Taiwan
A little bit of history…
The first settlers arrived in Taiwan over 10,000 years ago after migrating from the pacific islands. As the centuries passed they developed their own cultures, languages and lifestyles of which we now know very little. What we do know is that there were two distinct tribes; the Pingpu (who generally lived on the rich plains of central and western Taiwan) and the Gaoshan (who dwelled in the high mountains). Both of these native peoples are now known simply as the aborigines.
The fifteenth century saw the beginning of the end for Taiwan’s native people. Vast numbers of Chinese immigrants started to arrive from the Fujian province, moving into the country and taking over the lands. They searched out the richest lands along the western coastal plains and claimed them for their own, driving the native aborigines into the mountains. Along with the Fujianese came the Hakka. They too made Taiwan their home, and though they are not now a large part of Taiwanese society they are still present. This early Chinese occupation was the first and most peaceful of the many foreign invasions which would follow.
The European occupation came next. Taiwan was first discovered by the Portuguese in 1517 and the country’s exquisite beauty led the newly-arrived sailors to name it Ilha Formosa (beautiful island). It was the Dutch, however, who finally invaded Taiwan in 1624 and claimed it as part of their empire. The Spanish were soon trying to wrestle control from the Dutch but after 15 years of shared occupation and border rivalry they were defeated and expelled from the country. The Dutch were again in complete control of the country but this wasn’t destined to last long. In 1661 Chengkung, a rebel supporter of the Ming Dynasty, fled to Taiwan with 35,000 troops and overcame the Dutch forces. He too was not destined to rule for long and the Manchus armies of the Qing Dynasty (to which Chengkung was opposed) were soon marching toward Taiwan. They conquered in 1782 and began a period of Chinese domination which would last for over 200 years. During this time the number of Fujianese people in Taiwan rose significantly. Though the Pingpu tribes who had originally inhabited Taiwan had long since been assimilated into the country’s new society, the Gaoshan remained largely unaffected in their mountain hideaway.
In 1895, Chinese rule of Taiwan ended and the country fell into the hands of the Japanese. The years that followed brought a strict Japanese regime which was at best harsh and at worst devastating. The Taiwanese rebelled and declared the country’s independence but this window of freedom was short-lived, and the Japanese soon crushed their rebellion and forced the island back under foreign rule. The Japanese brought with them a new culture which would soon merge with the Fujianese culture which had already begun to dominate the country and it was during this era that the settlers finally overflowed into the mountainous lands of the Gaoshan tribes. Like their fellow aborigines, the Gaoshan were assimilated into the changing culture that was now dominating the land. In the years leading up to the Second World War this cultural assimilation was taking place in all areas of society as the Japanese implemented the Kominka imperialisation project which aimed to instil a sense of “Japanese Spirit†into the Taiwanese people so that they would remain loyal in the up-coming war. Locals were soon being forced to learn the Japanese language and to adopt Japanese religions.
The Japanese guided Taiwan into a stage of development which would see the country excelling beyond mainland China. Taiwan was stepping boldly into a new age but this would be brought to a sudden halt with the start of World War II. Japan was soon calling on Taiwan to provide men and supplies to supplement the Japanese army, and with devastating effects. Tens of thousands of Taiwanese soldiers were killed or injured and the country found itself being bombed by the allied forces. By the end of the war in 1945 the Taiwanese economy was in ruins.
Sovereignty of Taiwan was passed back to the Chinese after Japan’s defeat and so began a new era in the country’s history. The Taiwanese hoped for a return to the peaceful reign of the Chinese but this would not prove to be the case. The country had escaped from the harsh regime of the Japanese and fallen into the hands of the cruel and incompetent Chinese general, Chen Yi. Two years of Taiwanese suffering and Chinese misrule came to a head with the anti-Kuomintang (KMT) party riots of February 1947. The rioters were violently repressed and it is thought that between ten and thirty thousand Taiwanese people were killed. The incident remained taboo in Taiwan until Marshal Law was lifted in 1987 and relatives of the deceased were forced to suffer in silence. Chen Yi was executed for his crimes in 1950.
