The Dutch presence in 17th--century Formosa has left historical sites such as Fort Anping and Fort Santo Domingo. Now, 300 years later, former Dutch ambassador Menno Goedhart has begun a Dutch heritage project at National Cheng Kung University.
While Dutch heritage is a part of Taiwanese history, many historical relics left behind from the 38 years of Dutch colonial rule in Taiwan are yet to be discovered.
“An online and open database with texts, images, audio [files] and videos will be built to show the Dutch heritage in Taiwan,” said 64-year-old Goedhart, who is now a research -expert at the university’s Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences.
The database will be in Chinese and English and categorized by cities and counties. Users will be able to browse through thousands of photos and information on places to understand the background stories and historical significance of the period.
“Tales will be proved and facts will be reconfirmed before placing them online,” Goedhart added. “When controversies over time or place arise among scholars and -experts, we will organize workshops to reach consensus.”
For instance, if the exact location of where a Dutch officer was killed by a member of the Puyuma tribe becomes debatable, a workshop can be held, he said. Another subject worthy of discussion is the name of Fort Santo Domingo, which was constructed by the Dutch, but which many believe was actually built by the Spanish, he said..
Goedhart said he hopes to be able to provide an all-inclusive database for the public by 2016.
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
‘WORSE THAN COMMUNISTS’: President William Lai has cracked down on his political enemies and has attempted to exterminate all opposition forces, the chairman said The legislature would motion for a presidential recall after May 20, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday at a protest themed “against green communists and dictatorship” in Taipei. Taiwan is supposed to be a peaceful homeland where people are united, but President William Lai (賴清德) has been polarizing and tearing apart society since his inauguration, Chu said. Lai must show his commitment to his job, otherwise a referendum could be initiated to recall him, he said. Democracy means the rule of the people, not the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but Lai has failed to fulfill his
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS