A number of Taiwan's cultural, ecological, and historical sites
have long been a source of pride among the island's population.
Efforts are now being made to include these treasures on
UNESCO's list of world heritage sites. Although it is an uphill
battle, the campaign is gaining momentum.
The appeal and popularity of world-class tourist sites often depend on the unique character of a particular spot, such as Taiwan's Taroko Gorge and Mount Ali, both of which attract local and overseas tourists. Few visitors to the island would likely leave with the impression that Taiwan is a featureless destination once they have seen the spectacular vistas of the gorge or traveled on one of the world's three greatest mountain railways on Mount Ali. These two sites are so unique that efforts are being made to add them to the list of world heritage sites compiled by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Better known for its economic miracle and burgeoning democracy, Taiwan is apparently capturing international attention for exploring its legacies for all mankind.
The project to identify and protect world heritage sites threatened by wars, natural disasters, environmental changes, and industrial development dates back to 1972, when UNESCO's General Conference adopted the Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. To this day, 730 sites around the world have been recognized as world heritage sites. They range from the well-known to the obscure, and have been chosen based on criteria outlined in UNESCO's Operational Guide lines by the World Heritage Committee, which consists of representatives from 21 countries.
Because Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, it is unlikely that UNESCO will soon include any of Taiwan's sites on its list. This, however, has not deterred the Cabinet-level Council for Cultural Affairs (CCA) from preparing Taiwan's most notable sites of interest for possible consideration by the international organization. "We should focus on what we can do and be ready for inspection at a moment's notice," says Tchen Yu-chiou, the CCA chairwoman. "It's a waste of time to worry about political barriers since that's beyond our control." She adds that the political environment is subject to change, and when the time is right, Taiwan can apply to have its worthy attractions listed as world heritage sites.
The council first began to promote the concept of world heritage in 2001 with the launch of Taiwan World Heritage Days, an international campaign to raise public awareness that originated in France in 1984. Related activities to support the campaign were held in mid-September that year at the Tamsui Huwei Fortress, located in northern Taiwan and designated a historical site by the Ministry of the Interior in 1985.
Furthermore, the CCA declared 2002 as Cultural Environment Year with a focus on world heritage. Eleven sites were recommended by a panel of historians, experts, and local governments and communities as candidates for consideration by UNESCO. These sites included internationally known attractions as well as those that receive more attention domestically, such as the 23-kilometer Old Mountain Line in central Taiwan. Built in 1908, the railway is notable for its construction through difficult topography. Although the line was closed down five years ago, it continues to draw tourists and media attention domestically; however, it may be some time before it captures the interest of overseas visitors.
In October 2002, three international experts were invited to assess these 11 finalists, including Yukio Nishimura, a vice president of the International Council On Monuments and Sites, a nongovernmental organization offering assistance to UNESCO's World Heritage Committee. Following their advice, the CCA categorized the sites based on how unique and well prepared they are for inspection by UNESCO. Focus will fall on the four sites listed in the first of three categories: Taroko Gorge, Mount Ali, the Peinan Culture Site, and Chilan Forest. Peinan contains the largest prehistoric burial site on the Pacific Rim, while Chilan Forest is famous for its old-growth cypress. The experts' report also encouraged the CCA to add Yushan National Park to the list due to its rich natural landscape and biodiversity.
Because the campaign to have its attractions recognized by UNESCO is so recent, Taiwan has a long way to go before achieving its goal. "We still lack the complete data related to the preservation of the sites, such as exact traffic figures and environmental indicators," Tchen notes. Meanwhile, many other sites, especially those in the second and third categories, need to be further explored. "Comparative analysis of world heritage sites that are similar to candidate sites in Taiwan is also insufficient," she adds.
Equally important is the task of making these sites known to the public. "It's essential to encourage people's identification with the sites; otherwise, it's pointless to make regulatory measures to protect them," notes Wang Shin, professor at National Taiwan University's Department of Geography. Lesser known sites will require more publicity, such as Chinkuashih, a former mining town in northern Taiwan that is unique for its geography and colonial history. "Most people know little about the stories behind these places, but they absolutely convey messages that are deserving of the world's attention," he adds.