With mainland China being overcome by the communists in 1949, the KMT retreated to Taiwan. They were no more than tolerated by the Taiwanese people who were unhappy with the way they had treated them. Despite this the KMT party did much good saw the rise of the country as an industrial leader (“Made in Taiwan†labels can now be found across the world). They also began to implement land reform programs which would lead to an impressively equal distribution of wealth throughout the country. Change hit again in 1979 when the USA withdrew recognition of the Republic of China in favour of the People’s Republic of China. More countries would follow and the Republic of China was soon to be a thing of the past.
1986 saw the birth of a new political party, the Democratic Progression Party. They were allowed to run for election despite a governmental ban on new parties and Taiwan soon saw its first true opposition party. Marshal Law ended a year later and the country moved into a new age of political reform which would see the country finally accepting that it would not retake the mainland as the KMT party had originally planned. Unfortunately for Taiwan, China remained determined to take back Taiwan and openly declared that it would invade Taiwan if the country ever declared independence. Since then there have been significant developments toward an independent Taiwan, however, these have been hindered by the high crime rates which hit the country in the late 1990’s.
Now back to the Aborigines for a moment. After years of foreign occupation and rule many of the original tribes have been assimilated into the predominant Taiwanese culture which takes influences from both the Chinese and the Japanese. Of the 26 languages that were once spoken by the Pingpu and Gaoshan tribes ten have become extinct, five are moribund and many others are endangered. Luckily indigenous communities are now endeavouring to revive their traditional cultural practices and to preserve their dying languages. Many of the surviving Taiwanese Aborigines now face economic and social barriers including high unemployment and substandard education. 1996 saw the rise of the Council of Indigenous Peoples which was established to recognise and protect the remaining Aboriginal tribes. It is now hoped that the future will bring both a revival of these indigenous cultures and an improvement in the treatment of indigenous people with Taiwanese society.
Best time to go…
Taiwan experiences two, rather than four, seasons but these vary massively depending on where you are in the country. In the northeast coastal regions winter is mild and constantly wet in a drizzly, British summer type of way. The summer months bring blue skies and high temperatures but they’re punctuated by heavy thunder storms. The southwest of the country is very different with crisp, sunny winters and hot humid summers. Up in the mountains the climate changes again. Here the summer months bring massive thunder storms and torrential rain. The winter is a little drier but still pretty wet. Summer is typhoon season and you should bear this in mind before you travel. It’s always a good idea to check weather reports before you go to ensure you get the most out of your vacation.
Average temperatures sit at 16°C (61°F) in the north and 20°C (68°F) in the south during January, while July brings average temperatures of 28°C (82°F) across the lowlands. Summer temperatures can reach up to 90ºF (35ºC) along the coast.
If you’re planning to travel during summer you should expect higher travel costs and humid weather, but this doesn’t make the experience any less enjoyable. You should try to avoid the Chinese New Year which will cause massive overcrowding on public transport, hiked up prices in hotels and holiday closure of restaurants and attractions. November is commonly thought to be the best time to travel; when you can enjoy the country before the tourists hit and while the weather is still mild.
Getting around…
This is one destination where travelling the country presents no problem what-so-ever! You won’t just be able to get from A to B, you’ll have a whole selection of tempting travel options to get you there!
Plane
Taiwan is not a particularly big country so air travel isn’t really necessary unless you’re in a major hurry. Of course it does offer some incredible views and if you’re trying to see as much as you can in a few short weeks then it will certainly be tempting. You’ll need to book in advance if you’re travelling at weekends or during holidays because the domestic airlines will become particularly busy at these times. You can try flying stand-by but this means a long wait with no guarantee of success and can be frustrating. You’ll need to be careful if you have booked a ticket to ensure that you have checked in at least 30 minutes before departure or your seat could be given to one of the stand-by passengers.
