'Taipei' () in
Taiwan is the de facto capital of the
Republic of China (ROC).
Taipei City, the surrounding Taipei County, and the nearby
Keelung City together form the
Taipei metropolitan area but are administered under different local government bodies. Taipei City is a special
municipality administered directly under the
Executive Yuan, while Taipei County and Keelung City are administered as part of
Taiwan Province. ''Taipei'' commonly refers to the whole metropolitan area, while ''Taipei City'' refers to the city proper.
The major industries in the city include electrical and electronic manufacturing, textiles, metals, ship-building, and motorcycle manufacturing.
Pronunciation
The spelling ''Taipei'' derives from the
Wade-Giles romanization ''T'ai-pei'', in which "p" is pronounced like the English "p" in the word "spay" (the unaspirated "p" may sound like a "b" to the layman). To be more specific, it is pronunciated [k.k]['tai'pe].
Hanyu Pinyin, which is mandated by the KMT Taipei City government, and
Tongyong Pinyin, which is mandated by the DPP central government, both reflect this pronunciation, romanizing ''Taipei'' as ''Taibei'', a spelling that is closer to the
Standard Mandarin pronunciation. However, this romanization is very rarely seen. The chinese character "北" is used for both Taipei (台北) and Beijing (北京).
Taipei City has converted many of its street signs to Hanyu Pinyin, but it has retained the original spelling of "Taipei" as an exception since this form has been well-known and heavily used.
Geography
The city of Taipei, as seen from
Maokong.
Taipei City is located in the
Taipei Basin in northern
Taiwan. It is bordered by the
Xindian River on the south, and the
Danshui (Tamsui) River on the west. The northern districts of
Shilin and
Beitou extend north of the
Keelung River and are bordered by
Yangmingshan National Park.
The Taipei city limits cover an area ranked sixteenth of twenty-five among
all counties and cities in Taiwan.
Cising Mountain is located on the Datun Volcano Group and the tallest Mountain at the rim of the Taipei Basin. Its main peak is 1,120m tall (above elevation).
Mt. Datun's main peak is 1092m tall. It is defined as an area in the western section of Yangmingshan National Park, extending from Mt. Datun northward to Mt. Tsaikungkang. Located on a broad saddle between two mountains, the area contains the marshy Datun Pond.
Climate
The average annual temperature is 23.6°C (74.5°F), with a summer average of 29.4°C (84.9°F) and a winter average of 14.9°C (58.8°F).
The pacific typhoon season has no official bounds but most typhoons tend to form between May and November
History
Diagram of Old Taipei revealing the original city wall and gates. Important buildings are highlighted.
The region known as the Taipei basin was home to
Ketagalan tribes before the eighteenth century.
Han Chinese began to settle in the
Taipei Basin in 1709. In the late 19th century, the Taipei area, where the major Han Chinese settlements in northern Taiwan and one of the designated foreign trade port,
Tamsui, were located, gained economic importance due to the boosting foreign trade, especially that of
tea exportation. In 1875, the northern part of Taiwan was separated from Taiwan Prefecture (臺灣府) and incorporated into the new Taipei Prefecture. Having been established adjoining the flourishing townships of
Bangkah and
Twatutia, the new prefectural capital was known as
Chengnei (城內), "the inner city", and government buildings were erected there. From 1875 (during the
Qing Dynasty) until the beginning of Japanese rule in 1895, Taipei was part of Danshui County of Taipei Prefecture and the prefectural capital. Taipei remained a temporary provincial capital before it officially became the capital of Taiwan in 1894.
As settlement for losing the
First Sino-Japanese War, China ceded the island of Taiwan to the
Empire of Japan in 1895. After the Japanese take-over, Taipei, called
'Taihoku' in Japanese, emerged as the political center of the Japanese Colonial Government. Much of the architecture of Taipei dates from the period of
Japanese rule, including the Presidential Building which was the Office of the Taiwan Governor-General.
Taipei City logo
During the Japanese rule, Taihoku was incorporated in 1920 as part of Taihoku Prefecture (台北州). It included
Bangka,
Dadaocheng, and
Chengnei among other small settlements. The eastern village
Matsuyama (松山庄) was annexed into Taihoku City in 1938. Upon the Japanese defeat in the
Pacific War and its consequent surrender in August 1945, Taiwan was taken over by
Chinese Nationalist troops. Subsequently, a temporary Office of the Taiwan Province Administrative Governor was established in Taipei City.
