jacob-in-taiwan

[jacob-in-taiwan]

August 7 - Return to Taipei, Tea Ceremony, and Final Dinner

Today was a very bittersweet day. On one hand I’m excited to be going back home soon. I’ve spent more than four weeks away before, but since I go to school so close to where I live it doesn’t feel the same. I miss my family and friends, and all the other luxeries that come with being at home. But on the other hand, I’ve had the greatest experience in my life being in Taiwan. I’ll talk more on that later. 

To start the day we first had to leave Tainan. Another early checkout time and we were back on the bus. From Tainan to Taipei its about three hours, but we made a few stops along the way so it took a bit longer. Thats not a problem though. By now everyone in our group is so close and we enjoy being around eachother so much that a long drive just means more time to hang out. We spent it chatting and singing kareoke. Eventually we stopped for lunch at what I think is the coolest rest stop ever. It had a land bridge that went over the highway. Maybe to locals its just another stop along the way but I was really impressed. 

Eventually we made it to Taipei, and it felt great to be back. I personally really enjoyed Kaohsiung, and Tainan as well even though we were only there for a few days. However, nothign can compare to Taipei. Being in a big and busy city like that is just a different experience thats so hard to find elsewhere. Despite being gone for two weeks I felt right at home and could immedietely recongize what part of town we were in. Our first stop back was a tea ceremony. Looking back and reflecting on the trip its been really cool to see how tea ceremonies differ by region. How the north differs from the south, or even how the one today was different from the one in Jiufen or Yaoyue.

Since it took so long to get to Taipei we didn’t have any other activites planned after the tea ceremony other than dinner. I’m really happy we were able to all have one last dinner together as a group. Everyone on the trip was friends with eachother, but we didn’t always see eachother outside the planned activities, so it was really nice that I could see everyone at least one more time. At dinner we also made sure to give Peter all his gifts. We got him a thank you card and we all signed his gator flag he carried around. Additionally, we also decided to personally make Peter a photobook. I dont remember whose idea it was to give Peter a gift from the students, but we all agreed that we should do something nice for Peter. He was such a great tour guide and friend all trip, so it was the least we could do for him.

After that the trip was offically done. I said goodbye to a few people, but not all. Some people had bought so much stuff on the trip that they ran out of space in their suitcases, so they had to go out and buy bags. It was me, Brev, Jasmine, Faith, Jack, Austin, and Andy. We tried looking for luggage stores nearby, but eventually decided to just go to Ximen. That way we could buy bags but also have a little fun on our last night out. I had a great time walking around one of the first places I ever went in Taiwan. 

We got back to the hotel semi-late but the night didn’t end yet. To be fair, I don’t think anyone wanted it to. I had an extra day, but most people flew out the next morning, so they wanted to savor every last second they had in Taiwan. The guys all got together to do something we grew to love, playing card games. Ever since we got trapped in Yilan, playing card games was such a great way we would hang out. We’ve played a couple different games, but our favorite was a game called cambio. We played it in Yilan, Taitung, Kaohsiung, and Taipei. Almost every city we went to. For me, playing these games was extra special. The first day I was in Taiwan I landed at four in the morning, but wasn’t able to check in until three in the afternoon. I had other people with me, and after a couple hours of exploring we crashed in the common area on the fifteenth floor. One of the ways we decided to pass time that day was playing cards. So here I am, a whole month later with a life-changing experience behind me, ending my trip the way it started. I’m a sentimental person, so that was special for me. 

And that was it. After the games we went to bed. I woke up the next morning to say goodbye to the people who were leaving with Peter and after that I had my whole extra day to do whatever. I decided to continue the theme from last night and end the way I started. First I would go to the places I found the coolest to take them in one last time. Then I would travel the same route and see the same things I did on the very first morning when me and my plane buddies wander the city aimlessly. As I walked through the city I couldn’t help but smile. I was so clueless and lost the first time I walked that route, but now I felt right at home. I reminesced on all the amazing memories I made, and I know I’ll hold onto the closley for the rest of my life. One day I will be back in Taiwan. I don’t know when, but I will be back one day to reexplore this country I fell in love with. I want to thank Yeh Laoshi and Chief Redstone for putting together such an amazing program and providing me with the opportunity to have such a life-changing experience. I want to thank Terry for his amazing work getting us everywhere we needed. I want to especially thank Peter for being not just an amazing tour guide, but genuine great person and friend. And of course I want to thank any other person who had any kind of effect or interaction with this trip. As I’m writing this I’m currently already back in the states, flying from San Francsico to Orlando. School starts soon, and it will be back to normal life. But I am not the same person I was before the trip, and I glad that I’m not. I had an amazing experience and made amazing friends, and I can’t wait to see them all again. 

Thank you. 

[jacob-in-taiwan]

Independent Excursion 2

For my second independent excursion I decided to walk along the water all throughout Kaohsiung. For as long as I can remember I’ve been sailing. My grandparents own a sailboat down in St. Petersburg, Florida, and I couldn’t even guess how many days I’ve spent out on the water on it. So when I arrived in Kaohsiung and saw sailboats docked along the banks, I was immediately interested. Furthermore, within the past year I’ve researched and written about how port and shipping can influence the development of a city and its society. All this is to say that, to me, being Kaohsiung was the perfect opportunity to do some independent learning. So the morning of the free day I left early and went on a long walk all along the harbor. Along the way I of course saw recreational boats, much like the one I’ve spent so much time on. Across the harbor I was also able to get a good view of the massive shipping industry that exists in the Port of Kaohsiung. The sheer mass of some of the vessels was inspiring. The size and scope of the operation it takes to get products from one side of the world to the other was incredible to look at. One of the first things we learned when we arrived in Kaohsiung was that it’s port used to be one of the biggest in all of Asia, and although it may not be as big as it once was, its impact on the city cannot be understated.

There are multiple ways in which a port can have influence on a city, and the biggest is of course economically. To put it simply, major ports serve as economic hubs, which support various different sectors such as shipping, logistics, and tourism. Naturally, the biggest sector within almost any port is shipping. It is after all the primary purpose of the entire industry. During the age of exploration some of the biggest commodities coming from East Asia were silk, silver, and spices. For Taiwan specifically though, they had their “three treasures”: tea, camphor, and sugar. Although all of these products were important, sugar was especially vital for the Taiwanese.

