How did Taiwan get its name?

Portuguese explorers, back in the mid 1500s, named Taiwan, “Isla Formosa,” meaning “Beautiful Island.”  Many still use the name today; “Formosa”, and “Ihla Formosa,” are used as well.

It was the Dutch who got the name “Tainan” from the indigenous aborigines who lived there when they arrived to colonize the island in 1624. How the name Tainan originally came to be has many theories. Most believe it was the name of an actual indigenous tribe.

In 1684, the Chinese officially changed the name to Taiwan, which has remained ever since. Taiwan is officially known as the Republic of China.  Taiwan is self-governing, but China considers Taiwan its 23^rd province.

Where is Taiwan Located?

Taiwan is located in southeastern Asia.  Taiwan is a group of islands; the main island of Taiwan, plus several smaller islands, known as the Pescadores archipelago.  The main island is bordered by the South China Sea, the East China Sea, the Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean.  Taiwan lies about 100 miles off the coast of southeastern China.  Several of the islands are disputed and claimed by other nations.

The oval-shaped, main island of Taiwan is about 245 miles long and 90 miles wide.  Almost two-thirds of the island is covered by beautifully forested mountains with 258 peaks that rise over 9,850 ft. high. The largest, is Jade Mountain, peaking at 13,042 ft. 

The mountainous terrain is the result of the island’s location.  It sits on the fault line of two tectonic plates and was formed after a dramatic geological upheaval four to five million years ago.  It also sits on the Tropic of Cancer, placing it at the same latitude as Hawaii. Taipei is the capital city and located in the north.

As mountains dominate the center and rugged east coast, most of the population lives on the island’s western third, in an alluvial plain.  Taiwan suffers from typhoons.  The season usually comes into effect in late summer and can be devastating.

A Brief History of Taiwan

Taiwan aborigines have inhabited Taiwan for over 5000 years.  They largely kept to themselves until the Dutch invaded them in 1624 and founded a small colony on the southwest coast of Taiwan.  The Dutch found the island to be very profitable and it was used for trading a variety of products like: sugar, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, rice and silk. 

It didn’t last long, as a strong, military leader, named Zheng Chenggong, was eyeing Taiwan for himself.  He was hoping to destroy the newly founded Qing Dynasty.  The Dutch were forced to surrender in 1662.  However, the victory did not last long.  Zheng died shortly after the conquest, from malaria and the Qing forces attacked the island in 1683.  Taiwan then became part of the Chinese Empire. 

The Qing were going to abandon Taiwan completely, deeming it a worthless territory, but ended up keeping it.  During this time, there was mass famine and poverty in China.  So, although the Chinese were banned from migrating from the Chinese mainland, many fled, mostly from nearby Fujian province, in search of a better life.  Many ethnic Chinese Han from Fujian started to marry the Taiwanese aborigines.  In fact, most Taiwanese today have aboriginal blood.

Due to the strategic location of Taiwan, it started to draw attention from other powers in the west and also from Japan.  In was late 1871, was the first Japanese invasion.  The French, when they were fighting with China over Vietnam, arrived and occupied Keelung and the Penghu islands.  Beijing took notice and was forced to improve the island with forts and a railway.  It was during this time that Taiwan earned its status as a province.  Prior to 1885, Taiwan was considered part of Fuijian.

As a result of war between China and Japan, (which had nothing to do with Taiwan), the Qing Empire ceded Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, giving control to Japan in 1895.  The Japanese takeover changed Taiwan’s history forever.  Many Taiwanese were not happy with this arrangement and resisted and many died. 

Despite this, the Japanese made many improvements to life in Taiwan.  They tackled widespread disease, expanded railways and built roads.  Many improvements of this time can still be seen in both the culture and architecture of Taiwan.  At the end of World War II, Japan renounced its colonies and Taiwan became part of the Republic of China.

In 1949, Chinese communist armies defeated Nationalist forces on the mainland and established the People’s Republic of China.  The Nationalist government and armies fled to Taiwan, resulting once again in a separation from the mainland.  The Republic of China claimed jurisdiction over the Chinese mainland as well as Taiwan.  Although in the early 1990s, Taiwan’s government dropped this claim to China.  

The Chinese government in Beijing maintains that they have jurisdiction over Taiwan.  To this day, it remains to be seen if, when, or how the two entities will be reunited.  Today, the Democratic Progressive Party holds power in Taiwan and they have just re-elected their first female president, for a second term.

