After World War II, Taiwan’s western lowlands saw rapid economic and social development, boosted by Taiwan’s strategically central location within East Asia – with Japan to the northeast and the Philippines to the south. Cities like Taipei and Kaohsiung multiplied in size, and factories producing “Made in Taiwan” goods proliferated. Families that had farmed for…
This is the final article in a series published to mark Taipei’s designation as the 2016 World Design Capital. Charin Yeh got her start creating clothes for her family out of leftover rice bags from mills near her house. When an army unit was stationed in her village, she upgraded to reusing the fabrics they…
The Tropic of Cancer crosses Taiwan 170 kilometers south of Taipei, and the island is just far enough from the equator to have four distinct seasons. For many visitors and residents, fall is the best. Third-quarter weather is reliably comfortable, with Taipei enjoying typical daytime temperatures of 19 to 25 degrees Celsius (66 to 77…
In the latest of a series of articles in TOPICS this year reflecting Taipei’s selection as the 2016 World Design Capital, six leading practitioners reflect on the role of designers and the state of the profession in Taiwan. By Samantha Kong & Nina Sheridan Ray Chen – Interior Design Ray Chen has gained a reputation…
The major metropolis in central Taiwan, Taichung, a city of 2.75 million people, now has a proper international airport, making it possible to fly there directly from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and various cities on the Chinese mainland. Many travelers who decide to bypass the busier airports at Taoyuan and Kaohsiung go on to…
Understanding relations between these two major economies requires consideration of many centuries of history. China and Japan at Loggerheads China and Japan are the world’s second and third largest economies. It therefore matters greatly that the Communist Party of China (CCP) manufactures and mobilizes anti-Japan hatreds in China. The CCP’s aim is to turn what…
Engrossed by the scenery, the lively streets, and the delicious food in front of them, visitors to Taiwan are unlikely to notice that the calendars hanging on restaurant and shop walls bear two sets of dates. Taiwan’s companies, schools, and government offices follow the Western (Gregorian) calendar, but what is called the farmer’s or lunar…
More than 70 years after the Japanese occupation of Taiwan ended, Japan’s legacy endures in the Taiwanese capital. At first blush, little remains of Japan’s colonial legacy in Taipei. The traditional Japanese wooden homes that lined the Taiwanese capital’s streets in the mid-20th century were long ago razed to make way for contemporary mid-…
The opening of the National Palace Museum branch in nearby Taibao is bringing more tourists to the area. Until recently, when tourists made their way to Chiayi City it was usually as a stopover on the way to or from the mountains of the scenic Alishan region nearby. But as of this year there is…
Camping is the ideal way to rest and relax in nature and has become an extremely popular leisure activity in Taiwan over the past decade. For good reason. One night while camping in Pingtung County’s Kenting beach area, my family and I were awakened by a whooshing sound – like flames spreading quickly –…