After the Dutch arrived in Taiwan in 1624 they encouraged the Taiwanese people to begin growing sugarcane, thus increasing their sugar production. During this time period much of the world's sugar was produced in the Caribbean and South America, meaning outside of Portuguese controlled Brazil, the entire industry was controlled by the Spanish. From a Dutch perspective Taiwan producing sugar was amazing, because they no longer had to deal with a European rival. From a Taiwanese perspective however, this gave them great influence on the rest of the world. If something ever happened to the sugar industry in the west, they would instantly become one of the most economically important nations in the country. Or if they ever were to have a problem with the Dutch, they could leverage their industry against them. And that was exactly what happened too. After the Koxinga expelled the Dutch, the Taiwanese sugar industry gradually grew into one of the biggest in the world. In 1939 alone it exported 1.41 million tonnes. In the current day, the sugar industry is not so big. This has caused many different factors, the main two being low demand and advancements in agricultural practices. However, Taiwan's ports remain strong. As the sugar industry fizzled out it was replaced by other things, enabling it to have the eighth largest economy in Asia.

It's easy to understand how exporting goods supports both local and national economies, but it's often forgotten just how many jobs a port like the one in Kaohsiung can create. From the ship captains all the way down to the janitor that cleans the bathrooms, ports created hundreds if not thousands of jobs for people in the local market. I always like to use the example of the “nuclear family” to explore how something like this would affect a local family. As the port opens up, one parent gets a job there. Immediately you have one more person participating in the local economy by earning and spending money. As one parent works at the port, it’s reasonable to expect the other parent to get a job as well. Whether it be at the port or somewhere else doesn’t matter, because as long as they're working that's another person participating. As for the kids, their role depends on their hypothetical age. If young children they won’t be working, but they will need a daycare or school to watch them while their parents work, so there are jobs being created there. If they’re a bit older then they will still have to go to school, but maybe they have jobs they go to after as well. The point is that ports create more jobs than just the ones on the docks. They have an unintentional effect on the rest of the city surrounding them.

Ports don’t only have economic effects, but cultural ones too. Historically, ports have been the places where cultural exchange happened. Long before the days of the internet, cultural exchange was much more difficult. The docks of a port however were rich with different cultures, languages, and ideas. The best example of this is through food. During the Qing Dynasty era, tea was one of the largest production and export products in Taiwan. In the 1860s a Scottsman named John Dodd established his own tea refinery and began exporting it. “Formosa Tea” became an instant success overseas. Later during the Japanese colonial era the Haishan Tea Factory was the largest tea factory in all of east Asia. Through this shared success of tea production, a Scottsman from the otherside of the world was able to live his life learning from and sharing knowledge with the Taiwanese people. This is of course just one small example of culture being shared at ports.

In contemporary times it takes a different form. The biggest way today is undoubtedly tourism. Within the past fifty years or so the cruise industry has exploded. Within the past decade Taiwan has been an important market for global cruise tourism. People from all over the world come to Taiwan to get on these cruises, and with them they bring their different cultures.

Kaohsiung, and Taiwan as a whole, has a lot to thank their ports for. They’ve helped make Taiwan a vital hub for commerce, trade, and transportation on the east coast. Furthermore, the ports have helped shape the identity of its citizens. The cultural exchange created by the movement of goods, people, and ideas led to the diverse community of people who live in Taiwan today. Looking forward Taiwan will certainly continue to lean on its ports for support, and it will be better of because of it.

Works cited:

Chiang, Lan-hung Nora, Nancy A Denton, and Eric Fong. Immigrant Adaptation in Multi-Ethnic Societies : Canada, Taiwan, and the United States. New York: Routledge, 2013. Web.

Buddhist Maritime Silk Road. May 11, 2021 - Dec 31, 2026, Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, Kaohsiung.

[jacob-in-taiwan]

August 6 - Sicao Green Tunnel, Anping Tree House, Tainan Confucius Temple, and Hayashi Department Store

We had a lot of different places to go today, but despite that fact we didn’t actually get started until 1 in the afternoon. I spent my morning by joining some other people on a trip to a music store. I love to collect vinyl records, so I was interested in seeing what lps the store was going to have. They ended up having way more CDs than anything else, but it was still cool to look at what all they had. I ended up buying a Coldplay cd to give to my sister since its her favorite band. 

Eventually it was time to get on the bus and after a short drive we were at the Sicao Green Tunnel. Riding the boat down the tunnel reminded me so much of kayaking through Clam Bayou in Gulfport, Florida. Of course, this was much more stunning, but the vast amounts of mangroves and wildlife reminded me of the many mornings I’ve spent there. 

Our next stop was the Anping Tree House, which despite the name was not, in fact, a traditional tree house. Rather it was an old building that had been completely taken over by a tree and other wildlife. That combined with the rain created such a cool atmosphere to walk around. I really enjoyed the path that was built up above the building too.

Next on our speed run of tours was the Confucius Temple here in Tainan. It was really interesting to learn that it was the first Confucius temple in all of Taiwan. Additionally, it's also been dubbed as the first academy of Taiwan. We were able to walk around and check out the different rooms, one of which had a whole bunch of instruments. While we were walking around, Peter told us that this temple had a southern style. He asked us if we knew how to tell what was southern and what wasn’t, and since no one knew he told us it’s because northern style temples have much straighter and more rigid designs on the roof. 

The last stop of the day was the Hayashi Department Store. Peter pointed out that the reason the name Hayashi sounds a bit different from other building names in Taiwan is because it’s a Japanese name. I didn’t notice before he told us, but after he did I can’t believe I never realized. Inside the store was a whole bunch of interesting things, and although I was tempted I decided to try and save the rest of the cash I had. 

These final days of the trip I’ve been making sure to be extra mindful of everything I’ve been experiencing and learning. I want to take as much as I can back with me and hold onto it for the rest of my life. Today, the most impactful experience was just traveling around. I of course had a ton of fun with the group and singing karaoke on the bus, but I mean just physically going all around Tainan today. In the span of one afternoon we got to experience four different amazing things. In a couple of days I’ll be back home, and a week from now I’ll probably be in Gainesville. When I’m in either of those places, I won’t have these experiences anymore. Over these past four weeks I’ve learned so much not only about Taiwan, but the entire world. Today I just enjoyed being able to walk around the city and appreciate every detail and aspect of what it’s been like living in Taiwan. This trip has taught me about myself and what I want in life too. I hope one day I’ll be able to come back to Taiwan, as well as explore other parts of the world. I understand better now just how big and diverse it is, so I hope I can explore more soon.