Taiwanese Culture

Taiwan is home to nearly 24 million people and is in the top 20 most densely populated countries in the world. The population is made up of 97.7% ethnically Chinese, with 2.3% indigenous people. The official language is Mandarin Chinese, however, Taiwanese is also commonly spoken.  English is taught as a second or third language in schools. Japanese was the official language during their reign over Taiwan.  The vast majority, 93 % of the population, is Buddhist, with 5%  being Christian.

In addition to the western calendar, they also go by the lunar calendar and many of their traditional holidays are based around important dates like: the Chinese New Year, the Dragon Festival, Chinese Valentine’s Day, Ghost Month and the Full Moon Festival, to name a few.  The famous Lantern Festival concludes the Lunar New Year season, when thousands of paper lit lanterns are released into the air with messages. These paper lanterns are a treasured souvenir.

The entire seventh month of the lunar calendar is considered to be Ghost Month.  The gate to the “underground” opens on the first and closes on the 31^st.  This is a time for people to be extra careful because all ghosts come to earth.  Food is prepared for the ghosts so they are well-fed and satisfied.  People don’t move about or swim during Ghost Month.

Convenience stores in Taiwan are everywhere, especially 7-11s.  They do much more than just sell snacks.  People do banking, drop off their dry cleaning, mail packages, pay utilities, plus, get delicious quick food to eat.

The number four is considered unlucky, as in Chinese it sounds similar to the word for death.  For this reason, hospitals, buildings and apartments may not have a fourth floor at all and if they do, it is typically cheaper to inhabit.

The indigenous tribes have managed to keep many of their traditions alive.  The Ear-shooting Festival, is where the Bunun people show off their archery skills to the people who live on Orchid Island, which is known for their flying fish traditions and boat making.

Politeness, honor and respect for elders is the most valued custom in Taiwanese culture. 

Taiwanese Cuisine

It is no surprise that Taiwan’s cuisine is heavily influenced by both China and Japan.  Specifically, Taiwanese cuisine is most often associated with influences from the mid to southern provinces of China and especially the southern Fuijian (Hokkien) cuisine. 

Pork, seafood, chicken, rice and soy are the most common ingredients.  Being an island, seafood figures prominently into the cuisine.  However, it is a beef noodle dish that is considered to be the national dish of Taiwan.  American food aid following WWII forever changed the Taiwanese diet, which primarily consisted of wheat based noodles.  Breads and dumplings took more of a central role.  Rice of all types and colors plays an important role and Taiwan has enjoyed a renaissance with both growers and consumers. 

Taiwanese cuisine is also known for their use of all sorts of spices and seasonings, like soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, fermented black beans, pickled mustard greens, radish, peanuts, chili peppers, cilantro, basil, garlic and green onion.

Taiwan’s sub-tropical location has an abundant supply of various fruits such as: papayas, mangos, melons and citrus fruits.  Pineapples are beloved (especially in their famous pineapple cake) and recently China banned the export of them.  There is a worldwide effort to buy them up, using #freedompineapple.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are abundant and available fresh in markets. 

Speaking of markets, Taiwan is most famous for its magnificent, night street, markets.  Nearly every neighborhood has one.  The most famous night market is in Taipei, called Shilin, where all of Taiwan’s most famous dishes can be found.  Dishes like: stinky tofu, soup dumplings, oyster omelets, scallion pancakes, Taiwanese popcorn chicken and beef noodle soup, abound.  Hot pot is also ubiquitous. Boba (brown sugar, milk tea) is said to have been invented in Taiwan and can be found on nearly every block.

So let’s enjoy a Taiwanese meal:

Menu

First Course

Yan Su Ji  (Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken)

Main Course

    Niúròu Miàn (Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup)

Dessert

Boba (Brown Sugar, Milk Tea)

We set the scene with the colors of Taiwan’s flag; red, blue and white.  We placed a bear statue, as the Formosan black bear is the only bear found on the island and is their national animal.  The plum blossom represents the national flower.  A butterfly was placed as the island is known as the “Butterfly Kingdom,”  home to over 400 species.  A baseball bat was added to represent their national sport.  A teapot, representing their famous oolong tea, used in their tea ceremonies, was added and lastly a mask, as Taiwan has been dubbed the “face mask capital of Asia”.  It is no surprise that Taiwan faired as one of the best nations on earth in dealing with the Covid-19 Pandemic.

We began our meal with a very popular street food called, “Popcorn chicken” which can be found in all the night markets in Taiwan.  These are crunchy, little bite-sized, pieces of chicken.  They are dusted in a spiced up five-spice seasoning, as well as a salt and pepper powder.  The secret to these delicious morsels, is frying them twice; making them super tender bites on the inside, with a nice, crunch on the exterior.  They are served with pieces of fried basil leaves, which are a delicious addition.

