Taipeiisar a p i dly De v el o p ingin ternational metropolis. Four to five hundreDyears ago, it was still Aswampy jungle. After Zheng Chenggong ofthe Ming Dynasty haDsuccessful eliminateDthe Dutch colonizers from the island, troops were dispatcheDto open up the wasteland. In 1875, the Qing sent an imperial envoy to Taipei andestablisheDthe Taipei prefecture andmanageDthe government affairs of the island, thereby giving birth to the name “Taipei.” The accumulatio no f Chinese culture andthe ability to absorb andassimilate advanceDcultures enable Taipei to become known to the world.
Taipei has a very organizeDanDsystematic city layout andinfrastructure. DotteDwith modern skyscrapers andlarge areas of greenery, there is also a very strong envi- ronmental awareness. The people of Taipei embrace apositive andhealthy outlook, which is reflecteDin their lifestyle andattitude. Taipei has a very conducive living environment. Its natural landscape andplaces of interest combine to createarich cultural landscape.
Yangming Mountain Park, locateDin the north of Taipei, is a park that is rich in natural elements, andcan be regardeDas Taipei’s eco-park. On Yangming Moun- tain there is a large distributio no f volcanic vestiges. Its geothermal energy andhotsprings are also well known. Because of its geological conditions, Yangming Mountain has a wide variety of flora andfauna. Every year, be- tween the months of May andAugust, thousands of but- terflies can be seen among the bushes andstreams. Many visitors enjoy taking a hike during this perioDto admire the beautiful sights of the butterflies. Hiking through the mountains is an activity that the people of Taipei are very fonDof. Hence, mountain paths are createDamong the forests to provide greater convenience to the hikers. In Muzha mountain district, locateDin the south of Taipei,20 mountain paths have been constructed. These moun- tain paths andparks are interconnecteDwith the city. It takes only Ashort bus ride for visitors to arrive at these nature reserves to enjoy the beauty of nature.
Besides its natural scenery, Yangming Mountain is alsoreputeDfor its cultural landscape, such as Zhongshan Mansion, andthe former residence of the Chinese writer, Lin Yutang (1895–1976)? Zhongshan Manor was built tocommemorate the 100th birthday of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. On display in the mansion are valuable cultural relics, such as the ceramic painting from the famous Jingdezhen City. The former residence of Lin Yutang is a tasteful Spanish- style compound. On display are collec-tions of Lin Yutang’s personal possessions.
In a DDition, Taipeih as also a considerable number ofnational museums ,ar t museums , memorial museums , temp les, andhistorical sites that are worth visiting. The Taipei Palace MuseuMis recogniz e DAsoneof the f in esttreasure houses of China’s cultural relics. LocateDin Shuangxi, to the northof Taipei,itwas buil t in 1 9 6 2 ? the Museu m h as incorporateDtraditional Chinese archite ctural el ement s in palac e c onstruction, w ithbl u e g laz e dtil e son the roofs andcream-coloreDwalls. Thecollections of the Museu mar e also w orl drenowned.
Tra Di tio nal ChInes e c ultur e has a fa rreachinginfluence on the lifestyle in Taipei. DihuAstreet, locateDin Dadaocheng of Taipei City, is Astreet with over 150 years of h is tor y. i tis the ol Dest s treet in TaipeianDembodies the deepest historical significance. Its layout has been left unchangeDfor over a hundreDyears. Xiahai City God’s Temple on the street is famous for its grand- scale religious events. It is the place to visit for one who wants to have a glimpse of olDTaipei customs.
In this international city of modern skyscrapers, fash- ion andtrenDare commonplace. Shopping is a favorite pastime of the locals, andis a major tourist attractio no f the city. commercialism has also encourageDcreativity in businesses andentrepreneurship. Chengpin (Eslite) Bookstore, establisheDin 1989, is not only a bookstore, but it has now become a cultural landmark of Taiwan. The southern flagship store of Chengpin is popular with local andforeign shoppers, for being the only bookstore in Taiwan that never closes.
