W

e all seem to be moving too fast.

Yes, too fast—rushing after nuggets of happiness, dashing after pleasurable moments in time, compressing our dreams and tossing them out, seeking instant achievement of grand visions. We squeeze the most from each second, pushing, striving, hankering. Blindly we ape the latest fashions, leaving ourselves no time for reflection, observation, listening, reading, or caring, nary a moment for a heart-to-heart talk, or to be alone with ourselves and the world.

Our world moves too fast. We need to pause our harried routines, decelerate, perhaps even stop altogether and practice living at a different pace—a slow pace. Slow is beautiful. Ease—up—on—the—accelerator... that’s the ticket. That’s what it will take for us to confront this speed-infected age and gear down that internal metronome.

But there are localities in Taiwan—including Feng­lin Township in Hua­lien, Nan­zhuang and ­Sanyi Townships in ­Miaoli, and Da­lin Township in ­Chiayi—where time does amble at a more leisurely clip. There’s a distinct feel of the different seasons. Saunter along the sleepy lanes and alleys, indulge your senses in the interplay between blue sky and green earth. Revel in the breezes, soak in the simple enjoyment of knowing what’s real in living, in existence, in life itself.

These “slow towns” don’t have much to “say.” Silently they stand apart from the raucous din that otherwise envelops society. They generate a quotidian poetry, an aesthetic that will not stand for anything contrived or premeditated. The traveler who stumbles upon such a place cannot but feel a yearning for its leisurely elegance, accompanied by the excitement of discovering a “languor” that defies all attempts at description.

For this month’s Overseas Report, Taiwan Panorama has traveled to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco to take a close look at “Emperors’ Treasures,” an exhibition of national treasures from the National Palace Museum in Tai­pei. In this issue we also examine the high-tech successes of Taiwanese entrepreneurs in California’s Silicon Valley. Working their fingers to the bone, these expatriates have influenced the entire world with their soaring achievements.

Taiwan Panorama has been introducing the “seven necessities” of the Chinese kitchen, one per issue: fuel, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. We’ve already reported on fuel and rice; this time we’re on the topic of “oil.” After all the food safety scandals of recent years, there’s a renewed interest in traditional methods of making cooking oils. Meanwhile, this month’s Southeast Asian Focus comprises articles on three Indonesian immigrants. One is a master of traditional puppet theater, the second is a big-name movie and television actress, and the third is a noted TV and radio personality.

A visitor to any of the “slow towns” will discover hidden charms known only to the locals. Yes, there’s a new way of thinking about our journey through this life. It’s about taking it slow.