On
December 7 1949, the
Kuomintang (KMT) government under
Chiang Kai-shek established Taipei as the provisional capital of the ROC after the
Communists forced them to flee mainland China. Taipei was also the capital of
Taiwan Province (臺灣省) until the 1960s when the provincial administration was moved to
Chunghsing Village (中興新村) in central Taiwan. (The PRC does not recognize this move and still regards Taipei as the provincial capital of Taiwan.)
As approved on
December 30,
1966 by
Executive Yuan, Taipei became a
centrally administered municipality on
July 1,
1967. In the following year, Taipei City expanded again by annexing
Shilin,
Beitou,
Neihu,
Nangang,
Jingmei, and
Muzha. In 1990, 16 districts in Taipei City were consolidated into the current 12 districts.
Economy
Main articles: Economy of Taiwan
As the capital of Taiwan, Taipei has been at the centre of rapid economic development in the country and has now become one of the global cities in the production of high technology and its components. This is part of the so called
Taiwan miracle which has seen dramatic growth in the city following foreign direct investment in the 1960s. Taipei is now a creditor economy, holding one of the world's largest foreign exchange reserves of more than $500 billion (100 G$) in 1999. Despite the Asian financial crisis, the economy continues to expand at about 5% per year, with virtually full employment and low inflation.
In the 1960s, foreign investment in Taiwan helped introduce modern, labor-intensive technology to the island, and Taiwan became a major exporter of labor-intensive products.
On
July 1,
1970, to further develop
Taiwan international trade activities,
Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) were established as economic growth was accelerating.
The
Taipei World Trade Center was completed in
1985.
In the 1980s, production in Taipei shifted toward increasingly sophisticated, capital-intensive and technology-intensive products for export and toward developing the service sector. At the same time, the appreciation of the New Taiwan dollar (TWD), rising labor costs, and increasing environmental consciousness in Taiwan caused many labor-intensive industries, such as shoe manufacturing, to move to mainland China. Taipei has also invested heavily in mainland China estimated to total more than $100 billion.
However the
Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), was established in 1986 to provide a single, modern venue that would combine
exhibition space,
conference facilities,
offices, and
hotel accommodation for
international business. Its located in the city's
Xinyi District, TWTC combines every possible service that brings together a vast consulting service on trade-related issues, trading partners,
suppliers, and
markets.
The International Trade Building was completed on
1988) and the International Convention Center completed in
1989.
Today well over 100 major Taiwanese and international firms have offices in the city .
See ''
Government and politics
The current mayor of Taipei City is
Hau Lung-bin who won the 2006 mayoral election on
December 9 2006.
The mayor of Taipei City had been an appointed position since Taipei's conversion to a centrally-administered municipality in 1967 until the first public election was held in 1994. The position has a four-year term. The first elected mayor was
Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) of the
Democratic Progressive Party (民主進步黨; DPP), who is currently the
President of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Ma Ying-Jeou took office in 1998 for two terms, before handing over to
Hau Lung-bin.
Based on the outcomes of previous elections in the past decade, the vote of the overall constituency of Taipei City shows a slight inclination towards the pro-KMT camp (the so-called "Blue" camp); however, the supporters of the pro-DPP camp (the so-called "Green" camp) also represent a considerable section of the constituency.
Ketagalan Boulevard, where Taiwan's
Presidential Office Building and other government structures are situated, is often the site of mass gatherings such as inauguration and national holiday parades, receptions for visiting dignitaries, political demonstrations and public festivals.
Administrative divisions
Xìnyì District
Taipei City administers twelve districts (區):
Landmarks and attractions
The
MRT (Taipei's Metro Rapid Transit System) stops at most areas of interest or are easily accessible from the transit system. There are well-marked signs, in both English and Chinese, throughout the stations to get you to your destination quickly. They have above and below ground lines. The above ground lines are particularly good, and cheap, for sightseeing. An automated system tells you each stations name when approached, in English and Mandarin. The city has the highest wireless penetration in the world, with the
internet being accessible through a city wide
Wi-Fi network consisting of over 20,000 access points.
