"This was his favourite venue for hosting esteemed international guests," my guide Kim tells me, while sipping coffee inside the opulent Grand Hotel in Taipei. I understand at once who Kim is referring to. The Taiwanese 'national hero', Chiang Kai-shek, who made Taiwan one of the 'Four Asian Tigers' alongside Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea.
Named by 16th-century Portuguese sailors as 'Ilha Formosa' meaning "beautiful island", this north-east Asian archipelago bloomed into limelight only in 1949, when ruling KMT party leader Chiang Kai-shek, after losing the civil war to Mao Zedong's Communist forces, left mainland China and set up his Republic of China government here in exile. As the nation's President for the next few decades, he introduced many social and economic reforms which shaped Taiwan as a force in Asia. Despite his strong presence in the international arena, he couldn't get more than 22 relatively smaller nations recognising the independent sovereignty. The biggies and United Nations side with China to politically see it as part of the mainland.
However, the diplomatic isolation doesn't take away from the inherent charms of Taiwan as an exotic travel destination. There is something for everyone here: from stunning mountain ranges, towering sea cliffs, tranquil lakes and lush green forests to treasure troves of art and history and urban settlements showcasing the best of 21st-century innovations.
Taipei is not just the nation's political capital but also the epicentre of commerce, history and art. The city of around 2.7 million people boasts of several touristy attractions from temples, memorials and world-class museums, many parklands, glittering shopping malls, exotic night markets and exciting eating venues. However, for the historically minded, the many legacies of Chiang Kai-shek appeal as a key lure. So while exploring Taipei, going through some of his memoirs - like the Grand Hotel - becomes an integral part of the itinerary.
As the nation's President, Chiang Kai-shek wanted to attract and impress foreign guests. So, in the early 50s, he established Grand Hotel on a hill on the northern bank of the Keelung River, its opulence emanating from its splendid Chinese architecture and elegant atmosphere. The tall, red exterior columns and temple-style, curvy rooftops engraved with golden dragons stand for class and elegance - that spread inside as well with dragons, lions, plum flowers, and other symbols of imperial China woven throughout. When you look at it from outside, it seems more like a royal sentinel, similar to some of the imperial palaces seen in Beijing and other parts of China, testifying it was not built for commoners. This notion is believable when Kim starts listing names of those who have gone through its doors over the years. The long list includes many famed dignitaries - from Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton to Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher, King Hussein of Jordan, and Shigeru Yoshida. As Chiang Kai-shek and his wife used to spend a lot of time here, the hotel construction included underground tunnels for them and other dignitaries to securely escape to safer zones in case of emergencies. These tunnels can now be viewed and accessed by the public, but only during special occasions.
Chiang Kai-shek dreamed of seeing Taipei as an ultramodern world city and, without doubt, his vision has turned into reality today. The dazzling scale of the city's development is best grasped from the 89th floor of Taipei 101, a 508m-high tower, which held the status of the world's tallest building until 2010. The 360-degree vista of several architecturally astute skyscrapers, seen as far as eyes can go, shows how the city has grown in recent times.
There is no doubt that Taiwan would not have been what it is today if Chiang Kai-shek hadn't established his Republic of China government in exile in Taipei, and launched the island on its way to modernisation. He kept alive Chinese folk, cultural and religious traditions. However, at present there is some condemnation among Taiwanese people towards him for imposing an "alien" government on the island. His birthday is no longer a public holiday and name of Chiang Kai-shek Square, has been changed to Liberty Square.
"So is his popularity downhill now?" I ask Kim, while heading towards the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall erected in his honour in 1980. He doesn't answer but the long queue to enter the white imposing building tells me that the Taiwanese people, even after his death in 1975, still admire him for his nation-building contributions. "Similar crowds also gather around the house he lived; these sites are like shrines for many of us," Kim says.
Tucked inside a sprawling parkland, the octagon-shaped mausoleum houses a bronze statue of him guarded by grim-looking sentries, who are replaced every hour in a rifle twisting ceremony. Below the hall is a museum, stocked with well-collected memorabilia which not only provides valuable information about his life but also draws a nice picture of Taiwan's history and growth under him.
Taiwan is considered the treasure trove of Chinese imperial art, and the nation thanks Chiang Kai-shek for this as well. When leaving the shores of mainland China, he had with him around 10,000 boxes filled with varieties of finest and most fragile artworks from paintings, calligraphy and ornaments to potteries, sculptures and rare books. Several boxes were lost in transit, but what were ultimately recovered represents one of the best and rarest collections of Chinese art from the Neolithic age to the Qing dynasty. Much of it is now displayed inside Taipei's National Palace Museum, which is a haven for art lovers. Often compared to Louvre in Paris and Prado in Madrid, the rich collections here reflect the taste of China's emperors for centuries. It will be unfair to enjoy this artistic ensemble and other charms of Taipei without saluting Chiang Kai-shek.
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