Taiwan is known as an excellent place to study the Mandarin language and is also home to the world-class National Palace Museum with its breathtaking collection of Chinese treasures. But Taiwan is not a purely Han Chinese society. Prior to the 17th century, the island was dominated by indigenous people of Austronesian origin. Before the…
A vast plot of land once covered by wharves and warehouses is set to become the city’s new cultural and entertainment center. Visitors to the site can see the steel-beam skeleton of the Kaohsiung Music Center’s main concert building rising on the wharf just off the Wu Fu Road Bridge, but for now the construction…
The evolution of Taiwan’s mass market eating establishments has speeded up over the past decade to meet developing tastes and higher expectations. In recent years the long and colorful tradition of food vendors setting up roadside stalls has become less common, as hygiene requirements and city ordinances tighten up. Taking its place is a multitude…
More Muslim tourists means more demand for halal-certified restaurants. Applications are surging in Taiwan for halal (清真) certification – assurance that a restaurant’s food preparation strictly follows Muslim law. This growth likely helped Taiwan achieve its ranking as the world’s seventh-most Muslim-friendly travel destination among non-Muslim countries, according to the “Global Muslim Travel Index 2016”…
Famous foreign personalities like Jamie Oliver bring business expertise, but in the long run it is local master chefs like André Chiang who will carry the torch. Celebrity chefs spread stardust over a nation’s food scene. They take the spotlight and make the headlines, introduce new ingredients and food preparation styles to give cooking an…
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…
A total of 80 English Teaching Assistants will serve in schools in six locations around Taiwan this year. This month 80 young college graduates from American universities arrive in Taiwan to take up positions for the coming academic year as English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) in public schools. The initiative, sponsored by the Fulbright Program, began…
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…
As this year’s “World Design Capital,” Taipei aims to forge a new, forward-looking image. Designated the “2016 World Design Capital” by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID),Taipei has embarked on a comprehensive initiative to mark this year by instilling design elements into numerous aspects of urban life. “The WDC project aims…
Taiwan’s striking natural beauty is never far from its lively streets. Although 23.4 million people live on its 36,191 square kilometers (an area equal to Maryland plus Rhode Island), three quarters of Taiwan’s population live in just one eighth of the land area. This is why Taiwan has bustling cities, yet also stunningly wild mountain…