[jacob-in-taiwan]

August 5 - Calligraphy Lesson and Ten Drum Cultural Village

After what felt like no time at all, today was the day we left Kaohsiung. I was a bit sad to go too. Maybe it’s because we were able to spend a bit more time here than in other cities, but I really loved the city. I had a great time there and it overall just had an atmosphere that I really enjoyed. Despite how sad I was to go, I was still excited to check out what Tainan had to offer. We only have a few more days left in Taiwan, so I want to really appreciate every second I have left. 

The first activity for today was a mystery. We knew we had some sort of guest lecture at the National University of Tainan, but we didn’t know exactly what that meant. It turned out to be another calligraphy lesson, although this time was much different than the one at Fo Guang Shan. Last time, we basically just traced over pre-written characters with a pen. This time however, we were using a proper brush and doing them from scratch. We were taught how to hold the brush, proper stroke order, and the meaning of the characters. After some warm up exercises we were all free to practice the words we wanted to do and then free to just go for it. I decided to go with eternity on one side and luck on the other. The characters for luck were actually in cursive, which I didn’t even know was possible in Chinese, so that was really interesting. I actually found it easier to write the one in cursive too. I think since all the characters are so unfamiliar with me the motion and flow of writing in cursive was easier to understand than the concentrated process of normal characters. 

After having some more fun and a bento lunch at the university we left to go to the Ten Drum Cultural Village. I was personally really excited to go here because I love music and playing instruments. It ended up being not exactly what I expected but I still had a good time. I thought I would be able to just go off and play drums for the entire time there, and while there was a class I could’ve joined to play, that wasn’t what happened. We ended up getting tickets for a performance, which I admittedly wasn’t too excited about at first. I was in the mood to just walk around and explore, but after the show started I completely flipped. I was not expecting a performance like the one we got. The band that performed, Cross Metal, were genuinely really incredible, which caught me so off guard because I was expecting some traditional percussion-only performance. I ended up having a really good time watching them perform, and we all even got a group picture with the band after. 

I’m really grateful for the calligraphy lesson that we got to experience today. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the last one we did at the monastery as well, but this one was so much more informative and educational. I mentioned it earlier, but at the monastery we really just traced over the characters that made the poem, so I was just really focused on making sure I stayed within the lines. Furthermore the actual pen when used had a rigid point. When I think of calligraphy, I always picture the distinct style that using a brush provides. That being said, the fact that we used a brush was a big reason why I liked today’s lesson. I also really appreciated that we drew freely. We did have guides, which for someone like me was absolutely necessary, but we still had the freedom to write the characters in our own style. What I think the best part about the whole experience though was we had the choice to write whatever we wanted. I personally just used the examples provided to us, but I loved getting to see what other things people came up with to put on theirs. 

[jacob-in-taiwan]

Aug 4 - Last day in Kaohsiung 

Today was the last day in Kaohsiung, which was incredibly sad. I really came to love this city instantly and the eight days we had here went by in a flash. It feels like we just got here and were at the beach the other day. I really wanted to make my last day in Kaohsiung worth it, and since we had the day off to do whatever, I chose to just explore everywhere I hadn’t been yet.

The first place I went to was the pier right next to the hotel. Despite the fact it was right there all week, I never actually fully crossed the bridge. So that's what I did. And there was pretty much nothing. Oops. Either way I didn’t regret walking there, it was a beautiful day out and I also wanted to check out all the piers, docks, and other miscellaneous maritime destinations because I’m going to be doing my final project on them. 

With that in mind, I decided I wouldn’t really have a next destination, and instead I would just walk along the water and see where it took me. I first passed by the music center, which was really cool because I had seen it in the skyline all week but never actually walked up to it. I then went over the bridge where the mrt was and on to the other side of the river. I walked past a yacht club and stopped to check out the boats in the harbor. I love to sail, so I spent some extra time checking out the sailboats and dreaming about being out on the water in Kaohsiung. It was such a perfect day to be sailing too… maybe next time.

As I kept walking I reached a big parking lot that had a huge statue of a duck that was upside down in a way that made it look like his head was underground, which I thought was pretty funny. I stopped at the edge of the lot to look out on the harbor and see all the wharfs and shipping vessels. I snapped some pictures and videos for both personal use and for my project later and then took a minute to decide where to go next. After staring out at the water for a bit, still daydreaming of sailing cause it was just that perfect, I decided to walk over to the 85 Sky Tower. Just like the music center, it was such a significant part of the skyline and yet I still hadn’t seen it close up yet. Admittedly, walking there might have been a mistake. It was so ridiculously hot and I had already walked so far that by the time I got there I was completely drained. It was still really cool and I don’t regret going, but I definitely should’ve just taken the bus.   

After seeing the building up close I realized just how hungry I was, so I stopped by a nearby mall to get a quick lunch and then took the metro back to the hotel. By now it was maybe 1 and I already was so tired and sweaty. I decided to take some time to be responsible and do laundry, and I also went for a quick run while I waited on the wash. After a nice cold shower and an hour or two of lying in bed I was feeling much better and decided to head back out. The only place in Kaohsiung that I hadn’t been to yet but wanted to was the central park, so I took the metro straight there. 

I was really happy that I decided to visit it too. The metro station was one of the nicest looking I’d seen all trip, and the park itself was really fun too. By now the sun was starting to set so it wasn’t so hot. Additionally everything was being painted with a slightly golden hue. People were walking their dogs, children were playing, other people were playing music. It was overall just such a great atmosphere to be around. Personally I just put on some music and walked around while reflecting on my trip. 

After leaving the park I headed back to the hotel to meet up with Eli to grab dinner. Before I actually got back though I noticed that there was a market that popped up on the pier next to the hotel. I checked it out briefly, and although it was nowhere near as impressive as some of the others we’ve seen on this trip, the combination of golden hour lighting and being by the water made it a really nice experience. Eventually I did have to get back to the hotel so I could change and head to a restaurant named Smokey Joe’s. 

When I first saw the sign on the building I thought it was so funny and that I had to try it. Some other people had actually already tried it by now too and actually said it was really good, So what started as a funny joke turned into genuine interest. It was really funny to see an “American” style restaurant. I can only imagine that this is how people from outside the states feel when they go into certain restaurants there. The decor was so funny to both me and Eli, but as promised the food was actually pretty good. 