[1]
Taipei 101
Main articles: Taipei 101
Taipei 101 at night
is a 101-floor
landmark skyscraper that claimed the title of
world's tallest building when it opened in 2004. Designed by
C.Y. Lee & Partners and constructed by
KTRT Joint Venture, Taipei 101 remains the
tallest completed skyscraper in the world, measuring 449 m (1,474 ft) from ground to roof. (The tallest incomplete skyscraper is the
Burj Dubai now under
construction in
Dubai,
UAE). Taipei 101 also set new records for ascending elevator speed. The landmark has won numerous international awards for its innovations. Its Indoor and Outdoor Observatories draw visitors from all over the world and its New Year's Eve fireworks display is a regular feature of international broadcasts.
Presidential Office Building
The
Presidential Office Building, formerly Chieh Shou Hall (介壽館; Jiè Shòu Guǎn), has been the seat of Taiwan's
executive branch of government since 1950. The historical structure was the residence of the 'Office of the
Governor-General of Taiwan', during Taiwan's
Japanese colonial period.
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
The National
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall () is a monument erected in memory of
Chiang Kai-shek, former
President of the Republic of China, in Taipei. Despite protests and controversy surrounding the renaming, it was renamed
[2], 'National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall' ().
[3], by President
Chen Shui-bian on
2007-05-19. The monument, surrounded by a park and a large square incorporating the
National Concert Hall and
National Theater, stands within sight of Taiwan's
Presidential Building in Taipei's
Zhongzhen District.
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
The National Dr.
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is a memorial to one of the most recognizable founding fathers of the
Republic of China,
Sun Yat-sen, and was completed on
May 16,
1972. From the opening of the hall, majority of the exhibits displayed were revolutionary events of the national founding fathers at the end of the
Qing Dynasty. However, recently its function moved toward a multi-purpose
social,
educational and
cultural center for the Taiwan public. The Memorial Hall is within walking distance to Taipei 101.
The Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel is a top hotel in the city. The hotel was established in the May of
1952, but it was expanded several times before it became the landmark as it is known today. The swimming pool, tennis court, and the membership lounge were constructed in
1953, and Golden Dragon Pavilion and Golden Dragon Restaurant opened in
1956. The Jade Phoenix Pavilion and Chi-Lin Pavilion opened in
1958 and
1963, respectively. In
1968, the hotel was rated as one of the world's top ten hotels by the
US ''
Fortune'' magazine. And finally, in the
Double Tenth Day of
1973, the main Grand Hotel building was completed, making it an instant Taipei icon. In June
1995, a disastrous fire broke out on the roof and it didn't recover until 1998.
Night Markets and Shopping Districts
Main articles: Shopping in Taipei
Interior of Shilin Night Market
Taipei has many night markets, most famous of which is the
Shilin Night Market in the
Shilin District of the city. The surrounding streets by Shilin Market get extremely crowded during the evening. Most night markets in Taiwan open around 4
p.m. as students begin returning home from school, crowds reach their peak between 8 and 11 p.m. Businesses continue operating well past
midnight and close around 1 to 2
a.m.
Shilin Night Market has since become the largest and most well known night market in Taiwan, especially with regards to food, and is a favorite focal point for Taipei's
night life among residents and visitors alike. The night market encompasses two distinct sections sharing a symbiotic relationship: a section formerly housed in the old Shihlin Market building containing mostly food vendors and small eateries; and the surrounding businesses and shops selling other nonfood items.
Due to safety, sanitation, and fire hazard concerns, the old Shilin Market structure was demolished in October 2002 by the Taipei City Government; the food vendors formerly based within the old structure were relocated to a newer temporary structure a few hundred meters away next to the
MRT Jiantan Station.
Ximending became the famous theater street in Taipei from 1930s and the prosperity proceeded after the defeat of Japan.
Other market areas of note include
Taipei Underground Market (with multiple entrances to/from Taipei Railway Station, K-Mall, and Shin Kong
Mitsukoshi),
Zhongshan Metro Mall,
Dihua Street and
Guanghua Bazzar.
Museums
Main articles: List of museums in Taipei
The National Palace Museum.
