Mickela Mallozzi: Mickela.

General Gong!

[Laughs] I'm a dancer and I'm a traveler.

And wherever I go, I experience the world one dance at a time.

♪ I'm Mickela Mallozzi, and this is "Bare Feet."

♪ "Bare Feet" is supported in part by... [Singing in native language] ♪ [Playing Andean music] [People vocalizing] ♪ Announcer: Bloomberg Connects gives you a way to experience the arts from your mobile phone.

You can explore hundreds of cultural organizations from around the world, anytime, anywhere.

Learn more at bloombergconnects.org or wherever you find your apps.

Announcer 2: Taiwan, a gateway to the world.

Crossing the continent together with you blossoming in the sky.

China Airlines from Taiwan.

Announcer 3: Additional funding was provided by Koo and Patricia Yuen through the Yuen Foundation, committed to bridging cultural differences in our communities.

Announcer 4: And by the Ann H. Symington Foundation.

Mickela: Welcome to Taiwan, this beautiful island that sits in the heart of Far East Asia.

For this "Bare Feet" adventure, after exploring the capital city of Taipei and the indigenous communities of the Alishan Mountains, I continue my Taiwanese journey at the very beginning for this country, here in Tainan City.

Situated along the southwestern coast of the island, Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan.

Established as a trading post over 400 years ago by the Dutch East India Company, then becoming the capital city of the island for over 250 years until the late 19th century.

Tainan City is an incredible example of the diverse cultural influences that have come through the city, including the island's indigenous communities, European influences from Spanish and Dutch settlements, settlement by Han Chinese, and Japanese occupation ending in 1945.

With its long and rich history, Tainan City is known for many things, including being the spiritual capital of Taiwan.

Tainan City has over 1,600 registered temples, more than any other city in Taiwan, along with hundreds of smaller temples and private shrines.

And you can feel their presence everywhere here.

So, my first stop here in Tainan City is to the Yuanhe Temple.

I meet with Mr.

Lin to learn more about Chinese Folk Religion and some of its practices through dance.

Lin Shih-Jie: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: This temple is dedicated to the Taoist deity Baosheng and Emperor Wufu.

♪ How old are some of these pieces?

Lin: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Alright, here we go.

So, General Guan, right?

Lin: Yes, Guan.

Mickela: General Guan.

I'm going to be half-transformed into General Guan.

♪ Why only half the face?

Lin: [Speaking Mandarin] ♪ Mickela: What inspired you to want to join the group and be a part of this?

Lin: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Oh, I can see me in the reflection of the camera.

This is amazing.

Xiexie.

Lin: Xiexie.

[Chuckles] Mickela: I'm General Guan right now.

Mickela.

[Chuckles] [Growls] Angry.

And I need to protect the god.

♪ Mallozzi, voice-over: Now that my face is painted, the other dancers will have their faces painted as well.

They will represent other guards of the gods.

Mickela: Who's your... Man: "Ooh-yay."

Mickela: "Ooh-yay."

That's you.

Mallozzi, voice-over: And though Mr.

Lin is painting only half of our faces today, the dancers perform in full face paint and full costume during the actual religious ceremony, taking on the spirit of each of the deities they embody.

Mr.

Lin and his group are gracious enough to let me learn Ba Jia-Jiang, also known as "the 8 generals dance."

Lin: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: I'm opening that door.

I'm opening that door.

Lin: Yes, yes.

Mickela: Good?

Lin: Good.

Yes.

[Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Hey!

Lin: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: We are guarding the god, and we are going to the entrance of the gate.

And us two are protecting him.

This sacred religious dance originated in one temple in Fuzhou, China, where it was then brought over to Tainan City in the mid-18th century when the Han Chinese settled in Taiwan.

The dance tradition is no longer common in China, but it is a thriving cultural and spiritual practice that has since spread to temples throughout Tainan City and the rest of Taiwan.

So after the one, two, three, then we walk around.

Lin: One, two, three.

Mickela: ...two, three.

Lin: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: OK.

OK.

Lin: Yes.

