The History of Food in Taiwan

Dutch missionary bread,
Canned salmon from the Qing Dynasty,
Japanese way of eating beef,
Discover the history of Taiwan's food culture.

This book will be about food.
Introducing the introduction and transformation of Taiwanese food,
Explain why you and I eat like this today.
And the historical roots of which way of eating is considered delicious.


Putting food back into its historical context

We often assume that some dietary habits only emerged after Japanese rule. In fact, Taiwan and the Southeast Asian islands already formed the Austronesian cultural sphere, with some products and dietary habits dating back to before the 16th century. During the Dutch era, many European, American, and South Asian foods were introduced. There are records of Taiwanese employing Chinese bakers, bringing in Chinese laborers and oxen, and producing sugar and rice for export to Japan and other countries, developing one of the earliest agricultural economies.

Four Hundred Years of Beef Eating in Taiwan

Eating beef is often considered a postwar dietary habit brought over by immigrants from the provinces. However, Japanese documents indicate that while people at the time might not have openly eaten oxen, they were known to enjoy imported Wagyu beef. Stone tablets prohibiting the slaughter of cattle from the Qing Dynasty also indicate that people did eat them, and this custom can even be traced back to beef jerky from the Dutch era.

Taiwan, the King of Food Inventions

Taiwan has not only adopted foreign culinary traditions but has also invented many seemingly foreign delicacies. For example, Wenzhou wontons, not found in Wenzhou, Sichuan-style beef noodles, not found in Sichuan, and Mongolian barbecue, not native to Mongolia, are all uniquely Taiwanese. These Taiwanese inventions demonstrate Taiwan's inherent blend of inclusiveness and creativity.

Positive recommendations

Popular Taiwanese history can easily devolve into a history of hatred, not asking you to remember who invaded, who committed corruption and murder, or that this land has belonged to no one since ancient times. These questions seem to point to similar answers, but upon closer examination, they contradict each other, like a crude tactic of cognitive warfare and an unpleasant read. This book, "A History of Food in Taiwan," breaks away from this stereotype, using an interdisciplinary perspective of material culture to examine the origins of this beautiful land and the diverse ethnic groups that have come together to create the cuisine that has captivated and tantalized the world. How can this not be fascinating?
——Zhuang Deren/PhD in History from National Taiwan Normal University, history teacher at Jianzhong High School

Cooking is part of experimental science, and knowing how to eat can elevate a dish to its peak of deliciousness. Understanding Taiwan's ethnic cultures, migrations, and postwar legacies has left traces and threads of food evolution, incorporating the acceptance and inclusiveness that Taiwan's culinary culture is most proud of. The introduction of new ingredients from around the world has taken root in Taiwan's pleasant climate. The improvement of rice varieties, the policy and market conditions for the wheat and pasta industry and bread, the habit of drinking tea hot or cold, the rise and fall of Taiwanese sugar, the characteristics of sugar and Taiwanese rice wine, and the diversity of seasonings have all contributed to the diverse flavors of Taiwanese cuisine.

Holding "A History of Food in Taiwan" by Professors Cao Mingzong and Weng Jiayin, one can enrich their knowledge and allow Taiwanese chefs to showcase the life and value of local ingredients.
——Lin Yicheng / Chef of "Delicious Innovation" of Fengshi Public Welfare Food Culture Education Foundation