The
National Palace Museum is an
art gallery and
museum built around a permanent collection centered on
ancient Chinese artifacts. It should not be confused with the
Palace Museum in
Beijing (note the absence of the word "National" in the latter). Both institutions trace their origins to the same institution. The collections were divided in the 1940s as a result of the
Chinese Civil War. The National Palace Museum in Taipei, now boasting a much more international collection, still remains most famous for housing one of the world's largest collections of artifacts from ancient China. The museum reopened in December 2006 after several years of extensive renovations.
The
Taipei Fine Arts Museum was established in
December 24,
1983. It is also the first
modern art museum. The artworks in the museum are mostly done by
Taiwanese artists. There are more than 3,000 artworks in the museum. Most of them are done after
1940 by Taiwanese artist, and are organized into 13 groups. In
2000, there were exhibitions of digital technology arts in the museum. In
2001, Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei (台北當代藝術館;MOCA Taipei) was established in the Taipei City government old building.
The
National Taiwan Museum is the oldest museum in
Taiwan. It was set up by the colonial government of
Japan on October 24, 1908 to commemorate the inauguration of the North-South Railway during the
Japanese rule in Taiwan. The colonial government of Japan set up the Taiwan Governor Museum . The museum had a collection of over 10,000 items in its initial stages. In 1915, the new building of the museum in Taipei New Park was inaugurated and became one of the major public buildings during
Japanese rule.
The Armed Forces Museum
[2] is the only military styled museum in Taiwan. Exhibits include:
★ ''establishment of
Whampoa Army to reunion after the
Northern Expedition''
★ ''The 8-Year War of Resistance was time of tribulation''
★ ''Counterinsurgency Campaign and Battle of the Taiwan Strait''
★ ''The Modernized R.O.C Armed Forces''
★ ''Arms Showroom''
★ ''Ministers & Chiefs of the General Staff in History''
The museum is located at No.243, Sec. 1, Guiyang St., Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 100, Taiwan (R.O.C.) (100 臺北市中正區貴陽街 一段243號), open every Monday to Saturday from 9am to 4pm(每週一至六 09：00~16：00)
Libraries/Bookstores
Taipei has the
National Central Library and 60 branches of the
Taipei Public Library across the city. There is also a 24 hour book store at the 'Eslite Tunhua' store
[3][4] from the Eslite Bookstore chain.
Temples
Longshan Temple,
Taipei, an example of architecture with southern Chinese influences commonly seen in older buildings in Taiwan.
The
Longshan Temple is a famous
temple in
Taiwan. The Wanhua temple of Taipei was built in
1738 by settlers from
Fujian,
China. It served as a place of worship and a gathering place for the Chinese settlers. The temple has been destroyed either in full or in part on numerous earthquakes and fires. In the spring of 1945, it was even hit by American bombers who claimed the Japanese were hiding armaments inside. Taipei residents have nevertheless consistently rebuilt and renovated it, and did so again after the close of the
Second World War a few months later. Lungshan is seen as an emblematic example of Taiwanese classical architecture.
Like most temples in
Taiwan, the Temple worships a mixture of
Buddhist,
Taoist, and folk deities such as
Matsu.
The
Taipei Taiwan Temple is the 31st operating
temple of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and is located in
Taipei City ,
Republic of China (
Taiwan).
The country of
Taiwan was first introduced to the LDS Church in the mid 1950s. The Taipei Taiwan Temple was announced in
1981 and Church leaders decided to build on the site of the mission home in the center of Taipei.
On
November 17,
1984, President
Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Taipei Taiwan Temple. The temple is built on one-half of an acre and has over 16,000 square feet with an exterior of white ceramic tile. There are four ordinance rooms and three sealing rooms.
Parks
Parks and forestry areas of note in and around the city include
Yangmingshan National Park,
Taipei Zoo and
Da-an Forest Park. Yangmingshan, famous for its cherry blossoms,
hot springs, sulfur deposits is the home of famous writer
Lin Yutang, the summer residence of
Chiang Kai-shek, residences of foreign diplomats, the
Chinese Culture University, the meeting place of the now defunct
National Assembly of the Republic of China, and the
Kuomintang Party Archives. The Taipei Zoo was founded in 1914.There is a great place for younger and children.
