Tofu. You’ve seen it on the shelves of your supermarket, you’ve seen it on the menu of your favorite Chinese restaurant, but what do you know about it? Did you know that the legend says it was discovered by accident by a feudal lord? Did you know it has been eaten since the times of the Western Han Dynasty, which puts its discovery sometime between 206 B.C. and 8 A.D. They didn’t bother to write down the date, they just ate! What was the accident? Why is it called the “Chinese cheese”? Why has it spread all over the world? And what the heck is it, anyway? Just watch this video for all the answers, and more.
The Presidential Building of the Republic of China was built in 1912, right after the Qing Dynasty was toppled and “the Last Emperor” was kicked off the throne (which is a dramatic story featured in a U.S. movie, directed by Martin Scorcese). All the happenings and transitions that followed are a little complicated for our space here. But you could learn about those dramatic happenings on the mainland and the island here at the Presidential Building. The building was opened to the public in 1995. It has become a symbol for a free Taiwan. It is now a major attraction in Taipei and embodies a lot of the history of Taiwan in the 20th century. You’ve never seen an official building like this one. If you can’t come for a visit anytime soon, you’d better watch this video.
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall was built in 1972 to commemorate the “Father of the Nation” of the Republic of China, whose political struggle ended the rule of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. Mr. Sun (November 12, 1866–March 12, 1925) was a uniting figure in post-imperial China, and remains unique among 20th-century Chinese politicians for being widely revered in both mainland China and Taiwan. The Hall is also a multi-function educational institution and well worth visiting and spending some time there. Come along on our video tour to learn a lot about the man and the beginnings of modern China. Wait until you see the modern theatre and all the arts exhibits that take place in the Hall. It’s fascinating.
What is one of the oldest arts in human history? Something that includes several other arts? Something that takes many people to achieve? Give up? It’s Chinese Opera! And it’s dramatic, scary, funny, loud and noisy, colorful, musical, and a feast to the eyes and ears. It has mime, singing, sword dances, dialog, and even a little “vaudeville”. Chinese Opera got it’s start over 1,200 years ago and over the years has developed over 350 different forms, most named for the area of their origin. Just seeing the costumes and the face painting is worth our video visit to one of the operas in Taipei. And wait until you see the clowns and acrobatics.
Once you come to visit Taiwan, you have many choices of transportaion for getting around. In Taipei, you may want to try out the MRT, the Mass Rapid Transit system. It goes almost everywhere, and it’s cool, it’s clean, and it’s all pretty new. Oh yeah, and it’s RAPID, too. With 5 lines in operation and more planned soon, Taipei is one of the easiest cities to get around in. Let’s look at some of the destinations of the comfortable MRT. Jump on the train! And look for the many works of art, too.
