New Taiwan Photo Book: Ilha Formosa Taiwan in 100 HDR Panoramic Images & Scripts
May 8th, 2019
If you think the photos accompanying this blog post are stunning, you’re not alone. They’re just a few of the hundred pictures Sherman Cheng selected for inclusion in his stunning new book, Ilha Formosa Taiwan in 100 HDR Panoramic Images & Scripts. Cheng, who retired a few years ago after a career in a multinational […]
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Cats, Dogs, Deer and Salt: The Story of Place Names in Taiwan, Part 2
April 25th, 2019
As in north Taiwan, several places in south Taiwan bear names that are derived from the languages of the island’s Austronesian indigenous people. It used to be said that the ancient port town of Lukang (‘Deer Harbour’, image at the top of this blog post) got its name from the herds of sika deer that […]
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Peach Garden and Turtle Mountain: The Story of Place Names in Taiwan, Part 1
April 20th, 2019
‘Why does this place have that name?’ This is a question every tour guide should prepare for, especially in Taiwan where a lot of interesting stories can be told about place names and their origins. Some are very straightforward. Taipei (pictured top left) means ‘North Taiwan’ and Tainan is ‘South Taiwan’ (for more about place […]
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How to Read a Taiwanese Temple, Part 3: Conventions and Offerings
April 7th, 2019
A little knowledge about the the habits and taboos of Taiwanese popular religion will help you, as much as is possible during a short visit, to grasp the ineffable nature of the faith that influences more than 90% of the island’s people. And as a thoughtful traveller, it goes without saying that you’ll wish to […]
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How to read a Taiwanese Temple, Part 2: Icons and Incense
March 18th, 2019
In the ancestor shrines which many Taiwanese families maintain, those who’ve passed away are represented by names on elegant but austere tablets. In almost every folk temple, however, gods and goddesses take the form of colourfully-attired effigies. Some of these josses (a word derived from the Portuguese word for god, deus) are no larger than […]
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How to Read a Taiwanese Temple, Part 1: Roofs and Doors
February 19th, 2019
Even without counting the ancestor altars that are found in many homes, Taiwan has tens of thousands of places of worship. Some of these shrines are no bigger than a sentry box, while others are multi-level palaces. In a good number of the former, the ceiling is so low that those who step inside to […]
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Reasons to Visit Taiwan in 2019
December 22nd, 2018
‘The people are incredibly friendly, but not many of them speak English well’. This is something we at Life of Taiwan hear again and again. It’s something we respectfully agree with, and it’s an issue that’s recognised by Taiwan’s government. Therefore, we’re delighted to know the authorities have begun rolling out additional programmes and policies […]
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Embracing Obsessions: Foodie Journalist Clarissa Wei
December 13th, 2018
Clarissa Wei is a Taiwanese-American journalist who describes herself as ‘obsessed with traditional ecological knowledge, and trying to learn as much as I can about the plants and foods that indigenous Taiwanese people ate, and how they processed them’. Over the past ten years, Wei has written dozens of articles about the cuisines and culinary […]
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Tainan: The City That Never Changes (But Keeps Getting Better)
November 8th, 2018
The ancient city of Tainan is very close to Life of Taiwan’s heart. Between them, the founding team has lived in Tainan for well over half a century. The great appeal of Tainan, the reason why visitors come back again and again, is that it never changes. The former capital’s most famous landmarks, such as […]
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No Cyclist Knows Taiwan’s Roads Better: Chatting With Nathan Miller
October 29th, 2018
‘Taiwan offers some of the best cycling in Asia. The network of roads that wind throughout the mountainous terrain is a hill-climber’s dream come true,’ says Nathan Miller, an American who’s been pedalling around and across the island for a decade. It’s fair to say Miller is a hardcore cyclist. ‘I have seven bikes: two […]
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New Taiwan Food Book: A Culinary History of Taipei
October 10th, 2018
This is a very personal entry. I’m delighted to announce that this week sees the publication of A Culinary History of Taipei: Beyond Pork and Ponlai by Rowman & Littlefield. This book, which I co-wrote with Katy Hui-wen Hung, is the first English-language book that attempts to answer the questions: What do the Taiwanese eat, […]
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Studio Millspace: Beguiled by Taiwan’s Architecture
September 21st, 2018
Studio Millspace, specialists in the field of architectural photography, was established by Lucas K. Doolan and Chia-Lin Sara Lee in Auckland, New Zealand in 2012. Since the 2016 the studio has been based in Taipei, where Sara was born and lived until the age of 14. “We aim to represent architecture projects in the most […]
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