Maokong Gondola
Recently constructed, the
Maokong Gondola connects Taipei to the various temples and famed tea growing areas in
Maokong. Operated by the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC), it runs between
Taipei Zoo Station to the top of Maokong mountain. A spectacular view of Taipei can be seen at night.
Festivities and events
Many yearly festivals are held in Taipei, including the Taipei
Lantern Festival and
Double Ten Day. Common locations for festival celebrations include
Memorial Square,
Taipei 101, and the Zhongshan plaza in
Xinmending. In recent years some festivals traditionally held in Taipei, such as the Double Ten Day fireworks and concerts, have increasingly been hosted by other cities in Taiwan.
Taipei in Films
★
Edward Yang's
(drama)
★
Ang Lee's
Eat Drink Man Woman (comedy)
★
Hou Hsiao-hsien's
Three Times (drama)
★
Sylvia Chang's
20 30 40 (romance)
★
Hsiao-ming Hsu's
Love of May (romance)
★
Chen Kuo-Fu's
Double Vision (horror/suspense)
★
Chao-Pin Su's
Silk (horror/suspense)
★
Turn Left, Turn Right (
Hong-Kong studio, filmed on location in Taipei)
Transportation
All scheduled international flights are served by
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in nearby
Taoyuan County.
Songshan Airport at the heart of the city serves mostly domestic flights, with the exception of some charter flights.
Taipei's public transport system, MRT (Mass Rapid Transit), also known as
Metro Taipei, incorporates a
light rail system based on advanced
VAL technology with its conventional
metro. Both are currently undergoing significant expansion. Unlike most
rail transport in Taiwan which follow the Japanese practice and have trains running on the left, the Taipei public transport system runs its trains on the right.
The 'Taipei Rapid Transit System' ('TRTS') is one of the most expensive rapid transit systems ever constructed, with the initial phase costing over US$18 billion. Since its completion, the TRTS has reduced travel time from one end of Taipei to the other from up to three or more hours to less than an hour, and has been effective in relieving some of
Taipei's traffic congestion problems. The system has also proved effective as a catalyst for
urban renewal, as well as increasing tourist traffic to outlying cities such as
Danshui.
In addition to the rapid transit system itself, the TRTS also includes several public facilities such as
Maokong Gondola, underground shopping malls, parks, and public squares. Modifications to existing
railway lines to integrate into the MRT are underway.
Ximen station
In
1967, the
Taiwan Government researched the possibility of constructing a
rapid transit network in the
Taipei metropolitan area; however, the plan was shelved due to fiscal concerns and the belief that such a system was not urgently needed at the time. With the increase of traffic congestion accompanying economic growth in the
1970s, the need for a rapid transit system became more pressing.
The
Executive Yuan approved the initial network plan for the system on
May 27,
1986. Construction on the TRTS began on
December 15,
1988. The system opened on
March 28,
1996 with 10.5 km available on the
Muzha Line, a
medium-capacity line, with twelve stations between Zhongshan Junior High School to Taipei Zoo. The first heavy-capacity line, the
Danshui Line, was opened on
March 28,
1997 between Danshui to Zhongshan Station.
On
December 24,
1999, a section of the
Banqiao/Nangang Line was opened between
Longshan Temple and Taipei City Hall. This section became the first east-west line running through Taipei City and connects the two previously completed north-south lines.
The TRTS was the center of political controversy during its construction and shortly after the opening of its first line in 1996 due to incidents such as computer malfunction during a thunderstorm, alleged structural problems in some elevated segments, budget overruns, and fare prices. However, by the time the first phase of construction was completed in
2000, it was generally agreed that the project was a success. The system has since become an essential part of life in Taipei.
On
September 17,
2001,
Typhoon Nari flooded all underground lines, including 16 stations, the heavy-capacity system operation control center, the administration building and the Nangang
Depot. On
May 31,
2006, the second stage of the Banqiao / Nangang Line and the
Tucheng Line began operation. Currently the TRTS network has 7 lines totalling 77
km and 69 stations, with expansion continuing. In
June 2007, TRTS achieved daily ridership of 1,099,468 riders.
[4] In terms of daily ridership, TRTS is larger than
Washington D.C.'s Metrorail (564,000 in
FY 2006) and
Bay Area Rapid Transit (322,965 in
FY 2006) in the
San Francisco Bay Area.
