Returning to the beautiful and simple days of Wanjin Catholic Church

Located in Wanjin Village, Wanluan Township, Pingtung County, Wanjin Basilica (萬金聖母聖殿), also known as Wanjin Catholic Church (萬金天主堂), is the oldest catholic church in Taiwan. With around 70 devoted catholic residents in the village, the streets of Wanjin are adorned with a rich array of colorful Christian-style murals and displays. 

Chen Yu-xin (陳玉馨), from Wanjin Red Earth Village No.3 (萬金紅土庄3號), a backpackers guesthouse, spent her childhood years growing up in the vicinity of Wanjin Catholic Church. Though she left the area for a brief period of time while pursuing her studies and finding employment, she eventually decided to quit her job and return home, at which time she decided to renovate her old family house into a backpackers guesthouse. In spite of this, in her heart of hearts, Chen Yu-xin feels that Wanjin is no longer the village of her youth.

In recent years, Wanjin Catholic Church has become one of Pingtung’s most famous tourist attractions, especially in the month of December, when Christmas celebrations and the annual Feast of Mother of Immaculate Conception (主保堂慶) take place, a time in which the village streets are literally transformed into a sea of people. Though the crowds provide an influx of much-needed money into the local economy, this small village must brace itself each year for what is a powerful assault on the community.

Returning to the beautiful and simple days of Wanjin Catholic Church

URL：https://www.peopo.org/news/300853

(以下是中文對照)

找回萬金天主堂單純美好的日子

位於屏東萬巒萬金村的「萬金聖母聖殿」，又稱做「萬金天主堂」，是台灣現存最古老的天主教堂建築，萬金村居民大約有七成均為天主教徒，村內住家的擺設、街道的彩繪充滿濃濃基督宗教風格。

「萬金紅土庄3號」背包民宿的陳玉馨從小在這樣的環境裡長大，求學工作階段離開屏東，後來決定辭掉工作回到家鄉，整修家人的老舊房子改成民宿，但她卻感受到萬金村再也不是以往的萬金村。

近幾年來，萬金天主堂已成為屏東著名景點，尤其在每年「主保堂慶」及聖誕節整個12月期間，幾乎可用人山人海來形容，即使人潮帶來錢潮活絡地方經濟，但小小的社區卻也必需承受過量的衝擊。