After getting back from dinner I met up with some other people and we played some cards for a little while before going to bed. It was a long day for sure, but I wanted to enjoy my last day in Kaohsiung as much as possible, and I think I did exactly that. 

[jacob-in-taiwan]

August 3 - Fo Guang Shan Monastery

Today’s trip to the Fo Guang Shan Monastery was very special for a number of reasons. The first one was because we were able to meet Yeh Laoshi’s mother! She has been volunteering at the monastery for over thirty years, and apparently it's a place Yeh Laoshi spent a lot of time at as a kid. That alone was enough to make this a special experience, but we also were given some special tours that we normally wouldn’t get because of the connections we had. 

After arriving at the monastery, we were then guided to the main shrine and meditation hall. This was such an amazing building to look at. The designs and architecture were so brilliant. It pains me that I couldn’t take pictures of the interior, because it was so amazing as well, but I wanted to respect the rules set on us. Inside the meditation hall we were given the opportunity to say a prayer and present a flower in front of three giant shrines of Buddha. I can’t remember the number that we were told, but there were also thousands of smaller Buddha statues that took up the entire walls in the room. 

After leaving the prayer room we were taught how to properly participate in the silent lunch. It was really interesting to learn the whole process of how everything had to be done. At first it seemed a bit overwhelming, but once we were actually in the dining room it wasn’t so bad. I didn’t make any mistakes at least, so that was good enough for me. 

After lunch we hopped over to the Buddha museum to see what it had for us. The major spectacle of course was the 108-meter-tall Buddha statue. The view of the statue combined with the eight pagodas that lined the path leading to it was one of the most impressive I had ever seen. We took a lot of pictures and as we walked towards the museum we learned along the way. Eventually we made our way to the top of the museum where we got a calligraphy lesson. I’ve never done calligraphy seriously before and I’ve only ever written chinese characters a handful of times, but I still think I did pretty good for myself. Yes, all we had to do was trace the lines, but for someone who is as bad at art as I am it was pretty good. 

After that we were allowed to roam the museum freely. I spent the hour we had checking out a few other exhibits and walking down the opposite side of the path from where we came. In no time at all it was time to say goodbye to the monastery and we were on our way back to the hotel. 

Today was special for a lot of reasons, but I had my own personal one as well. I’m not a religious person myself, but I spent almost half my life in a Christian school. I went to church every wednesday, had religion classes, said prayers before meals, and so on. That is to say, christianity is something I’m very familiar with. Buddhism, on the other hand, is something I almost know nothing about. Outside of pop culture, entertainment media, and one book I had to read freshman year that briefly talked about it, I knew basically nothing. One reason I was really excited to come to Taiwan was to learn about all the religions that exist here, Buddhism included. Today was so much more than learning about the religion though. Instead, I was able to live it. The main shrine room was where everyone says their morning and nightly prayers, and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to say my own. For lunch, I was able to eat with the monks and nuns in the way that they do. It was amazing to be able to draw upon my own lived experiences with a completely different religion and see how they were the same and different. 

[jacob-in-taiwan]

August 2 - National Science and Technology Museum, Din Tai Fung, and Hakka Village 

Today was another day on the grind of exploring Taiwan. The first stop was the National Science and Technology National Science and Technology Museum. We’ve spent a lot of time exploring various history-based museums and just recently spent a whole day at art museums, so I was really excited to switch things up a bit and check out some science. Additionally, this museum was geared a bit more towards children, which is fine by me because it just meant the exhibits were more interactive. Within the museum there were a bunch of different exhibits on various topics. From space exploration, to the history of food, to Typhoon Morakot, this museum had it all covered. My personal favorite was probably the space exploration section, just because space and astrophysics are topics that I think are fascinating. Overall though this museum was interesting and a fun way to spend a morning. I even won a little stuffed capybara from one of the coin machines in the gift shop.

Something interesting that happened today was that we had an unplanned lunch. Apparently some complaints about our hotel in Taitung reached some people in the travel agency that booked them. They felt bad about our experience, and offered to make it up in some way, and Peter being the amazing tour guide that he is, got us a free lunch at din tai fung out of it. This was my third time there on this trip, and it was just as good as the first time. It was arguably the best, since nothing beats free.

After a great lunch we walked around the mall for a bit until we had to get back on the bus to visit the Hakka village. After about an hour's drive we were there and were met with a beautiful looking building. We walked down the path and went inside one of the stores where they had all sorts of things to check out. They had toys and little instruments, but the main item there was the traditional style umbrellas. We didn’t stay there too long however, because we had to get to a museum before it got too late. The museum was naturally all about the Hakka people and their culture. It was really interesting to learn about one of the smaller communities on the island. We had learned about the smaller indigenous cultures on the island previously, but since the Hakka aren’t indigenous they weren’t covered.

One of the most interesting things I saw today was in the National Science and Technology Museum. In the exhibit all about food history, they had a section dedicated to what typical meals around the world looked like. The display would have the typical food and drinks, table style, utensils, and so on. For example the American section had chicken wings, pizza, and cheeseburgers. The reason I find this so interesting is because this reveals how the Taiwanese people view other cultures. As an American, of course I admit that those foods are pretty “American” to eat, but I would hardly say it’s the typical American dinner. In my opinion some kind of grilled or baked meat with vegetables is a much more common meal than that. That being said, it still made me laugh a bit that this is how Americans are viewed. I also really appreciated the section on Taiwanese food for the same reason. It helps me better understand what the average Taiwanese person thinks the typical foods for them would be. My personal favorite part was that they put scallion pancakes and Taiwan beer in there.

[jacob-in-taiwan]

August 1 - Lotus pond and Qishan train station

Today was a rather light day for sightseeing, at least when compared with other days we’ve had. The first stop was the famous lotus pond here in Kaohsiung. If I remember correctly, Peter said that there were 16 different temples that surrounded the pond. We don’t have all day to go to each and every temple, so we only went around to a few, but it was still really magnificent to walk through them. My favorite was undoubtedly the one that was just a dragon, where we got to walk the length of its body. Unrelated to the temple, we got to see a lot of animals, such as turtles and ducks, which is always pretty fun. Today was also a really hot day, so as much as we wanted to stay and check the other temples out, we were also pretty eager to get back into some air conditioning. 

After a fun group lunch we were off to our second location, the Qishan train station. This was decently far away, but despite the travel time it was still cool to go see. Between the mini-rideable trains, costumes, and banana plushies in the gift shop, everyone seemed to have fun here. After we were done at the train station, that was it for the day. We still had an hour ride back to the hotel, but either way it was a quick day. 

