Taiwan 101

MATTHEW B. CHRISTENSEN is professor of Chinese at Brigham Young University. He is also director of the BYU Chinese Flagship Center and has been working with the program since 2002. He has directed and managed Flagship and study abroad programs at Nanjing University since the late 1990s.HENRIETTA YANG is associate professor of Chinese and linguistics and former co-director of the Chinese Language Flagship Program at the University of Mississippi (UM) from 2013 to 2021. Yang directed and managed study abroad programs at Shanghai University in China and National Chung Cheng University and Tamkang University in Taiwan for more than ten years

This title by Christensen and Yang is a concise but thorough overview of the people, the languages (more than 20 are spoken there), and the history of Taiwan, including a timeline from 239 AD to 2017. Taiwan offers an affordable rapid transit system, called MRT, that makes getting around easy and accessible for first-time visitors. Attractions such as shopping districts, gorges, and beaches are highlighted too. But the authors emphasize that their book isn’t intended to be a travel guide. Instead, they give practical advice for daily living in Taiwan, such as where to live, eat, and work. Readers who are thinking about working or studying in Taiwan will find, for example, information on workplace etiquette and strategies for landing an internship. There are tips for how to visit the numerous food stalls in Taiwanese markets, plus charts of the country’s top night-market dishes and breakfast foods. The cultural differences among Taiwan’s four regions are explained as well. An indispensable guide for readers traveling to Taiwan for vacation, work, or school. It’s chock-full of information that will help people successfully navigate the country.

• Table of ContentsChapter 1: Why Taiwan?What Is Unique About Taiwan?Deep Chinese CultureForeign Influence on TaiwanTaiwan’s Religious AtmosphereTaiwan Is Compact but VariedHow Is Taiwan Different than Mainland China?The Chinese Language in TaiwanStudying Chinese in TaiwanTaiwan Has a Different VibeTaiwan Is Easy for Travelers and StudentsHighlights of Taiwan HistoryEndnotesChapter 2: Who Lives in Taiwan?Taiwanese Aboriginals and Austronesian LanguagesOutsidersHakka kèjia rén (???) and Their LanguageTaiwanese táiwan rén (???) and Southern Min Language minnán huà (???)Bensheng rén (???) vs. Wàisheng rén (???)Chinese zhongguó rén (???) or Taiwanese táiwan rén (???)Insiders vs. OutsidersNew Residents xinzhù mín (???) and Their LanguagesFitting in as A Foreigner in TaiwanCulture Shock and Dealing with ChangeThe Honeymoon StageThe Negotiation StageThe Adjustment StageThe Mastery StageEndnotesChapter 3: Getting around in TaiwanFlying in and out of TaiwanOther Transportation OptionsTaiwan High Speed Rail/HSR (táiwan gaotie ????)Taiwan Railway (táiwan tielù????)Via HighwaysInter-city Bus (guódào kèyùn ????)Driving in TaiwanFantastic Highway Rest Stations Taiwan’s Metro System (jiéyùn??)Taipei Metro (Taipei Mass Rapid Transit or MRT, táibei jiéyùn????)The EasyCard (youyóu ka ???)Public Busses (gongche ??)BicyclesBicycling Infrastructure in TaiwanScooters, Scooters, and More Scooters (mótuoche ???)Taxis (jìchéng che ???)Travel to Taiwan’s Outlying IslandsChapter 4: Taiwan’s Food SceneTaiwan Food as Regional CuisineTaiwan’s Take on Chinese FoodTainan, Taiwan’s Traditional Sweet Tooth CapitalTaiwan’s Fusion Cuisine: Japanese, Western, Southeast AsianTaiwan’s Street Food Phenomenon xiaochi (??)Taiwan’s Amazing FruitWhat Is for Breakfast?Convenience Store Food and Fast FoodTaiwan’s Fast Food ChainsThe Taiwan Box Lunch, biàndang (??)Eating Hot Pot, huoguo (??)Vegetarian Cuisine in TaiwanTaiwan’s Tea CultureHow to Eat Well in TaiwanEating in a Chinese RestaurantHow to Make Sense of a Chinese Menu càidan (??)How a Dish Is PreparedHow the Ingredients Are CutEndnotesChapter 5: Living in TaiwanHousing OverviewOn-Campus vs. OffHotelsLong-term Residence in TaiwanTaking Care of Daily NeedsPost OfficesConvenience StoresCoffee ShopsBanking and MoneyPhones and Sim CardsTrash and Recycling CollectionPublic ToiletsThe 7-ELEVEN Effect in TaiwanHealth and SafetyNational HolidaysUseful Apps and Social MediaEndnotesChapter 6: Studying in TaiwanThe Value of Education in Taiwanese SocietyTraditional Asian Paradigms about EducationTaiwan’s University SystemWhy Study in TaiwanWhere to Study ChineseMaking the Most of Your Time in TaiwanHow to Make the Most of Your Chinese Language StudiesEndnotesChapter 7: Working and Interning in TaiwanHow to Land an Internship or Job?Industry-Academic CollaborationJob Searching WebsitesTaiwan’s LinkedIn1111 ???? (1111 rénlì yínháng, 1111 human power bank)104 ???? (104 rénlì yínháng, 104 human power bank)Through Connections (guanxi ??)Taiwanese Business CultureStrategies to Make the Most of Your Work/InternshipEndnotesChapter 8: Taiwan’s Diverse GeographyTaipei and Northern TaiwanTaichung and Western TaiwanHualien and Eastern TaiwanTainan, Kaohsiung, and Southern TaiwanOutlying IslandsEndnotes