Mickela: Getting there.

Lin: Good.

Mickela: Very good.

High 5!

Lin: [Chuckles] Mickela: We're getting it.

We're getting it.

♪ [Applause] "Xiexie!"

Lin: Nice.

Very good.

♪ Mickela: To learn more about this historical city, I meet with local tour guide and Tainan native, John Hsieh.

Our first stop is at Zeelandia Fort.

John Hsieh: Tainan is the oldest city in whole Taiwan.

Mickela: Wow.

John: This place is all of Taiwan history's starting point.

Mickela: So, this was the Dutch fort?

Is that what this was?

John: Yes, yes.

The Dutch, they come to Taiwan in 1624.

So, the wall was the original one from 17th century until right now.

After Dutch, then we have Ming Dynasty.

And after that, the Qing Dynasty for more than 200 years.

Until 1895, Japan then comes to Taiwan for 50 years.

Its original name is Zeelandia Fort, but for local Taiwan people, we love to call it Anping Gu bao.

It means, "old fortress in Anping district."

Mickela: Only steps away from Anping Old Fort is the Anping Mazu Temple.

John: And this is the most important temple for Tainan people.

We worship Mazu inside.

She is a very famous goddess in Taiwan.

Mickela: The Anping Mazu Temple is one of the founding temples in all of Taiwan that is dedicated to Mazu, the goddess of the sea.

John: In Tainan, our temple is not just a place that allows people to worship, It's also like a museum.

Mickela: How old is this temple, John?

John: The first generation of this temple was finished in about 1668.

Mickela: Wow.

John: So it's very, very old.

Mickela: Very old.

[Indistinct chatter] When you think of going into a church or some sort of Buddhist temple, it's very quiet, very somber.

And here it's like... [Bell tolls] beautiful.

John: [Chuckles] Mickela: It's really like this daily life hustle and bustle, which is wonderful.

You feel like you're in someone's home.

John: Tianhou Temple is just like our daily life.

And Mazu is another special goddess because some people call her "Mazupo."

It means just like a senior lady that lives in our neighborhood.

And this senior lady is always friendly and looking after us.

And we love to get closer to her.

Mickela: Mmm.

John: When we want to worship our goddess or our god, first is Joss paper.

Mickela: Joss paper?

John: Yes.

Mickela: What does that mean?

John: You can try to imagine it just like you deposit to your private bank account in the sky.

Mickela: Like your karma account.

John: Yeah, you're saving your good luck in the sky.

Someday you will need it.

And the second one is incense.

So, this incense, we believe the smoke will bring our wishes to the god in the temple.

And the third thing is the sweet dessert.

Mickela: Oh, wow.

So these are for the gods, not for us to eat.

John: After you worship, you can take home because this was blessed by the god.

And then you eat them, you feel you've been blessed by the god.

♪ Mickela: That goes to Mazu.

♪ John: OK, and after that, one more bow.

And then finally, insert... input this incense to the burner.

Let's go to burn the Joss paper.

Mickela: So, it's outside of the temple?

John: Yes, yes.

Because it will cause fire and smoke.

Mickela: Ah.

♪ John: Make it easier if you put it here.

Mickela: Put it there?

John: Yeah.

Mickela: Do you throw them individually?

John: And then... Local people will fold it.

Like this way.

Mickela: Like money?

John: Yes, yes, yes.

♪ Yeah.

OK, that's all, finished.

Mickela: Now we eat this?

John: Yeah, you can take home.

Bring your good luck.

♪ Mickela: For our last stop, John takes me to Bao An Road to get a taste of why Tainan City is so famous for its food.

What has made Tainan such a food epicenter of Taiwan?

John: I think because we mix a lot of different cultures, because we have a lot of immigration from mainland China, from different countries.

Along this street, there are so many things to try and I think you might want to try the most unique one, right?

Mickela: I would love to.

John: Let's try this one.

They made the most famous milkfish in Tainan.

Mickela: Each shop and food stall specializes in only one or maybe two dishes.