Support from residents living near or on potential world heritage sites is another crucial factor in the CCA's bid to promote Taiwan's sites. For example, the failure to establish a national park on Orchid Island due to islanders' opposition has dampened efforts to preserve the offshore island, with its unique aboriginal culture, as a world heritage site. The same can be said of Chilan Forest, where indigenous peoples oppose the creation of a national park on their traditional homeland.
National parks are protected by strict regulations. Kinmen, Yangminshan, Taroko Gorge, and Yushan are all national parks as well as world heritage candidates. Kinmen, a group of islands located off the southeastern coast of China and an important military outpost, is unique as the stepping-stone for Han Chinese migration from the mainland to Taiwan. Yangminshan National Park is a volcanic site home to geysers and hot springs, unique for its geothermal activities.
While much needs to be done to prevent the sites from deteriorating, there is also a need to preserve and restore these destinations. On Orchid Island, for example, modern housing units have mushroomed in recent years, mixing with the traditional homes that once constituted the unique feature of the island, says Monica Kuo, president of the Chinese Institute of Landscape Architects in Taiwan. The phenomenon is not uncommon in Taiwan, where few integrated building projects exist. Kuo adds that Taiwan might learn a lesson from China in this respect as its government is serious about tearing down buildings that are incompatible with their surroundings to have areas qualify as world heritage sites. As a democratic country, however, Taiwan would certainly find it hard to do the same.
Although the chance of getting its attractions recognized as world heritage sites in the near future is a long shot, Taiwan should nevertheless continue to promote the concept. "The more the rest of the world is unwilling to accept them, the more we should be concerned with them," says Wang Shin. Besides, as Monica Kuo observes, attempts made to meet criteria recognized by the international community will improve the standards used to assess the efforts to protect assets in general.
In the process of exploring potential world heritage sites in Taiwan, the public is becoming more aware of the island's features, including those not included on the CCA's list. These features help distinguish Taiwan on the world stage and prompt residents to identify with their homeland. The emphasis on preservationism is also helping society find value in cultural rituals and oral traditions, such as the pilgrimage of the folk deity Matsu, which takes place in the third lunar month. The discussion of protecting intangible cultural treasures began as early as 1972, but the first instance was not announced until 2001 when UNESCO officially recognized 19 masterpieces in this category, including China's Kun opera.
According to the CCA's Tchen Yu-chiou, local governments are surprisingly responsive to concern for Taiwan's potential world heritage sites. Many have published information on such sites that are under their administrative control and filled out forms that detail their merits and demerits. The CCA is therefore optimistic about its five-year project, which began this year and involves a panel of experts that assists local governments in protecting potential world heritage sites.
At the same time, the private sector is beginning to recognize the value of establishing world heritage sites on Taiwan. A case in point is the New York-based World Monuments Fund's World Monuments Watch project funded by the American Express Foundation. Two historical sites, a village in Wangan, Penghu, and a cluster of private houses in Anping, Tainan, have been nominated to be included in a book documenting 100 cultural sites around the world, which is scheduled for publication next year. The World Monuments Watch has listed 100 of the world's most treasured but endangered historical sites every two years since 1996 and has become a highly prestigious project. The project's judges are also free from political concerns when making their selection, unlike UNESCO. Tchen Yu-chiou believes that similar private projects will help Taiwan protect its legacies as awareness among the public of the urgency to protect precious local heritage is increasing.
Economic strengths aside, Taiwan is relying on its cultural and natural beauty to attract more attention from around the world. Although a booming tourist trade may follow as a result, the CCA's objective is greater than that. "The CCA's aim is to protect the legacies. If we do the job well and set up rules regulating the tourist industry, Taiwan naturally can attract more tourists," Tchen says. Indeed, tourism can be a sustainable industry only if people can wisely make use of cultural and natural assets, whereas tourism based upon the exploitation of resources would only burst like a bubble in the end. Fortunately, Taiwan is gradually becoming less myopic when facing the issue of developing tourism, evidenced by the government's effort to include local treasures in UNESCO's list of world heritage sites. These sites, after all, do not belong to Taiwanese alone; they are to be shared with people around the world.