I’m not sure if today’s two activities were specifically planned to represent this, but the fact that we visited both a train station and various temples show how through the use of rail lines religion was able to spread across the entire island of Taiwan. According to the reading “Religion in Taiwan at the End of the Japanese Colonial Period” it was rail links across the island that enabled religion to transcend its local confines. As we’ve traveled all around the island we’ve seen this effect for ourselves. Instead of being confined in one area, temples are scattered all around Taiwan. Churches are too, albeit to a lesser extent. Cultures and ideas were able to be interchanged in places previously not possible because rail lines were built. What's interesting to examine too is how more remote mountain villages have different, or modified, religions to those in more populated areas. This is of course because unlike the major cities there is no easy access to these places, therefore it doesn’t have the same cultural exchange. Overall, I thought today was a good lesson on how local and national cultures in Taiwan were created. 

[jacob-in-taiwan]

July 31 - The Great Harbor Bridge, Shoyoen, Kaohsiung Main Public Library, and Liuhe Night Market 

Today started rather slow but eventually ramped up towards the end. After grabbing a bit of hotel breakfast the whole class went to the basement for some classroom time. I don’t know about everyone else, but this was much needed for me. Now that I’ve been in Taiwan for a while, I’m starting to get ideas on what I want my final project to focus on. However, I’ve been so focused on enjoying my time while I’m here that I haven’t really been doing any research or deeper thought. So the fact that we had some dedicated time to focus was really nice for me. 

After classroom time was up we had some time to get lunch, and I decided to check out a Latin place that was just around the corner. Despite going on this trip to Taiwan, I’ve actually spent a lot of time dedicated to learning Spanish, so I was excited to see if I could maybe practice a little. I was both kinda right and wrong. When we got there we were greeted by an older gentleman, who spoke a bit of english but did ask us if we spoke spanish. I told him I spoke a little bit and he gave a friendly laugh back. I was hoping to be able to speak more from there, but our waitress came out and she only spoke chinese. Not a problem at all, but I was a bit sad that I didn’t get to speak to the owner a bit more. 

After lunch it was time to really get the day started. Our first stop was a brief one, the bridge by the hotel. The Great Harbor Bridge was built just a few years ago and cost $10 million USD, but what makes it interesting is how it turns 90º to let ships pass by. We all gathered around and watched as it slowly turned before reaching its point. It was a pretty interesting sight to see, as most times the design is just a simple drawbridge, but this was much cooler. 

After the bridge we took the bus to the Shoyoen heritage building. This Japanese villa has been preserved since it was built back during Japanese occupation. It was really interesting to be able to walk through the rooms themselves and imagine what it must have been like to live there. The building itself also serves as a great reminder how Taiwan is a melting pot of many cultures, and how the country it is today is built off its influences from the past. 

The next place we visited was the Kaohsiung Main Public Library. As I mentioned in a previous post, I love libraries. This was no exception. A nice, big, and quiet library is always a good place to be at. There was really nice natural lighting and plenty of books to read. They even have a sizable collection of books in english. The views, of course, were incredible. Depending on what side of the building you sat at you could either see the city skyline or a great view of the port and river. I won't lie though, my favorite part of the library had nothing to do with any of that. On the roof, if you crossed the sky bridge they had a bouldering wall, which I ended up spending my remaining time at. I love rock climbing, and the fact that they had a wall for free meant that I really had no other option than stopping everything I was doing and climbing. 

To end the night we were dropped off at Liuhe Night Market. The original market we planned on going to was closed today, but I thought this one was pretty good. I got a turkish wrap and banana pancakes, and they were honestly some of the best street food I’ve had while I’ve been here. So if this was just the backup plan, then I wonder how good the original market is.

Earlier today during my classroom time I decided that I wanted my next academic reflection and final project to both focus on ports in Taiwan. One of the first things we learned when we got to Kaohsiung was how vital its port was to not just the city, but Taiwan as a whole. Today, as we watched the Great Harbor Bridge turn it reminded me again of that very fact. Peter told us the main reason for building the bridge was for foot traffic and cutting down on travel times while walking, but the entire purpose of the bridge is to let ships pass. Of course, massive cargo vessels aren’t going to be traveling down this small channel, but the bridge more so represents the spirit of the people embracing their ports. The fact that more money was spent on the bridge so it could turn proves that the people in Kaohsiung prioritize water and all the activities that occur on it. Furthermore the entire area on the pier and around the port is so well developed that it shows active investment of both time and money. Actually watching the bridge turn was a rather unextreme endeavor, but it represented much more than may be obvious. 

[jacob-in-taiwan]

July 30 - Shoushan hiking trail, Museum of Fine Arts, and Alien Art Center 

This morning we had off to do whatever we wanted, and seeing as we weren’t able to go to Shoushan yesterday we made a plan to get out there early. A nice 7:30 wake up and 8:30 departure gave us plenty of time to get out to the trailhead and explore. When we first got there we didn’t know exactly what to expect, but almost immediately we forgot all about the hiking because we found our first monkey. After a good number of pictures we got back on the trail and immediately just went the wrong way. If we stayed on the wooden path it would’ve taken us right to the top no problems, but we went on some other, unpaved, paths that looked more exciting. At certain points there was really almost no path at all, and it felt like we were climbing straight up. In the end, we made it to the top and had an amazing view of both the sea and Kaohsiung. Naturally, we decided to take the proper route back down. It was a tough hike and we were all drenched in sweat, but everyone enjoyed it and was glad they went. 

After getting back to the hotel everyone raced to take showers before we had to get back downstairs to meet up with the whole group. Today was art themed, whether it was intentional or not. The first place we went to was the Museum of Fine Arts. There was another fine arts museum in Taipei that I wanted to go to on a free day, but it was unfortunately closed. Since I wasn’t able to go before, I was actually really excited to go now. Once inside we all got our tickets and were able to explore for about an hour. I broke off by myself to really be able to enjoy everything at my own pace. After a while I had seen everything and decided to meet up with other people to pass the rest of the time. 

Once everyone was done here we hopped back on the bus and headed to the Alien Art Center. I love art, and appreciate it greatly. I usually am able to enjoy art, no matter how strange, but the majority of the pieces here I just didn’t understand. I don’t hate abstract art or anything, it’s just that I really struggled to find any enjoyment out of most of the pieces here. That being said, there were still some really cool things. One room on the ground floor was incredibly dark and had this ambient music playing, which I found really nice because of the atmosphere it built. 

