Taiwan's Cities: More Mainland China 3rd-Tier or Mini-Japan? WTF is the Real Deal?
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Well, before I ventured to Taiwan, I came across several descriptions of how cities there appear.
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My first impression was that the buildings would be quite old and somewhat dilapidated, reminiscent of small, underdeveloped cities on the mainland.
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Conversely, another viewpoint suggested, due to Japan's historical rule (1895 to 1945), architecture in Taiwan may closely resemble that of Japan.
I hail from one such underdeveloped city on the mainland and have resided and studied in Japan. Having explored Taichung, New Taipei, and Taipei, my observation is that the cities carry their own distinct character.
- The only moment when Japan truly resonated was a drizzly night by Danshui Station (that's picture 2). Other times, it felt like an eclectic blend, complex and difficult to label definitively.
I noticed some architectural styles:
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Shophouse (骑楼): These structures feature covered walkways on the street level, a common sight on sidewalks. Originally, the lower floor is extended slightly backward, creating a protected pathway for pedestrians as the upper floors protrude over this passageway – that's the "shophouse" origin. My first encounter was in Taiwan as I've not traveled to the Southern regions of China, like Guangdong or Fujian, where shophouses are prevalent. A significant portion of older buildings in Taiwan feature this design.
- Initially, I was puzzled regarding legality of shops occupying the entire sidewalk (illustrative picture). Later, I discovered that the canopy area is genuinely owned by the shops, though the government mandates pedestrian access through a wide walkway. It remains uncertain if mainland China operates similarly with Shophouse properties.
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Modern apartment buildings: The multi-story residences are akin to widespread ones in mainland China but Japan does not typically contain high-rise residential buildings.
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Historic Japanese architecture: This section shows the former Taichung railway station: similar structures can be found in other cities within "Manchukuo", northeast China during the Japanese colonial era.
- With the passage of time, determining whether this construction exemplifies the 'Japanese architectural style' or 'former colonized region' becomes an ambiguity.
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Temples: Taoist temples in Taiwan are highly colourful, possessing flamboyant decorations. Giant sculptures of deities are also present. While riding a tram in Taichung, the view out the window revealed a huge statue of Guan Gong (depicted in this image), a revered historic figure among the Chinese populace.
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What's the point of comparing skyscrapers? As long as the people in Taiwan are happy, that's all that matters.
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Places that were developed earlier often end up looking like this.
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Honestly, Taiwan's architecture isn't that impressive. Lots of old buildings, and it's true the cityscapes often don't look great.
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The main issue is that society has stopped progressing, and there's serious internal strife. GDP has grown so much, yet wages haven't increased in 20-30 years—it's just too much.
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Building skyscrapers doesn't necessarily mean a place is developed. Just look at Silicon Valley—it's mostly low-rise buildings, with plenty of older, smaller, somewhat run-down places. Even for high-rises, architectural design is far more important than just stacking up height. Most high-rises in mainland China are just piled up like bricks, layer by layer, with no real design. They honestly don't look good.
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Go take a look at New York or Chicago—skyscrapers are a sign of development!!
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Why does mainland China categorize its cities into different tiers?
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Because it's a large country with varying economies, so it's easier for administration.
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Why are you taking pictures near the train station?! Why not shoot the Qiqi district?
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Yes, there are. Photos 6 and 7 are from near the Qiqi district.
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Oh my gosh, how did you take these photos? They're amazing! I honestly couldn't tell it was Taipei.
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Excuse me, are there any Taiwanese people selling wild boars? The one I usually ride got hungry, and I accidentally ate it. Now getting to work is a bit inconvenient.
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If you find a seller, please let me know. My wild boar wasn't tied up properly and ran off, so now I can't get to work.
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No matter how tall or beautiful a city's buildings are, they don't belong to individuals, nor do they necessarily change one's quality of life! Whether it's a first, second, or third-tier city, what is it that you're really looking for?
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I've traveled to a few cities in Taiwan. My impression is that, apart from some of the larger ones, they mostly feel like county towns—not many tall buildings, and very tranquil.
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That's true if you're only looking at the streetscapes. But Taiwan is small, so even if you live in the countryside, getting to a city doesn't take much time. Life is still very convenient.