Exploring The Taipei 101

Taiwan has so much to offer, and when exploring the area you can see allot. Taipei alone can keep you busy for weeks, and some of the architecture should be checked out, explored and enjoyed.

No trip to Taiwan is complete without seeing the beautiful Taipei 101Taiwan. At first glance your eyes go up to the top of this beautiful tower. There you see eight square stacks, giving it a resemblance to an Asian pagoda and the many reeds of the bamboo tree. Each of these segments contain 8 floors. In the Taiwanese culture the number 8 is considered to bring abundance, wealth, and good luck. The spirit of the bamboo plant, which is native to China, can be seen in the architecture of the spire which sets on top of the 8 segments.

Taipei 101 Taiwan was being constructed around the time of the arrival of the new century. The 101 floors symbolizes the renewal of time, a new century, or 100 years plus 1. The number 101 symbolizes the high expectations by going one level higher than 100. One hundred is a traditional number of perfection in most cultures of the world, and this was the new millennium. It was a new beginning, a new start, a new century.

Ruyi figures appear everywhere both inside and outside Taipei 101 Taiwan. The Ruyi or magic mushroom symbolizes healing, protection, and fulfillment. Each Ruyi figure outside the building stands at least 26 feet. Outside the building is a Feng shui fountain. The tower in the afternoon casts a shadow upon the park, acting as a sundial.

If you can, be sure to pass the tower at night. It’s yellow light shines from it’s spire, giving the appearance of a torch with the ideals of liberty and welcome to all. During the week the tower’s lights go through a cycle of the seven colors of the color spectrum. That is an experience in itself.

At the time of the construction of Taipei 101 Taiwan ,it was the tallest building in the world. It displaced Petronas Towers located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by approximately 100 feet. In 2007, Taipei 101 Taiwan was displaced by Burj Dubai, in Dubai, with its 141 floors. Taipei 101 Taiwan remains the only sky scrapper in the world to use all of the rich symbolism of Asian culture in it’s construction and is also designed to withstand typhoon winds and earthquakes common to countries in the Asian Pacific. While it may have been displaced in height, it continues to be a modern icon in our time. I personally consider this a must see on your next trip to Taiwan. Hope to see you there in Taipei.

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