On
July 4,
2007, the
Maokong Gondola, a brand new
aerial lift/cable-car system, was opened to public. The system connects the
Taipei Zoo,
Zhinan Temple and Maokong.
Taipei Main Station serves as the comprehensive hub for bus transportation, the Metro, Taiwan Rail, and Taiwan High Speed Rail.
The
Taiwan High Speed Rail system opened in 2007. The bullet trains connect Taipei with the west coast cities of
Banciao,
Taoyuan,
Hsinchu,
Taichung,
Tainan and
Zuoying (
Kaohsiung) at speeds that cut travel times by 60% or more from what they normally are on a bus or conventional train.
An extensive city bus system serves metropolitan areas not covered by the MRT. Sometimes buses require payment upon boarding, sometimes upon exiting. Many routes, due to length, require payment upon both boarding and exiting. Riders of the city MRT system are able to use their MRT passes on buses. The pass, known as Easy Card, contain credits that are deducted each time a ride is taken. The Easy Card, Taipei's equivalent to
Hong Kong's
Octopus Card, is read via proximity sensory panels on buses and in MRT stations, and need not be removed from wallet or purse.
Motor-scooters are ubiquitous in Taipei (and much of Taiwan). Motor-scooters are not subject to some conventional traffic laws, and generally thread between cars and occasionally through oncoming traffic. A loophole in Taiwan's motor vehicle laws ensures that in any accident between a motor-scooter and another vehicle, the other vehicle is at fault.
Education
The
National Taiwan University is located in Taipei established in 1945 . NTU has produced many political and social leaders in Taiwan. Both the
pan-blue and
pan-green movements in Taiwan are rooted on the NTU campus.
The University has six campuses in the greater Taipei region (including
Taipei County) and two additional campuses in
Nantou County, amounting to ~1% of the total area of the
Taiwan island. The University governs farms, forests, and hospitals for educational and research purposes. The main campus is in Taipei's Da-An district, where most department buildings and all the administrative buildings are located. Notable exceptions are the College of Law and the College of Medicine, which are located near the
Presidential Building (Taiwan).
[5]
The predecessor of National Taiwan University was
Taihoku Imperial University (台北帝國大学 Taihoku Teikoku Daigaku), founded by the Japanese Government in
1928, as a member of the
imperial universities in the
Empire of Japan. The first president was
Hiroshi Shidehara. When Taihoku Imperial University was first established, it had two colleges: the College of Liberal Arts and Law, and the College of Science and Agriculture, and had a total of 60 students. The College of Medicine and the College of Engineering were added in 1936 and 1943, respectively. The university was for Japanese nationals and very few Taiwanese people were admitted.
After
World War II and the return of Chinese control, the
Republic of China government renamed it as National Taiwan University on November 15,
1945 and appointed
Lo Tsung-lo as the first president. The University has undergone multiple times of reorganization ever since. As of the 2004 academic year, the University has a total of 11 colleges, 54 departments, and 96 graduate institutes (which offer 96 Master's programs and 83 doctoral programs). The number of students reached 29,877 in
2004, including those enrolling in the Division of Continuing Education & Professional Development. A new library was built in 1998, and now contains over 3,000,000 volumes of books.
[6]
The educational system in NTU is very similar to
United States. The university offers degrees of
Bachelor,
Master and
PhD in almost every discipline. Students are given the flexibility to select courses offered by any colleges, however the mandatory subjects set by each of the majors still need to be completed to be awarded a degree. A student must declare a major before admission. Some majors are more competitive than others and require a higher national examination score. Traditionally,
medicine,
electrical engineering, and
law are the three most selective majors. The medical degree takes 7 years to finish, while most of the other majors take 4 years.
NTU requires most of its undergraduate students to take a mandatory
core curriculum, comprising Chinese, Freshman English,
R.O.C. Constitution,
Calculus, and (Western or Chinese) History. The medical school in addition dictates each of its students to take
Philosophy and
Sociology classes as well as seminars in
Ethics and
Thanatology.
Military Training is no longer obligatory for males, but it is a prerequisite if the student plans to be an officer during his mandatory military service.
