Journey to Ilha Formosa

By Lee Hyon-soo

Not only do I love to travel, but I also love to share my travel anecdotes with anybody who listens. This article is about a trip to Taiwan, which used to be internationally known as “Formosa” in days gone by. This name dates from 1542, when Portuguese sailors sighted the main island of Taiwan and named it “Ilha Formosa,” which means “Beautiful Island.”

Taiwan with a population of about 24 million is a de facto independent state and calls itself the Republic of China, but its statehood is not recognized internationally due to the so-called “One-China Policy.” So Taiwan participates in international forums and organizations under the name “Chinese Taipei.”

During the latter half of the 20th century Taiwan achieved remarkable economic growth, which was called the “Taiwan Miracle.” Taiwan is one of the “Four Asian Tigers” alongside South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore.

I went to Taiwan to attend a two-week seminar, participated in by 30 people of diverse nationalities. The seminar took place at a hotel situated in the mountain resort, Yangmingshan, in the vicinity of Taipei. Yangmingshan boasts pleasant parks and Chinese-landscaped gardens set in the forest, so it was an excellent choice for our gathering. But when we were there, the weather was quite disagreeable ― rainy and chilly every day ― and, not surprisingly, most of us came down with a cold. Because of this plus the grueling workload we had to endure, we practically locked ourselves in the hotel for the duration of the seminar. On weekends, however, we drove to Taipei for sightseeing.

The city seemed to have a lot to offer to visitors. As I wandered around, I discovered many of the city's delights hidden beneath what seemed at first sight a fairly dull exterior. Equally unexpectedly, I came across some fascinating ancient temples concealed by a confusion of narrow shops-come-houses. My visits to Pao An Taoist Temple and the Temple of Confucius were particularly memorable. The two stand virtually side by side ― fitting proximity considering the fact that Taoism and Confucianism are rooted into much of what we know as Chinese culture.

Of all the things I saw in and around Taipei, I was most impressed by the National Palace Museum. It stands in the thickly wooded hills of Wai Shung Hsi, a short distance from Taipei. The building itself is imposing ― standing like part of a defending great wall ― and the collection of Chinese art within is unique both for its aesthetic excellence and its magnitude. So huge is the collection that it cannot be displayed all at once due to a lack of space in the museum ― instead it is shown in rotation all year round. I was informed by my tour guide that the entire collection was brought there by Chiang Kai-shek when he fled the mainland in 1949.

And how can I forget the superb ten-course dinner that the seminar host arranged for the participants at a five-star hotel? The hotel was grand in size and so unmistakably Chinese in design and mood. It is known for its palatial atmosphere in the Oriental manner. It was a delight to taste many Chinese delicacies that I did not know existed.

After dinner, we were given a leisurely tour of Taipei's famous nightspots. We did cabaret-hopping, among other things and had lots of fun.

Admittedly I only caught a glimpse of Taiwan, and I regret that I did not have the chance to tour Taiwan's beautiful countryside which merits the name Formosa. But the fond memories I brought back from Taiwan still linger in my mind.

The writer is a retired international banker who lives in Toronto, Canada. His other writings are posted on https://blog.daum.net/tom_hslee.