The Festive Rhythms of Taiwanese Politics

The Festive Rhythms of Taiwanese Politics

“In Japanese the character 政 [Mandarin zhèng, meaning ‘politics’ or ‘government’] is pronounced matsuri­goto, the same as 祭典 [jìdiǎn, meaning ‘festival’]. And Taiwan’s elections are just like grand festive events.” “To use an example that Japanese people might easily understand, the atmosphere......

Taiwan’s Democratic Values

—Observations from Foreign Journalist Eryk Michael Smith

” “Taiwan’s democracy is underappreciated by the international community.” —Eryk Michael Smith   Eryk Michael Smith, an American journalist, has a long connection with Taiwan. In the 1980s he came to Taiwan with his parents, non-denominational Christian missionaries, and spent three or four ......

Recollections:

Huang Wei Jung and the Search for Taiwan’s Identity

Martial law in Taiwan was lifted in 1987. That year, Huang Wei Jung had just entered his freshman year in college and for the first time truly felt the meaning of the word “freedom.” For example, it became possible to smoke on campus without worrying about the military instructors. In 1990 he ......

Going Beyond “Number One in Asia”

—Observations from Cédric Alviani of Reporters Without Borders

” “In Taiwan, there is still a general fear among the government, legislators, and politicians about voters’ opinions. I believe this is very healthy in a democracy.” —Cédric Alviani   French national Cédric Alviani first arrived in Taiwan as a young man in early September of 2000. He was a......

Taiwan’s Democracy, by the Numbers:

From Democratic Experiment to Global Model

On March 23, 1996, Taiwan held its first direct election for president, with voter turnout of over 70%. This not only marked a reform of the political system, it symbolized that Taiwan’s transition to democracy was reaching maturity. Decades of social movements and political transformation hav......

Taiwan: A Positive Force in the World

—An Interview with Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung

On March 23, 1996, the people of Taiwan directly elected their own president for the first time—a major milestone in Taiwan’s democratic development. “Taiwan became a democracy only after enduring many tests,” says Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung. “In the face of the China threat, Ta......

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Here’s to a Free and Democratic Taiwan! 30 Years of Direct Presidential Elections

Taiwan held its first direct presidential election in 1996. Thirty years on, we invite readers to experience Taiwan’s now-­familiar electoral culture anew through culture and aesthetics. Japanese scholars Yoshiyuki Oga­sa­wara and Masahito Wa­ta­nabe have both described Taiwan’s elections as g......

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Prime Produce: Local Ingredients Reimagined

This month we visit farmers across Taiwan who are revitalizing traditional produce into brands that are taking the market by storm, in a movement that is a microcosm of the transformation and upgrading of industries islandwide.......

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Sustainable Taiwan

Facing climate change and limited resources, progress toward “net-zero transition” has become a key indicator of national and corporate competitiveness. This month we take you across Taiwan to visit sites of “green resilience” and see our island’s astonishingly innovative solutions.......

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Rural Renaissance: From Rustic Fare to Fine Local Dining

While everyone is pursuing exquisite dishes made by internationally famous chefs, have you ever stopped to try the delicious flavors of Taiwan’s rural cuisine? In this month’s Cover Story, we explore the revolution in “new local tastes” brought about by members of the “Tian Mama” certified eat......

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Landscapes and Lifestyles

What is this “Taiwan” that we take for granted? We have long been used to viewing the ocean through car windows or exploring the mountains via artificially built trails. However, in this month’s Cover Story, we have tried to turn our attention in bolder directions. When one’s perspective chang......

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Taiwanese Style Takes On the World

Reading the stories in this issue, I felt as if I was in a London market smelling the aromas of licorice and star anise wafting in the air, seeing that tree of uncertain identity—mandarin or pomelo?—in the backyard of an old house on Kinmen, and feeling the moist ceramic clay handled by four g......