitors can more independently combine or add value to shared data, improving the immediacy of information provided by the government. By joining the “Flower Guardians” on the “Tainan Flower Viewing Open Map” and applying for approval, anyone can post flower-related updates.

To encourage visitors to become “Flower Guardians,” the Tainan City Government offers a free gift: share three Tainan-related flower viewing messages on the “Tainan Flower Viewing Open Map,” and you’ll receive a Guan Zi Lian hot spring product. This lets treasure hunters enjoy Tainan’s flowers and use locally made Guan Zi Lian hot spring skincare to soothe their body and soul after a day out. The prize draw will be tallied at the end of September, and certificates of appreciation will be issued at year-end 2016 to those who posted updates monthly.