1908 marked a significant year in Taiwan’s railway history. Before the Japanese Colonial Period began in 1895, railways in Taiwan were planned and constructed under the rule of Liu Mingchuan, the Governor of Taiwan during the late Qing Dynasty. Unfortunately, due to the strict financial situation during the pre-Japanese Colonial Period, only the Keelung-Taipei and Taipei-Hsinchu lines were completed. 

The first thing a newborn does besides crying is taking a bath. The new baby, eyes closed and wet all over after leaving the mother’s womb, is washed in warm water immediately after birth. The clean, warm feeling is almost as good as being in the mother’s womb.

Before I came in contact with the Taiwan e-Learning and Digital Archives Program (TELDAP), I had never thought about the unlimited potential of academic crossover and the many amusing concepts and interesting possibilities hidden within this extensive program. My initial impression was definitely not unfounded. Just try to look at the words “Taiwan e-learning and Digital Archives Program” and think about the kind of associations you can come up with—“super advanced digital technology,” “fragile antiques,” “study sheets,” and what else？

The year 1935 marked the 40th anniversary of Japanese colonization in Taiwan.  To show how far Taiwan had progressed under its rule, the colonial government decided to host a large-scale exposition called “Taiwan Expo:  40 Years of Japanese Rule.”  As many as 2,000 people from the government and citizens of Taiwan were called into action after the Governor-General’s Office initiated the preparation work.