Text by / MOOK Scenic Spots Family, compiled and reported
Exterior of Gong Lianzhen’s former residence. (Photo provided by / Tainan City Government)
On October 24, 2016, Mayor Lai Qingde held a plaque-hanging ceremony for the historical celebrity residences in Tainan City at Gong Lianzhen’s former residence.During the ceremony, he mentioned: “This place is the legendary ‘Crow Settling in the Yang Burial Site,’ which can bring wealth, prosperity, and produce generals and high-ranking officials.” Considering that this small place produced notable figures such as Gong Lianzhen, Wu Sanlian, Wu Zunxian, and Wu Shuqi—key figures in Taiwan’s political and business circles known collectively as the “Tainan Gang”—the legend of the “Crow Settling in the Yang Burial Site” seems quite plausible. A local legend about the precious land of Toukangzai tells that during the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty, a renowned feng shui master from Tangshan, China, pointed out to the Wu clan that one kilometer east of Old Toukang was an exceptional feng shui treasure site, encircled by wealth, prosperous in fortune, producing outstanding people and descendants, and ideal for passing down through generations. In feng shui terms, it is called the “Crow Settling in the Yang Burial Site.”
Mayor Lai Qingde personally went to Gong Lianzhen’s former residence to hang the commemorative plaque. (Photo provided by / Tainan City Government)
Whether it’s the legend of the “Crow Settling in the Yang Burial Site” or the saga of the “Tainan Gang,” wandering through the traditional three-courtyard compound of Gong Lianzhen’s residence—which is now a rare blend of brick, lime, and wood construction—evokes a deep sense of nostalgia. One can’t help but feel the weight of time and the setting sun, as if returning to a time when alleyways and old trees were lush and green. Though flowers bloom and fade, the scenery remains, but the people have changed.
Interior of Gong Lianzhen’s former residence. (Photo provided by / Tainan City Government)
Plaque-hanging ceremony for the former residence of historical figure Gong Lianzhen. (Photo provided by / Tainan City Government)
Fortunately, being in a cultural hub like the ancient city of Tainan—with its commitment and capability to preserve heritage—this city understands that honoring its roots is the greatest respect for its own land. As a result, legends and sagas continue to be passed down through generations here in Tainan, preventing the sorrowful loss of cherished stories and historical anecdotes, which in other places might be lamented as lost forever (“拍无去” in Taiwanese Hokkien, meaning lost or gone), leaving only nostalgia and things left forever out of reach.