National Geographic documentary helps reinvent Taipei

2016/07/04

The future of Taipei starts in the old town area because a great city is judged by the depth of its history, not by the height of its buildings, Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je said June 29 at the launch of National Geographic Channel documentary “Inside: Reinventing Taipei.”

Earlier this year Taipei’s historic North Gate finally showed its original face after demolition of the nearby concrete overpass to Zhongxiao Bridge, which had obscured the gate for 39 years. The process was captured in the documentary, along with a 3-D animation of the city 130 years ago, which will be officially screened in 37 countries and territories July 3 to expected audience of 120 million.

Taipei, along with its surrounding stone walls, was built in 1884 during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). It could be accessed by five gates: the North, East, West, South and Secondary South gates. The city walls and West Gate were destroyed during Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945). While the East, South and Secondary South gates have undergone major modifications, the surviving two-story North Gate is the only original structure that incorporates time-honored Chinese architectural features.

According to Ko, Dadaocheng, Dalongdong and Wanhua are Taipei’s oldest districts, and the starting point for the development of northern Taiwan. A large number of historic buildings, gourmet restaurants, temples and traditional shops stand amidst recently opened arts and fashion stores, juxtaposing the old and new faces of the city.

“As a matter of fact, Taipei is a city of migrants, with people coming from all parts of Taiwan,” he said. “In a word, Taipei is not a city just for people living there, but a city for all people and one that will open further to the world.”

As Taipei gears up to host the 2017 Summer Universiade, Ko said he wants more people from around the world to watch the documentary and experience the past, present and future of the city. “In short, let Taiwan go out and the world come in.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=245943&ctNode=2194&mp=9)