Teresa Teng (鄧麗君) was a Taiwanese singer and Asian superstar who officially sold 22 million albums -- and an estimated 50-75 million bootlegs) during her tragically short life. Despite her death at the age of 42, her career traversed four decades. With her covers of Japanese songs in Chinese (including Cantonese, Hokkein, and Mandarin), she … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Teresa Teng (鄧麗君)
Tag: Taiwan
Yao Su Rong (姚蘇蓉)
Yao Su Rong ("姚蘇蓉") is a Taiwanese singer and actress born on this day, 5 December, in 1946. Today she's still best-known for her 1969 hit recording of "今天不回家" ("Today I Won't Come Home"), the title track of a film of the same name. Her career was cut short at its peak by Kuomintang (KMT) … Continue reading Yao Su Rong (姚蘇蓉)
Pan-Asian Metropolis — 素食夜市小吃園遊會 Happy Lantern Green Night Market
The other day, Una and I went to the 素食夜市小吃園遊會 Happy Lantern Green Night Market -- a 100% vegetarian (and mostly vegan) Taiwanese street food festival which took place in Alhambra. If that sounds on the surface impossibly niche, consider the following. Taiwan is the cradle of the night market. Taiwan is, after India, likely the second … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — 素食夜市小吃園遊會 Happy Lantern Green Night Market
Pan-Asian Metropolis — Overseas Chinese Cuisine
In recent years it seems to have finally begun to dawn on a growing number of folks that Chinese cuisine is far from monolithic. That this comes as a surprise to anyone comes as something of a surprise to me. Ancient human teeth were discovered in Hunan -- and presumably, they were used to eat … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Overseas Chinese Cuisine
Introduction to the Music of 王若琳/Joanna Wang for the Use of the English-Speaking World
JOANNA WANG Joanna Wang is one of my favorite contemporary songwriters, although that, in and of itself, was not enough to compel me to write this biography/discography/ timeline. For one, most of what I've been able to gather about Wang has been written in Chinese, whereas I think that the appeal of her music should extend … Continue reading Introduction to the Music of 王若琳/Joanna Wang for the Use of the English-Speaking World
Where Fools Fear to Tread — A Snapshot of Taiwan (Taipei & the East Coast)
MY TRIP -- INTRODUCTION In August 2010 I went on a trip to Taiwan. Like most Americans, I had little knowledge of the island in East Asia. In school, we learned that Taiwan was formerly called Formosa (although I don’t believe it was mentioned by whom). Later it became Taiwan. The Nationalists (the “good guys” … Continue reading Where Fools Fear to Tread — A Snapshot of Taiwan (Taipei & the East Coast)
No Enclave — Exploring Taiwanese Los Angeles
Diversity has long been part of the fabric of Los Angeles and Southern California. Humans first arrived here at least 13,000 years ago and more than twenty Native American nations made their home here before the Spanish Conquest. The Spanish pueblo of Los Angeles was itself founded by people of Native, African, European, and mixed ancestries and … Continue reading No Enclave — Exploring Taiwanese Los Angeles
Made in Taiwan – Taiwanese Cinema and Television
Taiwan’s official status is complicated. Some view it as a renegade region of China, others as the sole legitimate government of the mainland (the Republic of China). Still others believe it to be an island with a unique history stretching back tens of thousands of years and with a distinct culture influenced by Austronesian, Han, and Japanese history, … Continue reading Made in Taiwan – Taiwanese Cinema and Television
Out of Africa – Austro-Melanesian History, Culture and Music
Once upon a time, one or two hundred thousand years ago or so, anatomically human beings appeared on the scene in Africa. About 60,000 years ago, there may have been as many as 5,000 people living on the planet. A number, possibly around 150, decided to cross the Red Sea... following the lead of their … Continue reading Out of Africa – Austro-Melanesian History, Culture and Music
Austronesia – Don’t Tease Ya
Until recently, Austronesian wasn't a self-designation. The name comes from Latin auster (south wind) plus Greek nêsos (island). Of course, historically, Inuits and Aztecs never referred to themselves, in collective solidarity, as "Indians" or "Native Americans," but that doesn't mean we can't see similarities now. Having just just returned from Taiwan, I've observed a growing pride by some Taiwanese Austronesians … Continue reading Austronesia – Don’t Tease Ya
Eric Brightwell 