Chin Pao San Cemetery
Various people have disputed the English spelling of the cemetery name, but this comes straight from the horse's mouth: the most authoritative source, which is the cemetery office itself:
It's got some fascinating art. Some may find it tacky, others otherworldly. Whatever the case, it's rather unusual and captivating.
Buddha grotto
Bizarre structure near the cemetery entrance
Several weeks ago I visited the cemetery, and while there I decided (somewhat unprepared) to look for the grave of Echo Chan, a famed Taiwanese writer. I knew from prior research that her ashes were interred on the third floor of the big lingguta (pagoda-like columbarium) that dominates the cemetery.
Lingguta, named Jinbaota ("tower of gold and jewels")
To get to the tower, you have to walk through a small convenience store next to the cemetery office, then you get in an elevator and go to the 5th floor. It opens up to an exterior plaza. The tower is immediately across the plaza.
I entered the tower, and climbed the stairs to its 3rd floor, only to find there are thousands of niches in there. So I went down to the front desk and inquired. After some tapping on the computer and phoning the main office, the clerk told me that Echo Chan is indeed interred here... but! ... he said he couldn't give out the location to just anyone.
The gauntlet was thrown down. If there's one thing I love when it comes to graving, it's a challenge. "I'll be back," I said to him... in my mind.
Today I went back. This time I was armed with information. Echo Chan's real name is Chen Ping, and pseudonym is Sanmao. And her vital dates are 1943-1991. I went into the tower, climbed to the 3rd floor, and checked around to see where people who died in 1991 were most likely to be interred. Then I started doing an exhaustive search of the north side of the room. Soon enough, I found a Chen Ping. Could this be her? On closer inspection I saw the dates 1929-1990. Wrong person.
After about half an hour of searching niche by niche through the names, serenaded by prerecorded Buddhist chants piped into the room, I finished the north side. Time to move to the west side. I was getting somewhat tired of looking at all these names, and thought that maybe I'd go home when I finished the west side, and continue the search another day. I did find a couple foreigners' niches here, so all was not lost.
But soon I came across another Chen Ping. Another false alarm? But look at all the flowers!! I checked the dates, and what should I see, but 1943-1991. I found her! I succeeded in my challenge!
My mission accomplished, I went on to visit the most famous grave of all at this cemetery: the grave of singer Teresa Teng. Teresa Teng is known as "Taiwan's Sweetheart," a woman with a very sweet, demure disposition who sang classic songs and entertained the troops. She died of asthma while on vacation in Thailand in 1995.
Like Echo Chan, she died in her 40s in the 90s. Unlike Echo Chan's grave, the location of Teresa Teng's grave is public knowledge. Indeed, busloads of tourists and fans make pilgrimages to her gravesite.
Teresa Teng's gravesite is an exercise in kitschiness. Tacky art adorns the entire memorial area, and her music constantly plays here through speakers. No idea if it plays during the night.
Here's the entry to the memorial area. The sign says "Teresa Teng Memorial Park." It just so happened that the plants alongside the adjacent graves were being misted, hence the wetness.
Some sculptures near the entrance
Some music-themed art
On the approach to her grave is a giant keyboard with marble keys. It actually plays: if you step on the keys, they play notes.
Beyond the keyboard is a golden statue of Teresa Teng in a treble-clef-shaped flower bed.
Closeup of statue
Then we come to the gravesite itself. People often leave offerings here. Flowers, incense, etc. I've even seen people leave burning cigarettes in the incense pot!
Closeup of inscription.
There's a cool-looking cactus garden adjacent to memorial area. Just walk down the steps on your right as you head away from the gravesite. The shuttle bus stop is just across the road.
Getting There
By bus:
It used to be a chore to get up there by public transportation. Now the North Coast Shuttle makes it a snap. From the Tamsui (Danshui) MRT station, take the North Coast Shuttle Bus (NT$100 for all-day pass to evert stop along the route) to the Yun Garden stop, which is stop #10 along the route between Danshui and Keelung. Teresa Teng's grave is just opposite the bus shelter, up a stairway in a cactus garden.
By car:
Drive along coastal Highway 2. A couple km north of downtown Jinshan, you'll see brown tourist-site signs pointing to the Teresa Teng Memorial Garden or to the Juming Museum. Follow the signs. Keep an eye out for signs with the characters 金寶山 on them... they'll point the right way. If you find yourself at the Juming Museum, drive up the road about 0.85 km until you come to a T-junction, then turn left.
If you're heading west on Hwy 2 and you drive past the Young Door Cafe, you've gone too far. Head back toward Jinshan and look for the signs.
On Find A Grave
Chin Pao San Cemetery
On Google Street View
Cemetery Office
Teresa Teng Memorial Garden
