2020: The Year of Mountain Tourism
January 6th, 2020
For its size, Taiwan is one of the most mountainous countries in the world. Nearly one-third of the island is a kilometre or more above sea level, while a tenth is above 2,500 m (a statistic where Taiwan matches Alpine Switzerland). No fewer than 258 named peaks top 3,000 m — a stunning total, given […]
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Taiwan In Colours: Red
December 26th, 2019
In many Western countries, red is associated with Christmas because it dominates Santa’s outfit. In Taiwan, red is also the colour of festiveness. In societies which draw most of their traditions from China, it represents good fortune and happiness. Nowadays, most Taiwanese brides wear lacy white dresses, but in the past the traditional wedding garment […]
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Jason Cole Mager: An American Artist Inspired by Taiwan
August 29th, 2019
Back in 2012, when Jason Cole Mager began renting a spare bedroom in his home in New York to tourists, he had no idea the decision would eventually bring him to Taipei. ‘If you’re ever feeling apathetic about your surroundings, open your home to travellers. Their enthusiasm for what you’ve been ignoring will remind you […]
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Came for the Movies, Returned for the Cuisine: An Interview with Food Writer Matt Gross
May 30th, 2019
Acclaimed Taiwanese directors like Hou Hsiao-hsien and Edward Yang can take credit for more than award-winning movies like as The Puppetmaster and Yi Yi: A One and a Two. Back in the early 1990s, their films inspired in one American a profound curiosity about Taiwan which has turned into an ongoing love affair with the […]
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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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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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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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