Peaceful Taiwan

I visited Taiwan in February 2014 from Shanghai where I worked at the time. Many mainland Chinese grew prosperous over the years of 2-digit rate fast economic expansion. Everyone was talking big as if they were on top of the world. China’s central bank had been printing money and injected the economy with cash that fueled the housing boom and infrastructure revolution. The whole society was buzzing and restless. After a crazy year of working, it was customary for everyone to relax during the Chinese New Year holiday. Instead of running endless reunions of friends and family, I quietly booked my family the flight to Taiwan.

Although China self-proclaims that Taiwan is a province of its ruling, Chinese locals have to apply a special permit to visit Taiwan and Hong Kong as well.

Taiwan is an island in the western Pacific Ocean that lies roughly 100 miles (160 km) off the coast of southeastern China. It is approximately 245 miles (395 km) long (north-south) and 90 miles (145 km) across at its widest point, quoting from ” https://www.britannica.com/place/Taiwan “.

Taiwan was under one-party rule after the ROC was defeated by CCP in 1949 and retreated to Taiwan. The democratization process was gradual after the passing of 蔣經國 in 1988. He lifted the Marshall law and freed the press in his late years. The first direct presidential election in 1996 marked the rise of a democratic Taiwan. It also shines the light of an elected government in a dominantly Chinese nation is possible.

Mainland Chinese communists used images of brawling scenes in the Taiwan legislative body to smear democracy and mislead mainlanders to believe only the CCP is the legitimate ruler and their calls should be passed with all hands and no objection.

The awakened Chinese mainlanders responded. Better to let the representatives fight for constituents than to pay them to sleep through issues.

I read somewhere that Taiwan before democracy was very much like the mainland in terms of dirty streets. But after democracy, they were as clean as streets in Japan. The garbage was sorted and cans neatly lined. The article claimed it was because that people truly felt the ownership of a place with the right to vote.

Democracy is not magic, but it is fundamental.

Walking in the streets of Taipei, I was filled with a sense of peace. No one was rushing, cars stopped for you, no horns as it was in Shanghai. I remember I said I would come to stay a few months when I retire.

The bookstore was huge, filled with people. They were quiet.

Now let’s talk about architecture.

This is 101 building in Taipei. Does it look like a stack of Chinese take-out boxes? LOL. It was designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners and built by KTRT Joint Venture. The kind of “straight forward” symbolism in many of the Chinese architecture is over the top of my head. I will blog on the topic next.

The view of the city is spectacular even with the rain and fog.

The building with flying gold roof is 中山紀念堂. Why would someone build the traditional wooden roof structure with concrete? Just like the argument made in Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead. Modern materials, steel, and concrete were used to mimic ancient stone architectural details. I bet it was built pre-democracy;)

Some tasty local foods.