For the main course, we savored every bite of the national dish; beef noodle soup.  This dish takes some time to make but is worth every minute.  The tender pieces of beef are cooked in a rich and slightly spicy broth, served with noodles, pickled mustard, fresh cilantro and scallions.  This type of one pot meal, is truly my favorite type of meal.  The complex flavors touch on every note and it is completely satisfying.

For dessert, we had the famous brown sugar, bubble, milk tea called Boba.  It has a caramel like flavor and the small tapioca balls are a delight.  Boba is a luxurious sweet drink and was a perfect ending to our Taiwanese meal.

After dinner, we sat in the hot tub and dreamed of being in one of the over 150 hot springs in Taiwan, as they have, second to Japan, the highest concentration of hot springs in the world.  There we discussed the meaning of ren qing wei, which loosely translated means “human touch or feeling.” Friendliness and generosity to strangers, duty and correct behavior, are all part of what it means and it is an important cultural characteristic of Taiwan.

Until next time,

Chi bao le ma?  (Have you eaten?) This is how you are greeted in Taiwan, their way of asking how you are.  (I love that!)

Warmest regards,

Darlene

How did Syria get its name?

It is believed the name Syria comes from the Ancient Greek, Seirios, meaning, “sun-bright, glowing, blazing, and shining.”  In Latin “Sirius” was used to indicate people from Syria and also for the brightest star in the night sky.  Officially today, it is known as the Syrian Arab Republic.

Where is Syria located?

Syria is a middle eastern country and part of southwestern Asia.  It lies on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea.  Its area includes territory in the Golan Heights, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967.  Its neighbors are Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon to the south and west. The capital city is Damascus. 

A brief history of Syria

Syria is thought to be one of the original and oldest civilizations on earth and  believed to be part of the Fertile Crescent, where the earliest people practiced cattle breeding and agriculture.  Archeologists have uncovered skulls and bones of Neanderthals that date back roughly 700,000 years.  Historically, the name Syria, referred to a much wider region than its borders of today. It was known as al-Sham in Arabic, which included: Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and much of Turkey and of course modern day Syria.  

Ebla, a city is Syria, is one of the oldest settlements to be excavated and dates back to around 3000 BC.  Throughout ancient times, Syria was occupied and ruled by several empires, including the Egyptians, Hittites, Sumerians, Mitanni, Assyrians, Babylonian, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Arameans, Amorites, Persians, Greeks and Romans.

Ancient Syria was a region often referred to in the bible.  Probably the most well-known account is when the apostle Paul cited “The Road to Damascus,” where his visions led to his conversion to Christianity.  When the Roman Empire fell, Syria became part of the Byzantine Empire.  In 637 A.D., Muslim armies defeated the empire and took control of Syria.  Damascus became the capital of the Islamic world. Then, around 750 A.D., it was replaced by Baghdad, in Iraq.

In 1516 the Ottoman Empire conquered Syria and remained in power for just shy of 400 years.  During World War I, the French and British agreed to divide the Ottoman Empire into zones.  In 1918, British and Arab forces took Damascus and Aleppo.  The French took control of modern-day Syria and Lebanon in 1920, ending the Ottomans’ rule.

After World War II, Syria officially became independent, in 1946.  Unfortunately, the years following, she suffered instability and repeated coups.  For a brief time, in 1958, Syria joined with Egypt and became the United Arab Republic, but that was short lived, ending in 1961.

It was 1963 when the Arab Socialist Baath Party seized power in a coup known as the Baath Revolution.  Syria lost its territory known as Golan Heights, during the Six Day War with Israel in 1967, a conflict which remains over the area to this day.

In 1970, Hafez al-Assad overthrew the de-facto leader of Syria and remained in power as President until his death in 2000.  Many hostilities and conflicts erupted throughout the years with Lebanon and Israel.  When Hafez died in 2000, his son Bashar became president, after amending the constitution.  He was only 34 at the time, not 40, as was required.  There was hope that Bashar would grant more freedom and be less oppressive than his father.  However, human rights groups have reported that Bashar has regularly tortured, imprisoned and killed political adversaries throughout his tenure.

In March of 2011, a group of teens and children were arrested and tortured for writing anti-government graffiti that was inspired by the Arab Spring Rebellion.  Protests erupted and became widespread and are considered to be the beginning of Syria’s horrific civil war, which remains ongoing today. 

