Since arriving in Taiwan a little over a month ago, I still find myself stunned by the island’s natural beauty. This past weekend, I traveled with my classmates to Sun Moon Lake (or “Ri Yue Tan” in Chinese), the largest body of water in Taiwan. The name comes from the appearance of the lake itself: one side of it resembles the Sun, the other side the Moon. Situated in central Taiwan, Sun Moon Lake offers astounding views of the surrounding mountains. As one classmate said, “it looks like a computer screensaver!”
For me, Sun Moon Lake provided a chance to not only enjoy the scenery, but to learn a little more about Taiwanese culture. Besides being a popular resort and hiking spot, the lake is home to some of the most famous black tea in the world. This was news to me, a coffee-loving American, but nearly every Taiwanese person I spoke to about Sun Moon Lake asked, “did you try the tea there?” I did and, naturally, its reputation speaks for itself.
Sun Moon Lake also offers a refreshing antidote to those who think of Taiwan only as part of the Chinese-speaking world. Though the vast majority of Taiwanese people are Han Chinese, the dominant ethnic group in China, the island is still home to several indigenous tribes, including the Thao people who once settled near Sun Moon Lake.
Even though we are all in Taiwan to study Chinese, I was fascinated to see bits of Taiwan’s indigenous languages appear on signs around the lake. The question of indigenous names — whether to use them and how they can or should appear on government documents — is far from settled in Taiwan, but the lake remains a vital symbol of Taiwan’s indigenous history. Before leaving Taiwan, I hope to learn more about its indigenous history and ensure my Chinese education is not an education in just Chinese.
Fulbright-Hays Fellowship Recipient
Taiwan Ministry of Education Study Abroad Scholarship Recipient
Taiwan Intensive Summer Language Program (TISLP)
National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), Hsinchu, Taiwan, Summer 2023