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 ......

Youth Take on Big Roles in Taiwanese Opera

The nature of an opera troupe determines the sort of people who choose to stay on with the group. A public-sector opera troupe enables young performers of Taiwanese Opera to hone their skills. And more importantly, it affords them chances to get up on stage, which makes them feel like they’ve ......

Beating the Drum for Tradition

A short walk from the Taipei Metro’s Xinzhuang Station in New Taipei City is Hsiang Jen Ho Bell & Drum Store. Established in 1923 by Wang Guei-zhi and now operated by his three sons, the business is one of the last remaining traditional Chinese drum makers in Taiwan.......

A Feast of Gratitude: Farmers’ Markets Thank Their Customers

As visitors stroll along the banks of the Xin­dian River at Bi­tan, the nearby farmers’ market hangs out lights that shine warmly through the deepening darkness. Meanwhile, some of the farmers who were hawking produce from their stands just half an hour earlier are busy cooking, while others h......

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 ......