Tsou mythology has it that when a god shook the Formosan sweetgum trees on Yushan, human beings were created from the fallen fruit and leaves. The Saisiyat and the Bunun name their clans after plants. The Paiwan, who traditionally adhere to a strictly hierarchical social system, refer to their chieftains and eldest offspring as vusam—seeds.
In the middle of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, we visit Chunqiu Fine Arts Studio on Minzu Road in Changhua City. The arcade space outside the studio is hung with numerous handmade lanterns of various designs. Depicted on them are personalities including the four great field marshals of Daoist legend, surnamed Wen, Kang, Ma, and Zhao, as well as the four deities in charge of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning.
In 2023 a research team from the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute (TFRI) of the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) discovered a new species of black truffle in Taitung County’s Taimali Township, and named it the Taitung black truffle (Tuber taitung) after the county. The truffle grows in areas between 300 and 600 meters above sea level, making it the lowest-elevation truffle species yet found in Taiwan.
Whether it be “Black Diamond” peanuts, which have purple or black skins and are known as a Taiwanese specialty, or Taiwanese truffles, whose commercialization is still in its infancy and awaits the commitment of more resources, both are examples of dark “buried treasure” nurtured by the soil of Taiwan.
2024 SDG Asia brought together government, industry, academia and NGOs to showcase Taiwan’s achievements in sustainability across a variety of fields. Fostering international exchange and collaboration, the exposition and forum promoted the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) and global partnerships, displaying Taiwan’s commitment to worldwide sustainable development.
In Taiwan, don’t be alarmed if you’re offered a glass of a dark liquid. Gruesome as it may look, this murky drink will not upset your bowels, nor is it meant to test your courage. This is actually grass jelly tea, made from xiancao, a.k.a. Chinese mesona (Platostoma palustre). In summer, you have it cold, with grass jelly—also made from xiancao plants—enjoying the smooth texture of the jelly cubes as they glide down your tongue.
What kind of food carries on the dietary knowledge and wisdom of past generations while also being popular with contemporary gourmets and gourmands?
Hsu Zong, a culinary writer whose mission in life is to spread Taiwan’s dietary culture, proposes four criteria: The first is that the food can be stored at room temperature. The second is that it has stood the test of time and is even more valued today. The third is that it must have deep links with local dietary culture.
Did you know that black soybeans do not like too much sunlight? Did you know that despite their somber appearance, they’re either light green or pale yellow inside? It is thanks to their black hulls that the tea, soy milk, and soy sauce made from these beans are richly fragrant and nutritious.
Richard W. Hartzell, an American-born author who has spent nearly 50 years in Taiwan, wrote that century eggs might be the most representative Taiwanese food, because they utterly baffled the imaginations of foreign observers.
