Taiwan Today

Cultural tourism offers something for everyone from museums to small towns and folk ceremonies.
 

On April 29, the National Palace Museum in Taipei City celebrated a milestone by showering an unsuspecting visitor with gifts. The lucky resident of New Taipei City represented a welcome return to pre-pandemic tourism volumes by overtaking the total number of guests at the museum in all of 2021. Home to an unparalleled collection of classical Chinese calligraphy, paintings and ceramics, the renowned museum has long been a top choice for foreign and domestic tourists, and since the relaxation of Taiwan’s pandemic control measures in October of last year, the institution has seen a great influx of visitors. Based on this trend, the museum estimates that it will welcome one million guests this year.

Taiwan’s museums date back to the early Japanese colonial period (1895-1945). One of the oldest, now known as the National Taiwan Museum, was opened in 1908 in Taipei with a focus on the natural history of the empire’s colony. The country’s museums now number in the hundreds and are a firm foundation on which the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Tourism Bureau has built a network of cultural, educational and recreational resources that benefit curious locals as well as overseas travelers. Recent tourism campaigns aim to connect travelers to the living version of cultures and ecologies introduced in museums. From 2019 to 2021, 100 townships and districts across the country with distinctive natural features or unique cultural or ethnic legacies, including 12 Hakka communities and 13 Indigenous villages, were awarded the bureau’s “small town” designation and follow-up support to develop their infrastructure and marketing.

Other areas recognized as small towns, like riverside Dadaocheng in Taipei’s Datong District and quiet Maokong atop a hill in the nearby Wenshan District, are already well connected to transportation networks. The capital’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system covers nearly every corner of the city, from hot springs and historical areas to tea culture retreats and fashion hot spots. “With the MRT, it takes no more than 30 minutes to go from downtown areas to sightseeing destinations in the mountains or along the rivers,” said Commissioner Chen Shu-hui (陳淑慧) of Taipei City Government’s Department of Information and Tourism. Aside from its efficiency, the public transportation is itself part of Taipei’s appeal, according to London-based Time Out magazine, which praised the way the elevated sections of the MRT offer riders a peek into everyday street life.

Family Mansion
Tourism Bureau-recognized small towns across the country are actively tapping their historical and cultural resources to expand tourism. One example is in the central city of Taichung, where the head of the Wufeng Culture and Tourism Association guides day-to-day operations at Wufeng Lin Family Gongbaodi Park. Association Chair Derek Lin (林俊明) is a member of the Wufeng Lin family, prominent in Taiwan’s history from the Qing dynasty (1683-1895) and Japanese rule through the post-World War II era. The splendor of the park’s exquisite buildings reflects the status of the mansion’s past residents. The national-level historic site includes both residential and ceremonial buildings such as the Grand Flower Hall with its theatrical stage, designed to entertain banquet guests.

“Old houses tell stories,” Lin said, and through the tourism association, he hopes to share more tales with those who come to the park. When Lin’s plans bear fruit, the elaborate stage in the Grand Flower Hall will come alive with classical plays all year round, evoking the home’s elegant past. “Historical structures can be utilized in many different ways,” Lin said, expressing the philosophy that guides the association in its development of new programs and partnerships. Established in 2020, the organization comprises around 30 representatives from local civic groups, community colleges, farmers’ associations, open-house factories and other tourism-related enterprises that work in cooperation with key public entities like the Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area.
  The scenic area’s jurisdiction does not cover Wufeng, but this is likely to change soon, largely due to the association’s efforts to more effectively integrate the district’s recreation resources. “There are two universities in the area, along with many museums,” he said, specifically citing the Asia University Museum of Modern Art and its striking design by noted Japanese architect Tadao Ando. “Wufeng is a great place to explore,” Lin added. “It’s a prime pick for in-depth tourism and we want to maximize its potential.”

Keeping Faith
Heritage residential structures exhibit a variety of architectural styles, as do ­temples throughout Taiwan’s cities and rural landscapes. Dalongdong Baoan Temple in Taipei’s western district of Datong, for example, features original decorations and prize-winning repair work that maintains the integrity of the two-century-old structure. The religious significance of the temple and the gods it houses is also on full display: at the opening ceremony of 2023’s Baosheng Cultural Festival, the name of which references the god of medicine worshipped at Baoan Temple, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) spoke of the spiritual support people derived from Baosheng temples nationwide during the pandemic. “People were comforted, but they were also ­empowered to overcome the challenges,” she said.

  Temple festivals draw both those who are curious about folk religion and those who are attracted to spectacle. At Baosheng Cultural Festival, performers parade and firework displays are launched to commemorate the god’s birthday on the 15th day of the third lunar month. With the sheer number of gods and temples across the country, there is almost always a celebration of some kind to enjoy. However, the third lunar month is particularly rich in events, as temples dedicated to Mazu, the beloved sea goddess, mark her birthday on the 23rd with pilgrimages that can last more than a week and are usually joined by large, devoted crowds.

With close to a thousand Mazu temples around Taiwan, the prospect of choosing just one might seem overwhelming, but for those who want to see more of the country, there are a number of processions outside Taipei, including from Beigang Chaotian Temple in the western county of Yunlin and Dajia Jenn Lann Temple in Taichung. Visitors seeking an autumn event might consider the Wang Ye boat-burning festivals in southern Taiwan’s coastal towns such as Donggang Township in Pingtung County. The nine-day events are held to honor Wang Ye, divine beings who tour the mortal world to expel evil and disease. They take place every three years, corresponding to the lunar years of the ox, dragon, sheep and dog. In Taiwan, every region and season is rich in museums, sites and ceremonies that add depth of cultural understanding to travel.

Write to Pat Gao at cjkao@mofa.gov.tw