Tainan

Tainan (臺南 or 台南; literally "Taiwan South"), officially Tainan City, is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait in the west and south. Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan and also commonly known as the "Capital City" (Chinese: 府城; pinyin: fǔchéng) for its over 200 years of history as the capital of Taiwan under Koxinga and later Qing dynasty rule. Tainan's complex history of comebacks, redefinitions and renewals inspired its popular nickname "the Phoenix City".

Tainan was initially established by the Dutch East India Company as a ruling and trading base called Fort Zeelandia during the period of Dutch rule on Taiwan. After Dutch colonists were defeated by Koxinga in 1661, Tainan remained as the capital of the Tungning Kingdom until 1683 and afterwards the capital of Taiwan Prefecture under the rule of Qing Dynasty until 1887, when the new provincial capital was moved to Taipei. Tainan has been historically regarded as one of the oldest cities in Taiwan, and its former name, Tayouan (大員), has been claimed to be the origin of the name "Taiwan". It is also one of Taiwan's cultural capitals, for its rich folk cultures including the famous local snack food, extensively preserved Taoist rites and other living local traditions covering everything from child birth to funerals. The city houses the first Confucian school–temple, built in 1665, the remains of the Eastern and Southern gates of the old city, and countless other historical monuments. Tainan claims more Buddhist and Taoist temples than any other city in Taiwan.

Science park

A university research park, science park, or science and technology park is an area managed in a manner designed to promote innovation. It is a physical place that supports university-industry and government collaboration with the intent of creating high technology economic development and advancing knowledge. There are many approximate synonyms for "university research park", science park", technology park, technopolis and biopark. The appropriate term typically depends on the type of affiliation the parks has with an institution of higher learning and research, and also perhaps the sort of science and research in which the park's entities engage.

These parks differ from typical high-technology business districts in that university research parks and science and tech parks are more organized, planned, and managed. They differ from science centres in that they are a place where research is commercialized. Typically businesses and organizations in the parks focus on product advancement and innovation as opposed to industrial parks that focus on manufacturing and business parks that focus on administration.

Tainan Science Park

Coordinates: 23°06′05″N 120°16′56″E / 23.101282°N 120.282106°E / 23.101282; 120.282106

Tainan Science Park of Taiwan is located in Xinshi, Shanhua and Anding Districts of Tainan City with a total area of 2,565 acres (10.38 km²), and is a part of the Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP).

History

On July 1, 1993, the Executive Yuan approved the establishment of a science park in southern Taiwan as part of the Economic Revitalization Plan. The Phase I site of the park was approved in May 1995 and totaled 1,577 acres (6.38 km²), marking the beginning of high-tech development in southern Taiwan. Phase II was approved in September 2001 and covered an area of 988 acres (4.00 km²) The park focuses on optoelectronics, integrated circuits, biotechnology, and precision machinery industries.

It is home to the world leading TFT panel (LCD panel) manufacturing chain and the largest biotech company in Taiwan.

See also

References

Further reading