Yanshui Holy Spirit Catholic Church

Beyond the Beehive Fireworks and Lantern Festival, Yanshui also boasts a hidden gem: the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, a fusion of Chinese and Western styles. With its roof tiles, sloped roof, and red beams and pillars, it exudes a strong traditional temple architectural style. However, upon stepping inside, the interior decor will leave first-time visitors profoundly struck. The spacious interior, altar, and long wooden benches on either side are typical of any church. Yet, each red pillar features calligraphic couplets written in various fonts, and even the "bok choy leaf" column capitals and carved *queti* (bracket-sets) commonly seen in Taiwanese temples are present. All the visible walls are adorned with colorful murals. A closer look reveals that these paintings reinterpret Bible stories using the 'vocabulary' of traditional temple murals, depicting figures, food, plants, and more, all in a style familiar to Taiwanese templegoers. This culturally integrated architectural style has a fascinating backstory. In 1955, Father Hukuo Lin (Hu Guolin) arrived in Yanshui from Germany as the first parish priest and began his evangelical work. To integrate into this small town where people 'habitually spoke Taiwanese and worshipped in temples,' the priest made an effort to speak Taiwanese. Later, Father Li Shaofeng further renovated the church, incorporating localized elements with the aim of fostering closer ties with the local community. In an era where Catholicism is widely recognized by Taiwanese people, this architectural gem holds precious historical significance.