NMTH spotlights modern Taiwan in the making

2015/07/02

The interplay of indigenous, Western and mainland Chinese civilizations in 19th century Taiwan and its impact on local society are being highlighted at a National Museum of Taiwan History exhibition in Tainan City.

Drawing from NMTH archives and artifacts on loan from the Presbyterian Church, “Renovation and Reform: Taiwanese Society in the 19th Century” offers a fresh look at Taiwan’s path toward modernity. It focuses on the island’s transformation from an immigrant community to a convergent hub of diverse cultures, economies, ethnicities and politics.

“Foreign relations and interethnic interactions in Taiwan are the focus of our research and collections,” NMTH Director Lu Li-cheng said. “The exhibition showcases Taiwan’s survival strategy in creating its own identity while adapting to the influx of overseas influences during an era of colonialism.”

The displayed historical records of Protestant missions, Western manuscripts and maps of Formosa, and legal documents from Qing dynasty (1644-1911) provide a panorama of Taiwan society, Lu said, adding that it was the challenges and opportunities represented by these artifacts that made up the modern nation.

Especially noteworthy among the exhibits is a collection of rare documents in Mandarin on the issue of land acquisitions between the Holo and indigenous peoples. Other must-see items are Taiwan’s first hand-powered elevator, first letterpress printing machine and a number of society-changing cultural and industrial items brought by Western explorers.

The exhibition runs until Feb. 21, 2016.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=232106&ctNode=413)