By MOOK Scenic Spots Family, compiled report
Taiwanese rain tree at Anding Lake Park in Tainan’s Anding District. (Photo source / Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau)
Flame Gold — the Taiwanese rain tree “lives up to its name.” When the gusty autumn winds arrive, its fiery golden-yellow flower clusters blaze brilliantly across the treetops, soon forming seed capsules covered with tender red bracts. As the capsules mature, the bracts swell like lanterns before gradually turning dark red, resembling thousands of little red lanterns hanging from the branches — hence its other name, the “Lantern Tree.” The Taiwanese rain tree busily changes its attire to greet every pair of eyes admiring Tainan, showcasing a rich array of colors and tones. With such diverse color changes, it also goes by other lovely names like “Taiwanese Rain Flower,” “Four-Color Tree,” and “Taiwanese Golden Rain Tree.”
Taiwanese rain tree along Dongfeng Road in Tainan’s North District. (Photo source / Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau)
The “Tainan Flower Viewing Open Map” is a user-friendly database conceived by Tainan, a government initiative that fulfills its promise to open public data and become an open government. Under the concept of “open data,” various types of information previously confined within government agencies are now released through public participation. This allows visitors to more independently combine or add value to the shared data, improving the timeliness of government-provided information. Citizens simply need to join the ranks of the “Flower Guardians” on the “Tainan Flower Viewing Open Map” and, after applying and getting approval, can post flower-related news.
Taiwanese rain tree at Five Concubines Temple in Tainan’s West Central District. (Photo source / Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau)
To encourage visitors to join the “Flower Guardians,” the Tainan City Government offers a free Guanziling Hot Spring product to anyone who shares three Tainan-based flower viewing messages on the “Tainan Flower Viewing Open Map.” This allows treasure-hunting visitors to enjoy the flowers in Tainan and use locally made Guanziling Hot Spring skincare products to soothe their body and soul after a day out. The giveaway event will tally submissions at the end of September, and thank-you certificates will be issued at the end of 2016 (105 in Taiwan’s calendar) to those who posted messages monthly.