Anping is a must-see historical site for tourists in Tainan, and the most popular mascot of Anping is undoubtedly the “Sword Lion.”

During the Qing Dynasty, Anping was the base of operations for the Imperial Navy.  When the soldiers returned home, they hung their swords and shields on their front doors.  Because the shields were imprinted with an icon of a lion, burglars knew these were the houses of imperial soldiers, and hence did not dare to be mischievous, which inspired many locals to follow.  Another legend told that, after Zheng Ke-Shuang defeated the armies of the Qing Dynasty, people in Tainan put the sculptures of sword lions in front of their houses for blessings to honor Zheng’s father-Koxinga  and his soldiers.