National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU or
Shida) likewise traces its origins to the Japanese colonial period. Originally a teacher training institution, NTNU has developed into a comprehensive international university with demanding entrance requirements. The university boasts especially strong programs in the humanities and international education. Worldwide it is perhaps best known as home of the
Mandarin Training Center, a program that offers Mandarin language training each year to over a thousand students from dozens of countries throughout the world. The main campus in Taipei's Guting district is known for its historic architecture and giving its name to the Shida Night Market, one of the most popular of the many night markets in Taipei.
The
National Taiwan University of Science and Technology was founded in 1974 and the
Taipei National University of the Arts in 1982.
Sports
Due to Taiwan being under American and Japanese influence over the years, the sports of
baseball in particular and
basketball have become popular in the city. Taipei, like the rest of the country, has featured most prominently in baseball and has often been the venue for the
Asian Baseball Championship since the 1960s.
Major sport events
★
1962: Taipei -
Asian Baseball Championship
★
1969: Taipei-
Asian Baseball Championship
★
1997: Taipei -
Asian Baseball Championship
★
2001: Taipei -
Asian Baseball Championship
★
2007:
Baseball World Cup
★
2009: Taipei - 21st Summer
Deaflympics in 2009
The
Taipei Arena is located in the city home to baseball with a capacity of some 15,000. It is located at the site of the former
Taipei Municipal Baseball Stadium (built in 1958, opened 1959, demolished 2000). It was designed by Archasia, an architectural firm established in Taipei. The arena was opened on December 1st, 2005. It is currently operated by the Eastern Media Group (東森集團), which won the bid to operate the arena for 9 years.
The main arena has an adjustable floor space: its minimum floor space is 60m x 30m, and can be extended to 80m x 40m.
The Chinese Taipei Ice Hockey League (CTIHL) plays out of the auxiliary arena, which is a 60m x 30m ice skating rink.
Since opening in 2005, the arena has held more art and cultural activities (such as live concerts) than sporting events, which it was originally designed and built for.
Taipei has the only
football-
specific stadium in Taiwan,
Chungshan Soccer Stadium, which hosts the
national football team. It hosts qualifiers for the
FIFA World and
AFC regional cups, and finals of school football tournaments. No other sporting events are held there.
Media
As the capital, Taipei City is the headquarters for many television and radio stations in Taiwan and the centre of some of the country's largest newspapers.
Television
Television stations centred in Taipei include the
CTS Education and Culture,
CTS Recreation,
CTV MyLife,
CTV News Channel,
China Television,
Chinese Television System,
Chung T'ien Television,
Dimo TV,
Eastern Television,
Era Television,
FTV News,
Follow Me TV,
Formosa TV,
Gala Television,
Public Television Service,
SET Metro,
SET News,
SET Taiwan,
Sanlih E-Television,
Shuang Xing,
TTV Family,
TTV Finance,
TTV World,
TVBS,
TVBS-G,
TVBS-NEWS,
Taiwan Broadcasting System,
Videoland Television Network and
Taiwan Television.
Newspapers
Newspapers include
Apple Daily,
Central Daily News,
The China Post,
China Times,
Kinmen Daily News,
Liberty Times,
Mandarin Daily News,
Matsu Daily,
Min Sheng Bao,
Sharp Daily,
Taipei Times,
Taiwan Daily,
Taiwan News,
Taiwan Times
and
United Daily News.
Pictures
References
1. The 10 Most Connected Cities in the World
2. [1]
3. 民主紀念館揭牌 總統：大中至正改自由廣場'', Central News Agency, 2007/05/19''
4. Daily ridership counts: June 2007
5. http://www.ntu.edu.tw/english/about%20ntu/location/ntumap.htm]
6. Detailed Outline of University History
See also
★
Chinese Taipei
★
Kaohsiung City
★
List of districts of Taipei by area
★
List of districts of Taipei by population
★
List of districts of Taipei by population density
★
List of libraries in Taipei
★
List of schools in Taipei
★
List of sister cities of Taipei
★
Political divisions of the Republic of China
External links
★
Taipei City Government Official Website
★
Taipei Travel Net
★
Taipei Atis Web
★
Taipei e-services
★
Discovery Taipei
★
Healthy Taipei City
★
List of Sister Cities from the official site
★
Taipei City Council
.JPG)
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