“This tree has been here ever since I can remember.” In urban neighborhoods, in the countryside, or on campuses, one often comes across big old trees that are steadfast companions of people through the cycle of the seasons. They protect the earth and serve as local chronicles, bearing witness to environmental changes. But have you ever asked about the trees’ own life experiences? Pull up a stool and listen.
The Japanese colonial era represented a watershed in the history of Taiwanese art. Although public taste at that time continued to gravitate toward traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy, several Taiwanese painters came under the influence of their Japanese teachers and embraced new styles and techniques. Their works ushered in a “New Fine Art Movement” in Taiwan. Among these artists were Chen Cheng-po, Liao Chi-chun, and Ran In-ting—all of whom became pillars of Taiwan’s art history.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we will soon be landing at Taoyuan International Airport. The temperature on the ground is a pleasant 24°C. It is spring, and the flowers are blooming. The sidewalk trees in cities around Taiwan are decorating the streets with a stunning variety of colors. If you are visiting Taiwan as a tourist, I suggest that you keep an eye out for their new looks as spring turns to summer.
“On this island we have always been living side by side with these magnificent old trees.” So says Rebecca Hsu, head of the “Taiwan Champion Trees—Giant Tree Mapping Project.”
The 2023 Taipei International Machine Tool Show (TIMTOS), the first show of its kind in the world this year, was held in March. Taiwanese exhibitors presented solutions involving automation, intelligent machinery, and zero carbon emissions, exemplifying the trend toward optimization and innovation in machine tools.
Rice is a staple food in Taiwan. By the 17th century, rice porridge, or congee, was already part of people’s diet here. Having a bowl of congee with a few savory side dishes early in the morning or late at night helps us get warm. In today’s Taiwan, congee has made its way from private kitchens to restaurants. As fine dining gradually takes hold, we now have Michelin-recommended restaurants which serve congee with accompanying dishes.
2016, the start of Taipei’s tenure as World Design Capital, was also the 70th anniversary of Taiwan Power Company, better known as Taipower. That year the previously unassuming main entrance of the Taipower Headquarters Building on Taipei’s Roosevelt Road was embellished with various public art works. Flowingly Blows the Breeze is a ribbon-like canopy festooned with miniature wind turbines and LED lights, which at night is transformed into a beautiful band of light.
The Dutch have proudly said of themselves: “God created man, but the Dutch have created land.” But here in the 21st century, the government of the Netherlands has decided to “return the land to the rivers.” They will restore riverside flood plains that for centuries have been used as farmland and occupied by residents, so that they can once again fulfill their functions of floodwater detention and storage.
A notice on the wall of the Taipei Metro’s Ximen Station declares: “Flood Depth Record of Typhoon Nari, Sept. 17, 2001.” Below the notice is a line marked “540 cm.” This high-water mark reminds us of the destructive power of typhoons. Unfortunately, Taiwan is well acquainted with natural disasters. In 2009, Typhoon Morakot caused landslides that buried Kaohsiung’s Xiaolin Village, and killed a total of nearly 700 people across our island.
In warm early morning sunlight, a throng of people with foreign faces congregates on leafy Zhongshan North Road Section 3 in Taipei. They are brightly and cleanly dressed, and they speak in Tagalog peppered with English. The shops and vendors are selling products and foods from Southeast Asia that are not often seen elsewhere in Taiwan, and the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming.