One of the most interesting pieces of art I saw all day was five separate paintings of Chiang Kai Shek. I forget the exact name of the piece, but it was something along the lines of “five stages of Chiang Kai Shek.” The reason I found this so interesting was because of the progression of how Chiang was represented in each one. The first three were relatively normal paintings of his head facing towards the viewer. The fourth was just another normal head except turned to the side a bit. However, the fifth one looked almost entirely different. To me, Chiang Kai Shek's face in this is reminiscent of a Japanese oni mask. It looks evil, and could even be described as demonic. The reason I found this specific artwork so interesting is because I understood it to be a representation of how the Taiwanese people felt about Chiang Kai Shek over time. At first, he may have been viewed as just a standard leader. Towards the end, or in other words the current day, he is viewed more as an “evil” figure. I may just being overthinking it, but if I’m not I think this artwork is a brilliant piece of commentary on such a controversial figure. 

[jacob-in-taiwan]

July 29 - Free day in Kaohsiung 

Today was our first full day out in Kaohsiung, and it also was a free day. I wasn’t really sure what to do today, since everything was still so new and I wasn’t sure what was around. One idea that was floating around was going on Shoushan hiking trail, which is famous for having a lot of monkeys on it. Eventually a couple people and I decided that we should go check that out first. According to maps the quickest way to get to the trailhead was by bus, so we headed for the stop. What we didn’t know at the time though was the bus was actually ahead of schedule. So we got to our stop thinking we were a few minutes early, when in reality the bus had just left. After a little while we checked the board and it said our bus was due to arrive in 18 minutes, and that's when we found out what happened.

To kill the time we decided to look for some food and we found a small shop nearby that looked good. We all got some scallion pancakes, which were prepared a little differently than normal. Instead of serving the whole pancake covered in sauce, this one was cut into pieces like a pizza and was covered in spices. I thought they were delicious, easily as good as the normal way of preparing them. As we enjoyed our pancakes we realized that we had taken more than 18 minutes, so we decided to postpone the trip to Shoushan and do something else. 

Being a port city, everyone was excited to check out the beaches that Kaohsiung had to offer, so that's what my group went to do. After some walking we eventually found where we could get onto the ferry, which we could conveniently use our mrt passes to board. Once we got to the other side we immediately were met with a really fun outdoor market. There were plenty of shops and restaurants for us to check out as we walked. After a few hundred meters we made it to the beach. Unfortunately it was pretty cloudy today, but it was still plenty hot enough to enjoy the water. We didn’t spend long at the beach, since no one had any towels, but we still got to put our feet in the water and draw in the sand. 

After going all the way out to the beach and back we were all feeling a bit tired, so we camped out in our rooms for an hour or two to recharge our batteries. Eventually, we all got hungry and decided to go looking for a place to eat. Austin found a small night market that was about a ten minute walk from Glory pier, so we decided to go there. We found an interesting restaurant that specializes in steak and eggs. We thought it was kind of funny so we went in. At first we were a little sketched out just looking inside the restaurant, but to our surprise the food was really good. Steak and eggs were a good reminder of home, and the noodles they served with it were tasty. The owners were also super friendly as well and did their best to make sure we had a good time. 

[jacob-in-taiwan]

July 28 - Leaving Taitung, Mikan the station master, and arriving in Kaohsiung 

Today marked the end of our time exploring the east coast of Taiwan and was our return to Kaohsiung… technically. Before arriving in the main city we made a pitstop to go see an international superstar, Mikan the station master. 

We were never actually told what we were going to be doing today, just that it was going to be a surprise. So when we rolled up next to an elementary school, everyone was very confused. We got out and walked down what seemed like a random road, still very confused, until we got to a metro station. I just assumed that we were going to renew our cards or get on it to go somewhere else, but to my surprise I got to meet a celebrity. When I first looked in the office Mikan was just relaxing on his chair, seemingly ignoring all the attention he was getting. A very kind photographer offered to let the entire group get a picture with Mikan, who must’ve not been told about this deal because they were not as happy as we were. But being such a superstar Mikan made time for their fans, and reluctantly took a picture with us. 

After saying goodbye to Mikan we broke for some lunch. I ended up getting some spicy pork buns from a stand right outside the station, which were delicious. After that I wandered around with some people to check out what else was around. I’m not sure how, but Eli ended up signing karaoke for a bunch of locals. Overall it was a really cool area that I wish I lived near so I could visit more often.

Before we stopped at the hotel we made a quick stop at the main station to go to a Mikan-themed shop, because how could we call ourselves fans if we didn’t have any merch?

Eventually we finally did get to the hotel. Just from what I’ve seen so far I think I’m going to like Kaohsiung a lot. It reminds me a lot of another port city, St. Petersburg, which is where my grandparents live. After being holed up in Yilan and very isolated in Taitung, I’m very excited to get out and explore everything this city has to offer.

[jacob-in-taiwan]

July 27 - Rice County School, Wuling Green Tunnel, and Aboriginal Museum 

Today was a great day because we finally were able to get back out and explore Taiwan. Despite the fact it was raining all day, everyone was still excited. The first place we went to was the rice county school. It really ended up being more like a small museum. We walked around and learned all about the different kinds of rice and process it takes to get from farm to table. Completely unrelated to the school, there was also a cat and an old piano there. The cat obviously stole the show, as it should. I was also excited to see the piano, cause I haven’t played any music since leaving the states. Me and Jack sat and took turns playing some songs while we waited for the rest of the group. 

After we departed we had to make one stop before going to lunch, and it was the Wuling green tunnel. It’s a shame it was raining so much, because we weren’t able to stay out for long. Either way, it was still nice to drive down the road and take in the scenery. 

After lunch we went off schedule to check out the Prehistoric museum. I was surprised at how different it was from the indigenous people museum despite the two having some overlapping topics. The museum also had a Pacific Islander section, and my personal favorite, a natural history section. Being from Florida we don’t deal with plate tectonics at all. In Taiwan it’s of course a much different story, so I enjoyed reading and learning about the formation of the island and all the ways it is affected today. 

Later that night, we swung by 7-eleven to grab dinner again. However, having eaten almost only convenience store food for the past four days I was begging to go a bit insane. So I skipped the food there and walked to find a restaurant with some other people. We ended up stumbling on a nice place nearby. The food and drinks were good, definitely better than anything from 7-eleven, but the best part was the pig they had outside. It was so nice and would oink and wag its tail when we gave it attention. Between all the cats and the pig I saw today, it was a good day to see cute animals.

