The Northernmost Frontier

Dongyin

Aboard the Taima Star, rocked by the ocean, I pass a serene night listening to the sound of the waves. At dawn, as I wait to disembark, I am full of anticipation about getting to know this mysterious island.......

A Museum for the Ages—The National Taiwan Museum

At the end of a busy city road is a white ­building topped with a Roman-style dome, quietly sitting where it has for over a century, bearing witness to the growth and evolution of Tai­pei City. The building was constructed to celebrate the completion of Taiwan’s north–south railway connection ......

Reviving the Architecture of the Past—Li Chien-lang and the National Taiwan Museum

The National Taiwan Museum’s Nan­men Park branch is currently hosting an exhibition of drawings of the museum by renowned expert in architecture and historic building preservation Li ­Chien-lang. On the day his book of illustrations of the museum launched, Li was there being interviewed by the......

Using Our Ballots to Choose the Future

On January 16, 2016, the people of Taiwan elected a new president and vice president for the country’s 14th presidential term of office, as well as the members of the ninth Legislative Yuan.......

Learning Huayu in Taiwan

—A Journey of Boundless Possibilities

Lukas Engström is a Swedish national based in Taiwan. Shortly after he started to learn Mandarin Chinese here, he visited a soft drinks bar to buy a cup of pearl milk tea. While in the queue, he kept repeating to himself the Chinese phrases he had to say to the staff. When at last he gave the ......

Soothing Taiwan’s Sweet Tooth

Stories of Local Pastries

Rivaling Willy Wonka’s legendary chocolate bars, and laden with even more stories than Marcel Proust’s madeleine cakes, Taiwanese pastries continue to satisfy our sweet tooth. With their origins in traditional Chinese confectionery, they are made with local ingredients rich in cultural meaning......

Tradition and Innovation:

The Protean Power of Instant Noodles

Who invented instant noodles? In Taiwan, we come across the forerunner of instant noodles, the world’s first instant noodles with sauce packets containing sumptuous chunks of meat, as well as those featuring distinctively local recipes that make use of Chinese medicinal herbs and huadiao, a cl......

A New Trend in Medical Tourism

—Healthcare and Health Maintenance in Taiwan

Hospitals in Taiwan possess high-end medical technology and equipment, and Taiwan is a world leader in certain specialties, including liver transplantation and reproductive medicine. Institutions here provide very cost-effective healthcare services and have a competitive advantage against the ......