Taiwan from a Global Perspective

“For deities to flourish, you need people to worship them and people to carry them when they go out on tour.” So said Lin Mei-rong, a researcher at the Academia Sinica’s Institute of Ethnology, in an inter­view with Taiwan Panorama. Pilgrimages of the goddess Mazu attract a great many particip......

Unique Hallmarks of Taiwan

“I think there are two types of sweetness in Taiwan: one is the sweetness of sharing, and the other is that of divine blessings.” So says Chang Tsun-chen, author of a book on Taiwanese pastries, in an interview with Taiwan Panorama. Sugar was once a major Taiwanese export, and the role played ......

Countless Reasons to Come to Taiwan

Taiwan is well known internationally for its mountain and ocean scenery, its healthcare system, and its convenient transportation. It is also a center for the study of Mandarin Chinese. It attracts travelers from around the globe to come for stays of several weeks or more. Our Cover Story this......

Diverse and Innovative Local Industries

Our Cover Story this month takes readers on a journey to various micro­breweries, wineries and distilleries around Taiwan. We explore the places where a diversity of alcoholic beverages are made—from beers and tea-based drinks with local flavors to Taiwanese-style whisky, which has put Taiwan ......

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......

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 ......

The Taiwanese Camino:

Mazu Pilgrimages

The activities that take place in Taiwan each March to celebrate the goddess Mazu are the island’s most boisterous folk culture events. For seven to nine days and nights, people follow Mazu—Taiwan’s “number-one goddess”—on pilgrimages and “tours of inspection.” Walking in these processions pro......