The topology of Taiwan is something I find very interesting and definitely wasn’t expecting to be able to learn about on this trip. To my surprise, the museum we went to today had an entire subsection dedicated to the formation of the island. I’ve taken a few classes at UF that deal with geology and plate tectonics, so I was familiar with the processes that lead to islands like Taiwan, but I was excited to learn the specifics. Taiwan was formed by a process known as orogenesis, which is when mountains form from plates converging. For Taiwan’s case, it was the Eurasian and Philippine Sea Plates. According to the museum, the eastern coastal range is still moving at a speed of 6-13 cm a year in relation to the central range, which is the reason Taiwan experiences so many earthquakes. According to google, there were two detected earthquakes in the past two days, one in the northeast and another off the coast to the south. Hopefully we don’t get a big one while we’re still here!

[jacob-in-taiwan]

July 26 - Circling Taiwan

Today was the day we were able to leave Yilan. Unfortunately the typhoon continued to cause us problems. The original plan was to take the train down to Hualien for a night, then get on a bus to Taitung. However, because of the storm not only did we have to skip Hualien entirely, but we couldn't even travel down the east coast to Taitung. Instead, we had to take the train back up to Taipei, then the high speed rail to Kaohsiung, and then finally the bus to our hotel. What originally would've been a relatively short ride down south, turned into an all day affair. As bummed as I was to not be able to spend the day exploring Taiwan, I was at least able to enjoy the scenery as we rode through almost all of Taiwan. I'm excited to get back out and explore tomorrow, as its felt like forever since I've been able to do so.

[jacob-in-taiwan]

July 24 & 25 - Typhoon Gaemi

The past two days in Yilan we had a unique, unplanned, opportunity to experience a typhoon. Being born and raised in Florida I'm no stranger to hurricanes, so I knew what to expect and wasn't too worried about our safety or anything. That being said, it still was by far the strongest hurricane I've ever lived through in terms of wind speed. It would have been rated a category 4 back in the states, and the worst I've ever experienced was a category 2. Furthermore, the storm tracker had the eye coming straight through where we were staying.

Ultimately the storm wasn't too bad. Everyone stayed safe and from what I could tell looking out the window and taking short walks in the area around the hotel there was minimal damage. I guess we just got lucky with how the storm turned out, which I'm thankful for. The worst thing to come out of the typhoon was that it unfortunately cancelled two full days worth of activities. We also have to stay in Yilan for an extra night, so no one is really sure how it will affect the next days and activities.

That being said no one is letting this get them down. We all stayed flexible and did our bests to have fun. Our hotel had hot springs and a sauna, which were great for passing some time while the storm was really bad. We also all got together in one room to play card games, eat food, and chat. All things considered, things could've been much worse and were still having a great time in Taiwan. Plus, how many other people can say they experience a huge typhoon while being abroad?

[jacob-in-taiwan]

July 23 - Leaving Taipei, Wooden Clogs, and Kili Bay Pearl Milk Tea 

Today was a special day on the trip because it marked the end of our time in Taipei. We had the morning free, but because we had to be packed by 1, most people spent it at the hotel getting ready to go. Personally I woke up early enough to catch breakfast and then worked on my independent excursion assignment for the majority of the morning. At around 11 me and some other people went to grab some lunch. We got pork buns and some more scallion pancakes, which have quickly become a favorite of mine here. After grabbing some final snacks from 7-eleven for the road, we packed our things and said goodbye to Taipei. 

Not only was today special because we were leaving the city, but as we were leaving our county was having an air raid drill. Luckily we didn’t have to stop and shelter like many other people, instead we got to head straight towards our first destination. Before we got there, we got to go though the longest tunnel in Taiwan, which according to Peter was 8 miles long and according to chief took 15 years to construct. A quick google search tells me that is took over 2.8 billion USD to construct, but the time that is saved because of it makes it worth the price. 

When we finally arrived at our destination we were met with the wooden clog shop. For me I had a completely mistaken impression of this at first. When I see wooden clogs I immediately think of the Dutch, since it’s also something they’re famously known for. Seeing as the Dutch once occupied Taiwan, I wrongly assumed it came from them, but according to our tour guide the clogs were actually invented in China. She also told us a story about how the fronts and backs of the original design could be removed to make ascending and descending mountains easier. The highlight of this shop was easily the part where we got to create our own miniature clogs and take them as key chains. 

Even though it was already getting later in the day we still had another stop to go to, the Kili Bay Pearl Milk Tea DIY. As someone who definitely enjoys pearl milk tea, I was really excited for this. Aside from the tapioca pearls, we made everything from scratch/ I thought mine turned out fine, not as good as the local shops here, but still good enough for me. 

After a full day of activities you would think that’s where it ends, but not today. A larger group got together to go find some dinner, and after having to leave our first choice because of the size we found what seemed to be a decent back up. Personally, I thought the food itself was satisfactory, but everything else was just not great. Part of this could be our fault, since it was another smaller restaurant and we were a decent sized group, but we’re all pretty sure our server was drunk. This ended up leading to wrong orders, missing items, and a nightmare of payments. I don’t like to complain very much, and I’m rather easy to please, so the fact that I got some decent food was enough for me to be happy. 

The last thing we did today, and easily the best part of it, was the hot springs at the hotel. I was one of the few who went to the hot springs in Beitou, and while the views there were undeniably better, the actual springs here were the best. There were so many more options here, with a range of temperatures from 43 to 16ºC. Furthermore, this place had a steamer, sauna, and even though it was close, a water slide. If dinner left anyone in any kind of negative mood, this easily would have fixed it. 

Oh yeah, and there’s a typhoon about to hit tonight. 

One of the most popular drinks in the world today is bubble tea. From the bustlingly city streets to even my boring home town, bubble tea is accessible everywhere. According to the CNN article for today, the bubble tea industry is expected to be worth $4.3 billion by 2027. What many people don’t know about bubble tea though is it started in Taiwan. The drink actually has a really deep history, dating back all the way to the 1940s. In 1949 Chang Fan Sho opened a tea shop selling a new handshake tea that was made with cocktail shakers. This method led to a more rich and silky tea with foam on top. Around 40 years later, in 1986, a Taiwanese artist would make the breakthrough that turned bubble tea into what it is today. Tu Tsong He was in massive debt and desperately needed a way to separate his business from the masses. One day while walking through a market he saw tapioca pearls and decided to add some to his green tea. At that instant an iconic drink was born. 

