Exploring Taiwan’s Capital of Taipei

Emerging From the Ashes

The Kuomintang lost the Chinese Civil War. As Mao Zedong consolidated power over the mainland, the remnants of the Nationalists fled to the neighboring island of Taiwan. When it became clear that any invasion of this rouge province by the Red Army would end in a blood bath, the remnants of Chang Kai-shek’s forces set up a new government in Taipei. Although they still consider themselves the rightful ruling party of mainland China, nearly a century of growth and prosperity has put Taiwan on a very different path than from their brothers across the strait.

Beaten and battered by defeat, Taiwan rose from the ashes while the mainland was still struggling to pull itself up by its own bootstraps. Along with the likes of Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Korea, Taiwan quickly emerged from the Chinese Civil War stronger and more powerful than ever. As famine and political purging plagued the mainland, Taiwan developed it’s own unique economy and culture across the sea.

Planning on traveling to Kaohsiung? You won’t want to miss the Fo Guang Shan Monastery!

The Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall

When first touching down in Taipei, heading to the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is sure to top your list. Even if you are unfamiliar with East Asian history and politics, the architecture and massive square is an impressive enough sight on its own. Much like the Statue of Zeus or America’s Lincoln Memorial, Sun Yat-sen looks out over the city of Taipei from his massive marble throne.

Sun Yat-sen is known and respected on both sides of the Taiwan Strait as the father of modern China. After centuries of monarchy, China finally transitioned into a democracy under the leadership of Sun Yat-sen. Unfortunately, his party quickly became corrupted and led to further unrest by the people.

Since then the Kuomintang was, literally, beaten into shape and created an economy that could work for all classes of people. Enshrined in the Memorial Hall, Sun Yat-sen is immortalized as a reminder for the people of Taiwan that they are being led by the same noble government that first brought democracy to China.

If you are looking to get off the beaten path in Taipei, check out the abandoned UFOs of Wanli!

The National Palace Museum

It took nearly 30 years for the priceless artifacts of Taiwan’s National Palace Museum to find its home in Taipei. While the nationalists held control of mainland China, this collection was held in the Palace Museum inside the Forbidden City. When the first shots of the Japanese invasion were fired, the collections moved from Beijing to Shanghai to Nanjing and finally to the cities of Leshan and Anshun. At the end of the occupation, the artifacts returned to Nanjing. But not for long.

As soon as the Japanese laid down their arms, shots began to be exchanged between the Nationalists and the Communists. It wasn’t long until the whole of China was under the red banner. The collection of the Palace Museum was moved one last time to its current resting place in Taiwan. While mainland China claims these pieces have been stolen from them, one can only wonder what would have become of these invaluable artifacts if they had remained in the PRC during the cultural revolution.

Are you currently on the mainland? You can read about taking the ferry from the PRC to Taiwan here!

Shilin Night Market

With so much talk of politics, civil war, and controversy, heading to a night market and enjoying a penis-shaped cake is a good way to lighten up the mood. Out of the dozens of markets spread across Taipei, Shilin Night Market is by far the largest in the whole city. With a whopping 500 vendors spewing into the busy Taipei streets, this is a place where once you enter, don’t expect to be finding your way out any time soon.

From gastric delights such as fried squid, stinky tofu, and oyster omelets topping the list, you best come hungry before you start to wander through the stalls. The Shilin Night Market represents so much more than a place to try unique foods and buy cheap souvenirs. This is a place where you can truly immerse yourself in the local culture. With the crowds and stands breaking like waves against the walls of nearby temples, the chaos from the world outside is quickly drowned out by the serenity of the shrine as soon as you walk through the threshold.

Be sure to get off the beaten path in Hong Kong by traveling to Tai O!

Raohe St Night Market

If you are not wanting to fight your way through the crowds to the Shilin Night Market, Raohe Street offers a great alternative with just as great food on a 600m stretch of road. With everything from boba tea to pork pepper buns, the smells from either side of this narrow street are more than enough to make you want to eat your way through this night market every night for dinner.

Much like Shilin Market, you will find all aspects of Chinese/Taiwanese culture embodied in this market. With master chefs working their magic behind the wok and paper lanterns hanging overhead, this is the kind of Asian vacation that you have fantasized about your whole life. Nearby you will also find the famous Ciyou Temple, where you can digest those street foods in a more serene setting.

To truly see Chinese culture come alive, be sure to check out a temple fair!

The Lights of Ximending

The fact that Ximending is often compared to Tokyo’s Shibuya is misleading. While this is an area where you can find the most name brand shops and chain stores, this shopping district of Taipei lacks the whimsical spirit of Japan’s most famous downtown area. The only reason someone would find any interest in Ximending is if they were looking to waste most of their time shopping in Taipei rather than experiencing something they could not back home.

While Raohe and Shilin Night Markets have a distinctive charm about them, Ximending exists as nothing more than a glorified shopping mall. Although noted as being a hub for Taipei’s youth, all you will notice is people wandering the brightly lit stores getting high off of spending too much money. Unless you are really in the need for a pair of jeans, stick to some of the more cultural and authentic sights Taipei has to offer.

Get off the beaten path in Mainland China by checking out the overlooked city of Wuhan!

The View From Elephant Mountain

To truly appreciate a glistening metropolis like Taipei, you will have to take in the view from the top of Elephant Mountain. Located not far from the glassy bamboo stalk of Taipei 101, it is roughly a 20-minute hike up an endless set of stairs leading to the peak. Along the way, there are many platforms where you can make the decision if you are satisfied with the view or not before resuming your journey up the side of the mountain.

On any given evening, you will find lines of tourists and locals alike slowly making their way up Elephant Hill in lines like ants. You are sure to come across many photographers setting up their tripods to get a shot of the orange glow radiating out of Taipei. No matter if you brought a camera or are just looking to take in the skyline in peace, the view from Elephant Mountain overlooking Taipei is sure to be one of the moments that will be imprinted in your memory for years to come.

Looking for more temple fairs in Taiwan? Check out this procession in Tainan!

A Different Side of China

Taiwan has long abandoned its hopes of regaining a foothold in the Chinese mainland and began a journey towards independence. Although the island has its own defacto government separate from the PRC, the list of countries that formally support its claim as an autonomous country is dwindling. Today, there are only around ten nations that recognize the legitimacy of the state of Taiwan.

When exploring the museums, monuments, and night markets, one can not help but see the stunning contrast between the mainland and Taiwan. In many ways, this island is more Chinese than the actual country of China could every be. With no cultural genocides, forced assimilations, and uprooting of the very fabric of the people, the Taiwanese preserve beliefs and ways of life that are long lost in mainland China.

As someone who has spent years studying in the PRC, most of the Chinese folklore has been confined to the pages of textbooks. But on the streets of Taipei, you can simply wander through the city and stumble upon places where traditional culture comes to life.