“The encyclopedia will help Taiwan to better define and promote its culture on the international stage,” said CCA Minister Emile Chih-jen Sheng. “Our site is distinctively Taiwanese.”
The Encyclopedia of Taiwan Web site was established by the CCA in 2005. Featuring public submissions and streaming audio-visual media, the site quickly grew in popularity. In 2006, a “professional version” was added.
The latest edition of the encyclopedia brings the original and seven-volume professional versions together to create a 17,000-entry cultural information resource asset. According to the CCA, around 1,700 writers have contributed to the site, which has an estimated unique content of 75 percent.
As with Wikipedia, the encyclopedia can accept new entries and revisions to existing ones, said CCA-appointed editorial administrator of the site, Yuanliou Publishing Co. “Each entry has been rewritten at least 10 times and the content is highly reliable.”
Wang Shin, a professor at National Taiwan University’s Department of Geography and site contributor, said the encyclopedia is in its infancy and has enormous educational potential. “The public is welcome to participate by adding their own insights and making it ever better.” (PCT-JSM)