Jujubes come onto the market in Taiwan in the run-up to the Lunar New Year. In 1944, Indian jujubes (Ziziphus mauritiana), less than ten grams in weight and sour and astringent in taste, were introduced to the island. But since then they have been dramatically transformed into sweet, juicy fruits weighing up to 200 grams. For this the credit goes to agricultural experts and farmers, whose hard work enables us all to experience the joy of jujubes.
The major domestic outbreak of Covid-19 in Taiwan in 2021 triggered a sharp rise in demand for intensive care wards. At the same time, however, global shipping had come to a halt, and building materials were in short supply. Miniwiz Co., Ltd., a Taiwanese firm that upcycles consumer and industrial waste into construction and consumer products, sprang into action by collecting huge quantities of local medical waste and turning it into safe and useful new products.
When it comes to Taiwanese films, we usually think of famous directors such as Hou Hsiao-hsien, Edward Yang and Ang Lee. In recent years, however, young filmmakers originally from other countries, such as Malaysian-born Ho Wi Ding and Myanmar-born Lee Yong Chao and Midi Z, have also garnered critical acclaim in both Taiwan and the wider world. These immigrant directors are breathing new life into Taiwan’s film industry with their international perspectives.
Nestled between mountains and sea, the Shen’ao Line hugs Taiwan’s Northeast as it navigates the area’s beautiful scenery.
Many streets in Taiwan are alive with vibrant colors. Which of these colors can represent Taiwan? Everyone has a different answer.
From the late 19th to the mid-20th centuries, Taiwan was known as the camphor kingdom. Over 70% of the world’s camphor was exported from Taiwan, to be used as an ingredient in smokeless gunpowder and in celluloid for movie film. These days natural camphor has largely been replaced other materials, and the glory days of the camphor industry are in the past. But by following a branch rail line in Taiwan we can get a glimpse of the sites where camphor once was harvested and processed.
“One thing that Small Island Big Song has taught me is to set aside the limitations of national borders, because the ocean does not have such boundaries.” So says BaoBao Chen, founder of the “Small Island Big Song” project, which aims to use music to link together Austronesian island countries and discuss environmental issues.
Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area in Yilan County used to be one of Taiwan’s three most important logging areas. Today it is a forest getaway where you can ride the “Bong Bong Train” to get a sense of the glory days of the forestry industry, and stroll along trails that were once used to transport timber. The wide range of elevations offers a rich variety of scenery, with hot springs and the chance to view the “sea of clouds.”
“When did Taiwan first appear on a world map?” “How do the details of Taiwan as depicted on old maps, such as its name, location, and shape, relate to Taiwan’s situation at the time?” Former Walkers Cultural Enterprise publisher Abel Wang asked himself such questions countless times during the 20 years it took him to write Taiwan on Old Maps from Around the World. He searched for answers in old maps held in major libraries and museums worldwide.
A sight that one would have thought could only be seen via time travel reappeared for all in the spring of 2021. The Forestry Bureau’s Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office worked with the bureau’s Chiayi Forest District Office to put the 105-year-old SL-31 steam locomotive onto the mountaintop branch line between Alishan and Shuishan, to haul wood cut during forest thinning. The scene recalled images of a century previous.
