When you visit the former residence of a distinguished individual you can imagine gatherings of talented people, be they literary geniuses or intellectual giants and political visionaries.
Times may have changed, but a historical figure’s residence may be more or less the same. The garden is still well tended. The house still hosts marvelous gatherings; and it is also still a place where one may enjoy moments of austere tranquility, moments in which one may reflect upon the past, reimagining scenes from the life of the former occupant, to feel inspired by great ambitions and subtle emotions.
Wandering in such a place, gazing at old images, it is as if one turns back the flow of time. At each threshold, the turbulent times are conjured up, and at each turning point the travails that belonged to a certain historical moment are summoned. When looking at every yellowed photo, every mottled artifact, every masterwork, you feel in the traces of history the presence of another time.
Keelung, this seaside fortress, this hillside bastion, has stood proud in northern Taiwan for centuries. In addition to its strategic role, it has been a major site for trade, for transport, and for travel. Restorations of historical sites—like Dashawan, Heping Island, and Baimiweng Fort—along dual axes defined by Ershawan and Mt. Xuqiu, are restoring the grandeur of old Keelung.
This month we also present the work of goldsmith Ruan Weng-mong, who has turned his metalworking from a craft into an art. He has been feted and honored around the world on his many odysseys. His gleaming creations have been given as gifts by the government to international friends of the Republic of China, helping to raise Taiwan’s visibility on the global stage.
In our Southeast Asian Focus we turn to three countries—Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand—to tell the hardscrabble stories of three Taiwanese entrepreneurs who have each gone beyond their business ventures to contribute to their chosen localities and to serve the expatriate Taiwanese business community.
In “Trending Taiwan” we report on the second edition of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ short video competition of the same name. Every entry showcases some facet of the local scene, showing off Taiwan’s many attractions to the world.
As we appreciate historical sites and contemplate the routes we have taken in Taiwan and around the world, we can chart optimistic courses into the future.
And as we celebrate the New Year, let us resolve to join hands and encourage each other on our life journeys.
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