Taipei

name

Etymology: 19th c., from Wade–Giles romanization of Mandarin 臺北／台北 (Tʻai²-pei³, literally “Taiwan north”), composed of 臺／台 (tái) (short for Taiwan) and 北 (běi, “north”).

1. The capital city of and a special municipality of Taiwan, located in the northern part of the island of Taiwan.

   “In 1885 Governor LIU determined to reconstruct Taipei and make it the temporary capital until, the railway having on its way to Taiwan reached the old town of Changhua, in about the middle of Formosa, he should build a city near that place and make it, under the name of Taiwan, the capital of the province of Taiwan.”

   “Radiotelephonic communications were established in November 1946 between Taipei and Canton, thus augmenting the line already existing between Taipei and Shanghai. The Chinese National Aviation Corporation, which operated air service between Shanghai and Taipei three times a week, has added weekly air service between Foochow and Taipei. The Southwest Aviation Corp. is reportedly planning a Canton-Taipei air service, and damaged Japanese military transport aircraft have been under repair for use on this route.”

2. A former county of Taiwan, which became New Taipei City.

   “A century ago, the cities of Taipei County were rustic faming societies made up of mostly aboriginal tribes. After the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan in 1949 the area met with a vast influx of Chinese immigrants, and during the 1950s and 1960s small manufacturing facilities began appearing. Taipei County has since become a Taiwanese melting pot of sorts as young people relocate from overseas and southern parts of the island for advanced schooling and settle in the area.”

   “C is for Ceramics. C is for - Yingge? Well, not quite, but ‘Yingge is for ceramics’ is something almost any Taiwanese can chant. This little town in the very southern part of Taipei County lives by and for the production of high- and low-quality ceramic and pottery objects: everything from cupboard handles to Song-dynasty vases.”

3. The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

   “In the Shanghai Communiqué of 1972, we recognized the fact that both Beijing and Taipei viewed Taiwan as part of China but unequivocally expressed our support for a peaceful settlement of the unification issue. While we should not alter the fundamental pillars of our policy, we should consider certain steps that will raise Taiwan's international standing.”

   “1993 The first official governmental contacts between Taipei and Beijing take place in Singapore.”