So what’s in a name?
The Republic of China, Formosa, Chinese Taipei or just Taiwan, the island’s name depends which year, historical or political event or just straight up where you sit on the geo-political spectrum. Whatever your views, Taiwan is probably the least controversial name although the island still officially refers to itself as the ROC - the Republic of China.
Taiwan is formally not an independent nation - declaring or recognizing it as such would risk a full scale Chinese invasion. Neither of course is it formally part of China. Taiwan has a checkered history since the late 19th century when after defeat in the Sino-Japanese war, the Chinese Qing Dynasty formally ceded the island to Japan. Taiwan apparently thrived under Japanese occupation and although much of the population were Han Chinese, Japanese culture, language and education became dominant. Many people even adopted Japanese names. This all came to an end with Japan’s defeat in 1945. But the biggest upheaval came in 1949 with the Communist victory in mainland China and the arrival on the island of the defeated Nationalist leader Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang; the KMT).
And things started to go downhill from there as Chiang with dreams of returning in triumph to the mainland assumed dictatorial powers together with his glamorous English-speaking wife universally known as “Madam Chiang” and his equally corrupt son who briefly took over when Chiang senior died. Until the late ‘80’s, Taiwan was essentially a corrupt quasi-military dictatorship and for many years was under martial law. Human rights abuses were commonplace. With the anti-Communist fervour that dominated western foreign policy in the post-war years, ROC was recognized as “China” including membership of the United Nations until 1972 when the PRC became recognized as “China”. Since then, ROC/Taiwan has been in diplomatic limbo.
As we understood from our excellent Taiwanese guide, Alfred, Taiwanese opinion is divided on whether the country should formally declare independence (and invite war with China) or seek to formalize the relationship in such a way that Taiwan avoids becoming Communist - the “one nation, two systems” arrangement that was set up (and since failed) for Hong Kong. Alfred was very much in the latter camp explained by the very close social and economic ties between Taiwan and China
There are similarly divided views on the legacy of Chiang Kai-shek. There is a grandiose monument built in his honour (modeled after Beijing’s Temple of Heavenly Peace) in the centre of Taipei
dominated by a huge seated statue in the same pose as Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C., in a hall reached by 89 steps to match the age of the great man when he died! Alfred tells us that there are many people in Taiwan who would like to see the monument demolished so tarnished is Chiang Kai-shek’s image.
Magic Lanterns
We spend just a day taking in the sights of Taipei before heading out to the northeastern area of Taiwan. The area is tourism ground-zero for local tourists. But as Taiwan has only recently opened up after the pandemic and early January is not exactly the height of the tourist season the area is only very crowded, in contrast to so crowded that you can barely move! We wonder through the steep narrow streets and alleyways of Jiufen a former gold mining town. The town clings precariously to a series of hills which afford spectacular views over Taiwan’s northeastern coastline.
The main (and very narrow) drag, Jishan Street is lined by hundreds of tiny shops and stalls selling just about anything and (according to Lonely Planet) “enough snacks to feed half the country which is about how many tourists squeeze and shuffle their way along on any given weekend.”
We take the train from Ruifang to Shifen along the somewhat picturesque rail line built to carry coal back in the day (this was a coal as well as gold mining area). The train line literally bisects the main street of the small town of Shifen famous as the site of the annual sky lantern releases around the first full moon after Chinese New Year.
We’re in town around the time of a full moon likely the last one before Chinese New Year, but sky lantern releases are going full tilt nevertheless. The lantern shops line one side of the main street, that is one side of the rail line, but the lanterns once covered in suitable messages are launched from the middle of the rail line. Hence the shout which goes up periodically…..train coming!!
Wondering whether the magic will work for us and all our wishes and dreams come true…..?