University of Edinburgh Go Abroad

I visited Taiwan as a visiting student to Academia Sinica and conducted my fieldwork from May 27th to August 19th this year. In this period, I not only communicated with scholars and archivists in Taiwan, but also read various imperial documents produced by the imperial court of China’s Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) at National Palace Museum and Academia Sinica. Thanks to the go abroad fund, I can have the opportunity to learn the knowledge regarding my research. I also got the chance to experience the culture of Taiwan, which is close to the mainland China, but has its own characteristics.

The following is my photograph that took in this period.

1. Arriving at Taiwan

2. Academia Sinica, where I visited as a visiting associate

3. National Palace Museum

4. A Chinese style reading room

5. Photo taken in front of the archive and library of National Palace Museum. I was reading archival documents. During the reading I need to wear a disposable face mask. Reading the archival documents seems to be boring, but it is in fact a special and interesting experience.

6. The old books in the Fu Ssu-nien library of Academia Sinica

7. The Archive on the confessions of LinQing Rebellions (Also know as Eight Trigram Rebellions). This is one of the main research material. I can access it when it is not on the exhibition.

8. A further example of how these documents look like inside.

9. I copied some archival documents. According to the regulations of the National Palace Museum and the Academia Sinica, I can’t present the front of the documents.

10. This photo is taken in Xiangshan (mountain of Elephants). On a rainy night, a cat was hiding the rain under the bench (the left lower corner of this photo). The withered tree is standing opposite to the tallest building of Taiwan, the Taipei 101. It’s hard to imagine the core business district of Taiwan is only a few minutes’ walks from there.

11. Taiwan’s tourist agency of China. In order to distinguish itself from the tourist agency in the mainland China, it adds Taiwan in front of its name. Despite that the mark of China can be observed in many places, institutes and agencies in Taiwan have to find a way to differentiate themselves from the mainland agency. No matter for what reasons.

12.  “Believe in Jesus will get an eternal life” is wrote on the wall of a Buddhist temple. As Yin and Yang, conflict but harmony.

13. Photo taken in Taipei 101

14. The beautiful view of Taiwan

15. Taiwan is an island that full of the delicious food. You can have different foods without repeating for over a month!