And this shop only makes this milkfish soup, known as a comfort food in Taiwanese cuisine.

John: So, I will recommend the soup mixed with rice noodle and also flour noodle together.

You can taste the two flavors at one time.

Mickela: Oh, wow.

Oh, my gosh.

Xiexie!

♪ Mmm!

Mmm.

Wow.

It's very tender.

Not fishy at all.

Perfect for a winter evening.

John: Yes, yes, yes.

Mickela: Right?

John: Yeah.

I come here very often.

[Laughs] Mickela: Mmm!

♪ Walking by these stalls, it feels like each place does one thing really, really, really well.

John: Many, many shops like this one, they can last many generations.

Mickela: Right.

♪ Tainan may be one of Taiwan's oldest cities, but there is a new wave of young entrepreneurs breathing new life into old neighborhoods here.

Tonight, I visit a cool, speakeasy cocktail bar, ChiKan Pharmacy, that is the leading example of this exciting transformation here in Tainan City.

I meet up with my friend, Mini Kao.

She and I have the privilege of being served tonight by bar owner Sheldon, as he shares the inspiration behind this speakeasy and its menu.

♪ This bar is absolutely beautiful.

Sheldon Wu: Yeah.

Mickela: Can you tell me how you started this bar?

Mickela: And it's called ChiKan Pharmacy.

It looks like a pharmacy when you walk in.

♪ Mallozzi, voice-over: Sheldon prepares for us his two favorite cocktails on the menu, the Tainan OG and the Fresh Cool.

♪ Mickela What are your inspiration for how you mix these cocktails when you come up with the recipes?

Sheldon: [Speaking Mandarin] [Rattling] ♪ Mickela: It's like a Taiwanese take on an espresso martini, because it's tea instead, but it's foamy.

Oh, it's beautiful.

♪ Sheldon: [Speaking Mandarin] Mini Kao and Sheldon: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Cheers!

[Speaking Mandarin] ♪ Oh, my goodness.

Wow.

Mini: [Speaking Mandarin] [Laughter] Mickela: So good.

This is so good.

Mini: I'm from Taiwan.

I never thought Chinese medicine can combine with alcohol and become this creative cocktail.

Mickela: Yeah.

Mini: That's so cool.

Mickela: It's really cool.

Sheldon: [Speaking Mandarin] ♪ Mickela: That's good.

Welcome to Tainan.

Mini: Welcome to Tainan.

Mickela: [Laughs] Sheldon: Yeah, welcome to Tainan.

Mickela: The revitalization of old spaces into new ideas is at the core of Tainan City.

So, for my last stop, we head to the outskirts of the city, to the Ten Drum Cultural Village, now home to the Ten Drum Art Percussion Group.

♪ This formerly abandoned sugar factory, the Che-Lu-Chien Sugar Refinery, has transformed over the past 20 years into an interactive art space open for visitors.

Woman: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Back in 2005, the Ten Drum Art Percussion Group found this open and deserted sugar refinery.

At a time when other sugar factories throughout Taiwan were closing and their historic equipment was being sold as scrap metal, Ten Drum instead saw an opportunity in this space.

♪ Ten Drum performs regularly in the Dream Sugar Theater, designed with preservation and renovation in mind for the original sugar refinery built in 1909.

[Shouting] Woman: [Speaking Mandarin] ♪ Mickela: Since moving into the former sugar refinery, Ten Drum developed from an arts group that focused solely on percussion music performance, to expanding as a space that encompasses the history of the sugar, the beauty of the drum, and, above all, environmental protection.

Woman: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: The group even repurposed and recycled a lot of the historic metal from the original equipment, creating new percussive instruments, including gongs and cymbals, that they use in their performances.

This space is also home to the percussive group's beautiful taiko drums.

The art of taiko drumming was brought over by the Japanese during the occupation in the early 20th century.

But with the confluence of cultures, including traditional indigenous Taiwanese and Chinese styles of music, drumming, singing, and dance in Tainan, Ten Drum encapsulates generations of traditions that have blended together.

