Setting out in haste or at leisure, amid mountains or beside waters—or even waiting at a station between trains— whether moving fast or slow, all is carried along upon the changing scenery that is the backdrop to your journey....
Travelers’ footsteps reach all corners of our land, on journeys as long as a tour of the whole island, or as short as a neighborhood stroll; as carefree as an escape to mountain or coast, or as hurried as an intercity commute. Whatever the reasons for the outing—to visit unknown places, to get close to nature, to see celebrated sites, to gather business information, to find adventure, to embark on a life of wandering.... Each trip relies on the aid of the high-speed railway, the regular rail network, buses, the metro or, at the very least, a bicycle. The sights that flash before the eye are different for each of these modes of transport, but all bring scenes from Taiwan’s towns and countryside, and brief glimpses into the lives of ordinary people. Such is the theme of this month’s cover story.
Our ongoing tour of Taiwan’s cities has already visited Kaohsiung, Yilan and Keelung; this time we stop off in Taichung, long known as a city of culture. Centrally located and eminently accessible, Taichung is boldly embracing new cultural strategies. With distinctive panache, the city is showcasing the uniqueness of its local culture and setting new trends that broaden its international outlook.
This month’s Artists and Artisans feature introduces Hu Darfar, ensconced in the mountain town of Jiufen, who has earned worldwide fame as a master of metal mosaics. Each of the artworks hammered out by his rough hands expresses his love and affection for his hometown and for Taiwan.
The International Cooperation and Development Fund celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. Whether through investment, lending, technological cooperation, humanitarian assistance, training programs, or other initiatives, it has a rich record of accomplishment. By harnessing Taiwanese expertise and transferring technologies, its aid programs have left a lasting legacy in Central and South American nations.
This month we also tell the century-long story of the rise, fall, and rebirth of Sanxia and its environs. We explore the life stories of local artisans, dedicated to traditional skills and artistic creativity, who hope to pass on to a new generation the lasting value and cultural significance of crafts that blend the old and the new.
In another article, we look at the creation by our local TV and film community of HBO Asia’s first Chinese-language original series: The Teenage Psychic. This Taiwanese-produced series, incorporating representative elements of Taiwanese culture, will be broadcast on foreign networks and hopefully will dazzle international audiences.
Whether setting out at leisure or in haste, each journey unfolds amid departure and arrival, meeting and farewell, pleasurable lingering and reluctance to return home. But after each stop, one must set out again, for through the escape of travel, life too is renewed.