Tickets can usually be purchased over the phone or through a travel agency but sometimes you will be required to actually visit the airport to buy your ticket. It’s significantly cheaper to buy your tickets at a travel agency but in most cases they will not be refundable. Some travel agencies will only provide you will a blank ticket and you will then have to call the airline to actually book onto a flight. In these cases you will not be booked onto the flight until you actually call the airline so it’s always best to check what’s required of you when you buy the ticket.
If you’re planning to travel by plane then it is vital that you remember to turn off your mobile phone and refrain from using any electronic equipment while on the plane. Not doing so could result in a life-sentence.
Train
Trains run frequently to destinations across the country and are generally quite reliable. Though the standard of Taiwan’s rail services does not compare to those found in Europe, they are significantly better than many Asian countries. Travelling by train is more expensive than travelling by bus but you won’t have to contend with traffic and you’ll see some amazing views along the way.
There are two things that you need to remember when travelling by train in Taiwan. Firstly, keep your ticket. This is really important because tickets are checked when you leave the station and if you don’t have one you face a hefty fine. Secondly, buy food before you travel and carry it with you. The food available on the train is not of a high standard and buying food from station shops and stalls will prove much more expensive than buying it before you go.
There are four classes on Taiwan’s train lines; ziqiang (first-class air-conditioned carriage), zuguang (air-condition carriages but slower than ziqiang), fuxing (air-conditioned but both slower and less comfortable than zuguang) and putong (non air-conditioned slow trains used for short journeys). It’s worth noting that the slow putong trains are particularly good for budding travel photographers as the windows can be opened and the views are often stunning.
Bus
Taiwan boasts an efficient and comfortable bus service that will take you almost anywhere in the country. Buses can be significantly faster then trains but only when there’s no traffic. If you’re travelling during peak times (rush hour, weekends and holidays) you’re likely to be in for a long wait and you could see your journey extended by up to six hours. The same rules apply on buses as on trains; keep your tickets and make sure you buy food before you go because it will be extortionately expensive buying it on the way.
There are two types of bus company; public and private. All public bus routes are run by the Taiwan Bus Company. There are two classes; kuokuang (toilet available) and chunghsing (no toilet) and they are both air conditioned. Unfortunately this often means that they’re freezing cold and you might want to dig some extra layers out of your suitcase before you travel. Private bus companies vary widely and will usually offer a lot more perks than public buses. Though smoking is not allowed on public buses it usually is on private buses and you should bear this in mind when deciding which is right for you.
Taxi
Long distance taxis are notorious in Taiwan and you need to be prepared for the wily ways of the drivers. They’ll usually try to convince you that the bus or train that you are intending to catch has been cancelled or has already left but in 90% of cases this is a blatant lie. The only time when you will ever actually need to travel by long distance taxi is if you are travelling to one of Taiwan’s more remote locations. Taxis are significantly more expensive than buses but you can usually find other passengers to share with you and you can even ask the driver to find them for you.
Renting a car
Renting a car in Taiwan is relatively easy. There are both local and international car rental agencies across the country. This is a particularly expensive way to travel and it is also pretty dangerous. The term “insane†covers most of the driving seen in Taiwan’s major cities and though efforts have been made to restore some semblance of order to the country’s roads, it hasn’t worked. Instead a new threat has been created, that of the over-zealous officer who hands out tickets for the most insignificant of traffic offences. For travellers who are unused to country’s frenzied roads driving is a hellish experience that you will want to avoid!
Useful links
www.lonelyplanet.comLonely Planet are leaders in the travel guide sector and their website is a great source of travel information.
www.fco.gov.uk
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s website provides up-to-date political news, travel advice and information on visas
www.asiatravel.com/taiwan/taiinfo.html
For information about the practicalities of travelling to Taiwan.
www.go2taiwan.net
With heaps of information about travelling to Taiwan.
