In this episode we take a look at Taiwanese society, as viewed from a foreigner’s perspective. We look at elements of society that are likely to have shaped who the Taiwanese people are and how their society works.
Taiwan Night Markets
Two examples of riverside parks:
Guandu Riverside Park (in Taipei)
Hsinchu Riverside Park
Story about the old elephant slides of Taiwan’s parks
Zheng Zhilong (merchant, translator, pirate, naval tactician and Admiral of the Chinese fleet) has a key role in the history surrounding Taiwan. No less important – in fact, arguably more important – is the role that his son, Zheng Chenggong, would play. To understand the role he played, it is important that we look at his childhood, his family dynamic and the world in which he was growing up.
If one follows this link to the Wikipedia page on events of the 17th Century, one could be surprised by the number of entries that relate to war.
This is the second half of my interview with Marci in which we talk about her experiences as a student in Taiwan. We discuss differences in education and look at various aspects of Taiwanese society.
LINKS
Scholarship info – ICDF
Scholarship info – MOFA
Info on various scholarships, link 1 and link 2
Taiwanese Universities List
LINKS
Scholarship info – ICDF
Scholarship info – MOFA
Info on various scholarships, link 1 and link 2
Taiwanese Universities List
Erin Meyer’s book The Culture Map
(The book I mentioned in the interview whose name I couldn’t think of).
After a quick recap of the Spanish and Dutch influence in Taiwan (as well as taking a broader look to encompass the ongoing Eighty Years War), we look at how changes weakened the Spanish position in Taiwan. The Dutch would take advantage of this to try push the Spanish off Taiwan and claim control over the whole island for themselves. This culminated in the battle for San Salvador, the Spanish fortress in Keelung (Jilung).
I invite you to indulge me by coming on a journey, imagining yourself in the story that I wish to tell; a story about a travelling surfer.
We are joined by Iain Garner of the Taiwanese-based games publisher Neon Doctrine. He shares with us his insights into the world of game development and Taiwan’s unique position in this industry. He also gives descriptions of just a few of the many games that Neon Doctrine has published. These include:
Legend of Tianding – ‘Robin Hood’ during the Japanese colonial occupation of Taiwan
Yuppie Psycho – a new employee in a corporate hellscape who’s discovered his job title is witch-hunter
The Library of Babel – stealth platformer, full of intrigue and mystery
My Lovely Wife (and My Lovely Daughter) – dark story about how far you’d go for those you love
Simulacrac – found phone horror games
LINKS
Neon Doctrine’s website
Neon Doctrine’s list of published games on Steam
My Lovely Empress (Released 21st Aug. 2024)
Death Trick: Double Blind (full game, released March 2024)
The Legend of Tianding (on Steam)
Liao Tianding’s Wikipedia page
MORE LINKS
-Other Game Developers
SIGONO
Toge
-Games
A Space for the Unbound (Toge)
Dungeon Munchies (maJAJa)
Spiritfarer (Thunder Lotus Games)
-Game Shows
Taipei Game Developers Forum
Summer Game Show
-Rami Ismail
Tweet about games being miracles
Full article on the subject of milestones
The mendicant religious orders within the Catholic church, started in the 13th Century, were products of the highly religious and meant to rebuild the church’s failing image. Over the centuries rivalries grew between these orders and, although they had generally the same goals and often worked together, they also vied with one another for power and influence.
The Order of St. Dominic led the Catholic charge into Hermosa, partly to counter the protestant Dutch in the south, but mostly with an eye to forging new pathways to China and Japan. Here we look at a few of the most prominent of these Dominicans and their actions in Taiwan.
LINKS
The Catholic Church in Taiwan (extract)
The Catholic Dominican Missionaries in Taiwan (1626-1646)
La Isla Hermosa (How Taiwan Became Chinese, Ch. 4)
Peter Kang (Academia Sinica)
It’s 2023 (as least as I type this) and for most people Covid-19 is little more than a painful memory. The virus isn’t gone and infections still occur, but the existential threat compounded by the ridiculous levels of hygiene theatre that turned the experience in an exercise in virtue-signaling is finally over. People are able to once again breathe easy and get back to living their lives. Yet some things linger
Links:
Mask mandate eased in December 2022
17th April 2023 Response to ending public transport mask mandate
The Minister of Health and Welfare won’t recognise mental health issues
Taiwan universities recognise mental health
From 1624 the Dutch were encamped in southern Formosa (their name for Taiwan) and heavily disrupting trade in the region for the Spanish and Portuguese. By 1626 the Spanish had decided to take action and sent an expedition to form a colony in northern Hermosa (their name for Taiwan). After finding an apparently perfect place, complete with a village ready and waiting for them to occupy, they began experiencing difficulties. Supplies were in short demand, as Hermosa was the most distant outpost of the Spanish empire.
(above left) an image of Keelung Bay from 1626 showing what is today known as Heping (Peace) Island in the north.
(above right) an image of Taiwan from the late 1630s showing the Dutch in the south and the Spanish in the north.
For a long time the beer industry in Taiwan was under the control of a government monopoly. Started in 1919 under the Japanese as Takasago Brewery Co., it remained a government monopoly through the Japanese police state and the KMT police state until the markets opened up in the 1980s. Even today Taiwan Beer (produced by the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation) accounts for the vast majority of beer sales in Taiwan. It’s easy to understand why craft beer is still a relatively new industry here.
To help us understand more we welcome Joe Merrell from Taihu Brewing to share his knowledge of the industry. He shares his general knowledge of Taiwan and of the craft beer industry which he joined in 2016.
Taihu Brewing
on Instagram
on Facebook
Distributing (on Facebook) for updates on new beers
TAIPEI:
Bars
-Landmark (Xinyi) Google Maps link and the Facebook link
-CYS (Daan) Google Maps link and the Facebook link
-Driftwood (Ximen) Google Maps link and the Facebook link
Restaurant
-Gyoza Bar (Daan) Google Maps link and the Facebook link
TAICHUNG (TAIZHONG):
Bar
-CYS Taichung (West District) Google Maps link and the Facebook link
Restaurant
-Med (West District) Google Maps link and the Facebook link
JAPAN
-Taihu Tokyo Google Maps link and the Facebook link
-TCRC bar in Tainan (not Taihu, but mentioned in the episode) Google Maps link
Links to other craft breweries mentioned in the episode:
–The Bruery (California, USA)
–Other Half Brewing (Brooklyn, New York, USA)
–Mountain Culture Beer Co. (NSW, Australia)
–Wildflower Beer (NSW, Australia)
–Range Brewing (Brisbane & Melborne, Australia)
And just for fun, here’s a link to a short YouTube series from Extra History on the history of beer (and coffee).
Taiwan Through Time 