Kaohsiung

A City In Progress

Kaohsiung, one of the jewels of Taiwan, holds great importance in both the past and future of its country. It has led Taiwan into becoming a major trading destination in the eastern Pacific Ocean region, and is bringing the heavy manufacturing of this tiny tropical island to a global scale. Kaohsiung, one of the major cities located in southwestern Taiwan, faces the Taiwan Strait on the west. It is divided into thirty-eight districts. It is the second largest city in Taiwan, with a population of around 2.9 million, and is a center for manufacturing, refining, shipbuilding, and many other heavy industries. A major port and the Kaohsiung International Airport make Kaohsiung one of the most important cities in Taiwan. Based on my experience of living in Kaohsiung for over ten years, I truly believe that Kaohsiung is one of the most well- structured cities in the world. With bountiful resources in terms of transportation and roads, accompanied by lush, gorgeous parks, there is no problem in showcasing the well thought-out layout of Kaohsiung.

As one of the most crucial cities in Taiwan, Kaohsiung needs transportation to keep people’s daily lives organized and efficient, which is the reason why the city has focused a lot on public transportation for the past decade. Advanced public transportation has been added to the busy metropolis; the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Metro System was introduced in March, 2008, and a light rail line that circles central Kaohsiung City was approved in 2007. In 2004, the Kaohsiung City Government and Siemens built a temporary two-station circular light rail line along with one train to traverse it. This was meant to improve some residents’ concerns, such as excessive noises and delayed traffic flow in the Central Park Area. There is also the Taiwan High Speed Railway, located in the northern district of Zuoying, which connects to other parts of the country. Public transportation has increased the effectiveness and comfort of the city, adding to the reasons why Kaohsiung is a well thought out city.

Another one of Kaohsiung’s special features is the ten roads that run from west to east, laid out in numerical order from YiSin Road on the southern side to ShihChyuan towards the north. The position of the roads gives tourists a good reference for navigating the city. All around the city at every traffic light, signs are hung, displaying the direction and the location of each road in addition to providing directions to some of the popular tourist destinations near the area. The unique part of the ten roads is that each one of them holds part of the special culture of Taiwan and each has a story or moral behind their names. For example, LiouHe (the sixth road) is famous for its night market that has been operating since 1950. It is known that about one third of the 170 food stands have been offering their services for more than 40 years. Recently, it has become an all-pedestrian space, free from the existence of scooters and motorcycles. In Mandarin, LiouHe means both harmony and the qualities demonstrated by being an individual. At night, CiSian (the seventh road) is like a small slice of Las Vegas with its neon lights and wide-varied entertainment. Originally, CiSian meant the seven talents or scholars who would gather in the bamboo forest during the Jin Dynasty. Now it just means good friendship.These roads are the key to some of the most beautiful parks and malls there are in Kaohsiung. The Love River, Central Park, and the Chihou Fort are only some of the famous spots the roads lead to that displays the rich culture and history of Kaohsiung.

The roads, the parks, the public transportations all sum up to the fact that Kaohsiung is a well thought out city. This charming seaside city in Taiwan proves to the entire world that the importance of comfort, convenience, and organization is essential to a community, and that all these elements will eventually bring prosperity to a place. Kaohsiung represents a new generation of cities, showing everyone that even with a limited amount of area and an enormous amount of population, a city can still be orderly and convenient.