The Civil war in Syria is complicated with many moving parts.  Assad began fighting the rebels, ISIS joined the fight against the regime, the United States backed the rebels to some degree, however, that in turn put them on the same side as ISIS.  Russia was involved as well and was supposed to ensure that Syria no longer had chemical weapons, which were used on their own people.  The numbers are not certain, but hundreds of thousands of Syrians are dead and millions have been displaced or are refugees in neighboring countries and Europe.  Syria remains a humanitarian disaster in a civil war today.

Syrian Culture

Syria, with such a long cultural history, is a traditional society.  Family, religion, education, self-discipline and respect are the characteristics they cherish.  The majority of Syria is Sunni Muslim, about 74%, with 13% being Shi’a.  Christians make up about ten per cent, with the remaining being Druze, Jews and atheists.  Syria has a history of religious tolerance with cities featuring Jewish synagogues, Christian churches and some of the world’s oldest and most sacred mosques.

The majority of Syrians are ethnically Arabs, and the official language is Arabic.  Kurds and Armenians make up the balance, as do their respective languages.  French and English are taught in schools.  The literacy rate in Syria was 81%, prior to the conflict.

Syria, being part of antiquity, has many historical treasures and entire ancient cities are part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  There has been much anguish during this most recent civil war as many of these treasures have been damaged or destroyed.  Diaspora women are taking the lead to try to preserve as much as possible of this most important part of their heritage.

In peaceful times, Syria is known for its festivals, like the Silk Road Festival, which harkens back to the days when Syria was an important trade route between the East and the West.  Both Muslim and Christian holidays are recognized.  Dance, music, literature, poetry and architecture all have important roots and history in Syria.  One of the most popular dances in Syria is the Dabkeh;  a folk dance performed at weddings and other joyous occasions.  Another popular dance is the Arada, a dance performed with swords.

Syrian Cuisine

Syrian cuisine, like its culture, has a rich and ancient history.  Many of the dishes are shared with its neighbors.  Having gone through various conquests by the Arabs, Persians and Ottoman Turks, the traditional food in Syria is similar to other cuisines like the Levant, Lebanese and Middle-Eastern cuisines.  It is, however, known for some important spices like, the Aleppo pepper, which is indigenous there.  

Kibbeh Bil Sanieh is considered to be the national dish and is made with bulgur and lamb.  Stuffed vegetables, with meat, nuts and rice, come in all kinds of forms, from grape leaves to peppers.  Kebabs or grilled meats, are also a popular Syrian dish.  Nuts, like walnuts, pine nuts and pistachios are used in many of their dips and sweet treats.  Eggplant, zucchini, cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers are popular vegetables.  Many of their dishes are served with a yogurt dip.

Syria is also known for appetizers called mezze.  These small dishes are served with Arabic bread before the main course and then followed by coffee and sweet treats.  Fruits, like pomegranate, and citrus, are also very popular.

So let’s enjoy a Syrian meal:

The Menu

 First Course

Muhammara (Hot Pepper Dip)

Served with Syrian Flat Bread  

Main Course

 Kibbeh Bil Sanieh (Baked Lamb and Bulger Pie)

Dessert

H’risseh (Semolina Nut Cake)

We set the scene with the colors of the flag; red, black white and green.  We decorated with pomegranate and citrus, as well as cotton and wheat, as they are important crops to Syria.  Olives were placed to represent the most ancient agricultural product in Syria.  Jasmine, which is the national flower, was placed. (Damascus, the capital city, is also known as the “City of Jasmine.”)

We began with a popular mezze dish, called muhammara.  A spicy red pepper dip was made with Aleppo pepper, walnuts, lemon juice and my favorite, pomegranate molasses.  This complex dip is spectacular and we savored it on freshly made Syrian pita bread.

For the main course, we loved the national dish called, Kibbeh Bil Sanieh.  This is a true comfort dish, somewhat similar to a meatloaf but with a much more delicious flavor.  We thoroughly enjoyed this lamb dish alongside a simple yogurt sauce. 

For dessert, we devoured the regional dessert made famous in the small town of Nabak, not far from Damascus on the way to Aleppo, that is known for its h’risseh.  The name for this delicious semolina nut cake might be a bit confusing, as it also describes a Lebanese savory dish.  However, in Syria there is no mistaking the name.  We enjoyed every bite of this sweet, nut covered cake alongside a cup of coffee which, would be traditional there.

As we say goodbye to Syria I do so with a prayer that this nation will end its bloody civil war and somehow find its way to peace.  I am thrilled that my nephew has fallen in love with a beautiful Syrian woman named Rana, who will soon become part of my extended family.  I can’t wait to cook many more Syrian dishes with her.  

Until next time,

Be safe.

Darlene