After reading this article, I had a much better appreciation for the process of making bubble tea. I’ve ordered bubble tea countless times, including here in Taiwan, but the process of making them has all been very streamlined. Most times pearls are just put in the cup and then a machine makes the whole thing for you. I would have never know the story of the process how the original was made if I never read the articles for today. I also would have been really confused why we used cocktail shakers at the class today. However, now I know that the shakers are actually an essential part of the process, and without them it wouldn’t be authentic Pearl Milk Tea. 

[jacob-in-taiwan]

Independent Excursion 1

For my first independent excursion I decided to go to Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. Before coming to Taiwan, I had essentially no knowledge on both Chinese and Taiwanese history. I’ve been learning so much about how this wonderful country got to where it is today, but one figure whose name I kept hearing yet still didn’t know much about was Sun Yat-sen. I figured that it would be good if I spent my free day filling in the gaps in my knowledge, so I decided to visit Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. To my disappointment, when I got there the hall had been temporarily closed. I was still able to enjoy the brilliant architecture of the building, so it wasn’t all for naught. 

After visiting Chiang Kai-Shek memorial hall, I was really interested to hear how divisive he is today. On one end of the spectrum, he has an amazingly constructed memorial hall that houses an entire museum for him. It must be noted that the museum speaks just as negatively about Chiang Kai-Shek equally as much as it praises him. Events in recent years highlight the other end of that spectrum. His tomb has been vandalized and statues of Chiang have been moved to a park in Taoyuan. Furthermore, many people support removaling Chiang from Taiwan’s currency, as well as his name from roads and schools. There has even been talk of repurposing the memorial hall itself, which would be a significant move as it is one of the most famous tourist sites in Taipei. All this controversy led to me asking questions about Sun Yat-Sen. Seeing as Sun and Chiang were close associates in the Kuomintang, or KMT, I mainly wondered if Dr. Sun was viewed as controversial as Chiang. Memorial halls play a huge role in preserving history, educating masses, and community engagement, but they also play a significant role in cultural identity and preservation. Through the physical structure of the two memorial halls much can be revealed about how the Taiwanese people identify themselves. 

In America, our history is much more straightforward. Democrats and republicans don't always agree on everything, but almost everyone in the states admires our founding fathers. They weren’t perfect, but for the most part no one has any issues with them. Much like the memorial halls in Taipei, the monuments and memorials in Washington D.C. are significant tourist spots. For Americans, these statues are representative of the “American spirit.” The men who are immortalized were brave and free-thinkers that would stop at nothing until their freedoms were secured. This is something Americans can relate to and identify with, therefore there is not much controversy when it comes to these monuments. 

In Taiwan it isn’t as simple. As mentioned above Chiang Kai-Shek is a very divisive figure in the present day. Chiang is still viewed as a strong leader by some older residents, but many Taiwanese people oppose the use of his image or name in public spaces. There has been a significant de-Chiang-ification movement over the past years, with the goal to stop worshiping authoritarianism. Just within the past two weeks the changing of guard ceremony was moved outside of the memorial hall, away from the statue itself, in an effort to comply with this. A statement made by the Taiwan Ministry of Culture gave the following reasoning for these actions, “Eliminating worshiping a cult of personality and eliminating worshiping authoritarianism is the current goal for promoting transitional justice.” 

Chiang Kai-Shek’s actions during his time as ruler led to the death and imprisonment of thousands of people, and it's because of this that many younger people believe his legacy is redolent to what they perceive as authoritarianism in mainland China. To put it simply, the immortalization of such a controversial figure would naturally be met with controversy. Many Taiwanese today do not identify with Chiang. They don’t believe he represents the democracy and independence they believe in today, and because of that the memorial hall is not viewed as something to be proud of. However, the question still remains. What about Sun Yat-Sen?

Despite the close relationship between Dr. Sun and Chiang, the former has the distinction of never actually ruling Taiwan. As mentioned previously, a large reason why many people don’t like Chiang Kai-Shek is because he had “blood on his hands.” Sun Yat-Sen did not. But it’s not just that Sun is “better than the other guy,” he does actually have his valid reasons for praise in Taiwan. Dr. Sun played a significant role in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China, the official government of Taiwan today. Furthermore he is praised for his contributions to modernization and promotion of democracy. Sun Yat-Sen's ideas are still very influential in politics in the present day, particularly his three principles of the people (democracy, nationalism, and welfarism). All this is to say Sun Yat-Sen is a generally accepted figure within Taiwanese culture, and that is reflected by his memorial hall. When I personally visited the hall I was disappointed to see that it was closed for renovations, but now I see the deeper story behind it. Whereas Chiang Kai-Shek hall is bathed in controversy, with demands to repurpose or even demolish it, Sun Yat-Sen’s hall is quietly being restored and improved. There were no protests or vandalism. Instead, the people were accepting that the memorial hall needed to be preserved. Chiang Kai-Shek was rejected, and Sun Yat-Sen was accepted. 

Public spaces can tell us a lot about a society. When it comes to memorials for historical figures it can reveal much about a societies’ cultural Identity and values. Taiwan is no exception to this. Chiang Kai-Shek is a controversial figure among the Taiwanese people, so naturally his memorial hall is vexed as well. In stark contrast Sun Yat-Sen is much more accepted, so his memorial hall is met with care and respect. The culture of any society goes so much deeper and is so much more complex than what can be revealed by memorial halls. However, the ways the Taiwanese treat the memorials of Sun Yat-Sen and Chiang Kai-Shek can help us understand them just a little bit more. 

Works Cited:

Horton, Chris. “In Taiwan, Young Protesters and Ex-Presidents Chafe against China.” The New York Times, February 28, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/28/world/asia/taiwan-chiang-kai-shek.html. 

National dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall-Chronology of dr.Sun Yat-sen. Accessed July 23, 2024. https://www.yatsen.gov.tw/en/cp.aspx?n=6695. 

Ramzy, Austin. “Divisive Monuments? Put Them All in a Taiwan Park.” The New York Times, August 22, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/world/asia/taiwan-statues-chiang-kai-shek-park.html. 

Sun, Yat-Sen. Dr. Sun Yat-sen: His life and achievements. Forgotten Books, 2019.