To learn more about the drums, I meet with Michael, a true craftsman in making and repairing these beautiful instruments.

Who makes these drums?

Michael: [Speaking Mandarin] ♪ Mickela: Is this cow skin or goat?

Michael: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Wow, that's so cool.

Michael: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: What's your favorite part of making a drum?

Michael: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Wow!

Can I hit it?

OK, ready?

[Drum sounds] [Screams] [Drum sounds] That's beautiful!

That's gorgeous.

Michael: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Still reverberating.

Michael: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Small... Yeah.

Singing.

Michael: [Imitates sound] ♪ Mickela, voice-over: After learning what it takes to make these drums, I want to see what it takes to be able to play these drums.

Stu: Just hold...hold on.

Mickela: Uh-huh.

Stu: And take it.

Mickela: Uh-huh.

Stu: Yeah.

We will teach you by the sound and then combine the kung fu too.

Mickela: Kung fu and drumming together.

Stu: Yeah.

Mickela: Not easy for me.

[Laughs] OK.

Stu: I think it's OK for you.

Mickela: OK, we'll try.

So, ton, ton, ton, ton, ton.

One, two, three, four.

OK?

Mickela: Yeah.

Stu: And then, imagine your stick just like you have two swords.

Mickela: Swords, OK.

Stu: Yes.

And then you slash to the right.

Mickela: OK.

Stu: And then slash to the left.

Mickela: Left.

Stu: OK?

Mickela: OK.

Ooh!

I did the wrong part!

[Laughs] Stu: Right first.

Mickela: Sorry, sorry.

Stu: Right first.

Mickela: Right, sword, and... OK.

Yeah.

Stu: Yes.

OK.

Mickela: How old is this tradition of drumming?

Stu: I think for a thousand years.

Mickela: A thousand years?

Stu: Yes.

Yeah, from a long, long time ago.

Mickela: Very long time.

Stu: Yeah, drum history actually is from many, many different places.

You all can see this instrument.

And I think, when you play the drum to represent your culture, I think that's the most important.

One, two, three, four.

Mickela: ...three, four.

Ta, ta.

Stu: OK?

Mickela: Uh-huh.

Stu: OK.

Come back to the drum.

We combine the... Mickela: Yeah, this is so fun, Stu.

Thank you.

Xiexie.

Stu: OK.

[Speaking Mandarin] [Speaking Mandarin] ♪ Mickela: Xiexie!

Xiexie!

Mallozzi, voice-over: From its ancient and diverse history to its renovation and revitalization, from old to new and to everything in between, Tainan City is a beautiful example here in Taiwan of when worlds and cultures and time collide.

And I'll see you on my next "Bare Feet" adventure wherever it may take me.

♪ You can stay connected with us at travelbarefeet.com, where you'll find extra bonus videos, join our "Bare Feet" series conversations through social media, and stay updated with our newsletter.

♪ Oh, you don't blow it, you shake it.

John: Harder!

[Laughs] Mickela: I made that fire too hot.

Oh, gosh.

OK.

Ok.

Man: Hello, welcome to Tainan.

This is bubble tea and this is Sihai.

This is for you.

Mickela: Thank you.

Xiexie.

Thank you!

Man: Welcome to Tainan.

Mickela: Thank you.

What?

John: [Laughs] Mickela: Who are you?

John: [Chuckles] ♪ Mickela: "Bare Feet" is supported in part by... [Singing in native language] ♪ [Playing Andean music] [People vocalizing] ♪ Announcer: Bloomberg Connects gives you a way to experience the arts from your mobile phone.

You can explore hundreds of cultural organizations from around the world, anytime, anywhere.

Learn more at bloombergconnects.org or wherever you find your apps.

Announcer 2: Taiwan, a gateway to the world.

Crossing the continent together with you blossoming in the sky.

China Airlines from Taiwan.

Announcer 3: Additional funding was provided by Koo and Patricia Yuen through the Yuen Foundation, committed to bridging cultural differences in our communities.

Announcer 4: And by the Ann H. Symington Foundation.

[Baby talk] ♪