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17th Century White Dog Hair, Red Zaitun Flower, Quanzhou Settlers and Plains Indigenous

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  Yesterday I met a 'Tatayu ' 塔塔悠 descendant  許 家銘 who gave a lively and interesting talk at ' Taiwan-Old-Family 4th Conference'. 'Tatayu' means the headband made mixing dog fur commonly with ramie/cotton/tree bark traditionally followed by a red dye. This practice was documented as early as 1600s by Dutch missionary Georgius Candidius. Coincidentally, I have done a little bit research about the topic recently purely for interest and I am taking the opportunity to draw some conclusions. There is quite a bit of materials I have here but will in this instance bring out a few key points  - for my own records and also sharing with  許 家銘 for his interests. I. 'Tatayu/Catayo' Etymology  Today there is Shang-Tayu 上 塔悠 （literal upper Tayu)  and Xia-Tayu (lower Tayu) 下 塔悠。  A geographer and a historian both contributed their thoughts at the conference about Tatayu etymology. And both from River stream perspective - upper and lower. But there is no conclusion. ...
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Taipei You Might Not Know -Superimposition, Russian Bakery, and Derogatory Dihua

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 1. Taipei a Superimposition of a China Map At Xinsheng South, Heping East Intersection means I am in Zhejiang Province, with Jinhua (street), its capital city in 7 o'clock position.  When I say to people "Wow - Taipei is actually a China map!" Almost all of them, including foreigners say " why are you surprised?   I always know that, there are many street names changed to China's after 1949 ".  I say  "NO. I mean Taipei IS a China Map!"  - still many don't get it.   I have therefore, at opportunities, take peoples up this overhead bridge in my neighborhood, and show them EXACTLY what I mean. They all went a bit shocked hearing me out - including Taipei locals. It is complicated to explain, I will just brief it here. The best way, is still, show and explain  from the bridge.  I first noticed this 'dictator manipulative mentality' some 10 years ago when I was walking along Dihua street, I suddenly thought  "this is strange, all thes...
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In 1911 - Kobe Beef, Ice Cream (for Taiwan) and Revolution (for Republic Of China)

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  Banquet serving Kobe beef at  Tainan Union Hall  Source HERE The Chinese Revolution of 1911 – The Founding of the Republic of China Have you ever wondered in 1911 what it was like for Taiwan and for Republic of China? Reported on  the  Taiwan Daily News   1911 October-  Tainan Union Hall presented in a banquet Kobe beef dishes, sukiyaki, Nagasaki castella , w affle, millet and glutinous rice mochi, y ōkan. Source  台灣回憶探險團 . アイスクリーム Ice Cream  （ 圖／李火増攝影、 蒼壁出版社提供）seen on    臺灣古寫真上色 FB Gerald Warner image seen on  臺灣古寫真上色 FB Reported on  Taiwan Daily News  1911 (June) - Taipei's Dadaocheng was flooded with ice and ice cream businesses, common ice cream flavours include water melon and tea. Source   臺灣古寫真上色 FB. For the Dadaoheng ICE phenomenon we have done an article HERE. "The island’s first ice-making plant may have been the one set up in 1896 in Dadaocheng in Taipei by tea merchant Lee Chun-sheng (李春生) and...
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Valentine's Gift and 19th-Century Taiwanese Head-Hunters (and a 160-year-old-letter)

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I n searching a map of Taiwan that matches the story timeline (1864) I settled on this one taken in Tainan in February. For the reason that  Tamsui Ting ended in 1876. "The ritual, highlighted as part of the Archive Awareness Campaign, is revealed in a letter to Kew written in 1864 by Kew gardener Richard Oldham, who explains why he cannot explore the Taiwanese mountains near Tamsui.  " While researching Tea-thief Robert Fortune who spent only a day in Tamsui in 1854 (a day of enough impact to write about in my forthcoming co-authored "  臺灣茶的故事   The Story of Taiwan Tea") I came across this bizarre article from the UK about Richard Oldham in Tamsui in 1864 linking western valentine's gift and 19th-century head-hunters in north Taiwan. I forwarded to my co-author Dr Cheng Hong-Ming - he responded  "I am not sure by 1864, there were still headhunters near Tamsui". I see his point and not sure either. 1903 Davison's report of northern fierce and activ...
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Instant Noodles Pre-1945 Taiwan

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  Tateishi Tetsuomi (1905-1980) 佐榮寫真館  https://www.youtube.com/@fototaiwan Recent conversations with  王佐榮  (a cultural historian and prolific writer of in particular Taiwan under Japanese Rule 1895-1945) allow me to confirm there are (at least) two types of instant noodles made and served in Taiwan  as early as between 1910 and 1930.  Both 雞絲 麵   Jī-sī     mī    and 鍋燒 意麵  Guō shāo  ì-mī,   in my opinion, indicate strong Japanese impact. ‘These are NOT 小吃 xiaochi but 點心  tiám-sim （Holo） / deem ^  sim  (Hakka) as the former is traditionally under Chinese street food and when these noodles were made and enjoyed in Taiwan there was no such known Chinese  Xiaochi’ - 王 specifically pointed out on 【 有圖有真相】古早台北的美食聖地！ 雞絲 麵   Jī-sī     mī    (Shredded-chicken-breast-flavor noodle) 立石鐵臣  Tateishi Tetsuomi  in his illustrated explanations : 廣萬昌 a shop/manufacture...
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ZAITUN Arabic Olive - Indigenous Taiwanese Symbolism - And Silk Road Dumpling (Kew London Inspired II )

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ZAITUN Erythrina variegata    刺桐  - Old Name of Quanzhou  泉州  刺桐 From the 9 th  to the 15 th  century AD, Quanzhou was China’s major seaport for international trade. China entertained extensive relations with the Muslim world, and many Islamic monuments can still be found in Quanzhou.  The first time I was brought to ZAITUN fascinations was Rachel Laudan 's map of Stuffed boiled dumplings. Clearly marked Zaitun also known as Quanzhou between 1200-1350. ZAITUN  - Olive  橄欖 @  Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London ZAITUN  Erythrina variegata   刺桐   - Indigenous Taiwanese Symbolism  New Year  Beginning of a Year - when  Erythrina variegata blossoms   (Earliest record - 17th century) Kavalan 噶瑪蘭 word  N apas 番社采風圖  Kingdom of Tungning  1661–1683 番社采風圖  Kingdom of Tungning  1661–1683 ZAITUN   Erythrina variegata   莿桐   - Tainan and Yunlin  Temporary old na...
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