History Hub x The Strait Weekly - Founder Interview
SPECIALS
The Strait Weekly is another humanities club and organization both within and beyond SHSID; it focuses on Taiwan from an interdisciplinary perspective, with works covering subjects like history as well as culture and economics. Together with History Hub, TSW has also launched an online platform displaying the works of both our clubs. As another part of our collaboration and interdisciplinary focus on history, TSW has also included one of their articles—the history of Taipei’s night markets—right in this magazine, right after this section! And as for this special section, Harrison Tang, the co-founder and president of TSW, will be answering some of our questions on why he started the club, and what it has achieved so far.
Q1: In 3-5 sentences, can you tell us the core missions and activities of TSW, as well as what makes it a unique club?
The Strait Weekly is the first club in the Mainland that aims to promote Taiwanese culture and build a bridge of communication between youth across the Taiwan Strait. Also known as 「海峽週報」, TSW is a Non-Government Organization dedicated to cultural exchange, historical studies, and international diplomacy to preserve peaceful relations. We publish articles, podcasts, and other content of all forms and topics regarding Taiwanese culture and heritage, and aim to protect, preserve, and defend the joint values of people across the Strait.
Q2: Can you explain your motivation to start TSW? What are some of the primary reasons that caused you to create it?
As a Taiwanese, I hope to share my passion for Taiwanese cuisines, culture, and traditions with the youth of Mainland China and in turn build a bridge of communication and understanding across the Strait. I hope that this will in turn bring peaceful relations to the region and more bonding between youth on both ends.
Q3: How did creating TSW with an international membership and audience enrich your personal understanding of Taiwan, especially in a global context?
Having international ambassadors in multiple countries across the globe and interviews with members of indigenous Taiwanese populations in TSW projects, I understood much more about Taiwan's pre-Han settlement cultures. In our modern, global context, spreading Taiwanese culture to different countries and personally understanding Taiwan's culture and current state more contributes to developing stronger cross-cultural bonds.
Q4: What is one other piece of work produced by TSW that you would recommend our readers to check out? Can you briefly introduce its content?
Another work I recommend you all to check out is the rest of our Night Market series! The rest of the series consists of articles on not only the history, but also introductions to all kinds of diverse and popular and must-try street food in Taipei’s Ningxia Night Market! It really captivates travelers and foodie-lovers’ attention.
Q5: In relation to promoting peace and dialogue across regions and cultures, can you tell us what you think makes Taiwan's history unique and worthy of study?
Taiwan's history goes along the lines of settlement, colonization, and influence. As modern Taiwanese, we have gone through struggles of self-identity and culture over the past years, which gradually created a melting pot in which different voices and ideas are welcomed. By looking deep into Taiwan's history and culture and its ties to the Mainland, youth from both sides of the Strait will get to learn and understand our shared language, culture, cuisines, and more. By exploring the roots that created the situation we have right now and emphasizing our commonalities rather than differences, we aim to sustain an improving state of peace and dialogue.
Q6: Lastly, where can we find TSW's articles and other works, and how can those who are interested join the club?
You can find the Night Market series as well as all the rest of TSW's articles and works on Medium! https://medium.com/@youthfortaiwan;
TSW & History Hub's international contents are also jointly posted on both our own website and our Substack account—that would be https://the-era.online/ and https://substack.com/@theeratimes/posts!
If you want to join us today, you can enter the TSW WeChat group by scanning the QR code below: