From the late 17th century onwards, foreign powers developed a growing interest in Taiwan—an island of unique geographical features and strategic importance.
This curiosity was also, perhaps, faintly linked to Hungary. Among the few travelers was the remarkable Count Maurice Auguste Benyovszky—who would later become King of Madagascar. He visited Taiwan in 1771 and recorded his journey and observations in his memoirs.
He described Taiwan (then known as Formosa) as a beautiful and bountiful island: “In countless places, the land yields two harvests of rice and other grains each year.” Based on the knowledge he acquired from the indigenous peoples of the east coast, Formosa was said to be divided into eight principalities, three of which were ruled and inhabited by the Han Chinese. “Each province contained five or six towns, with schools established for teaching the youth to read and write… Their books came from China. There were also men regarded as sorcerers or diviners who exerted great influence over the local people.”
In the centuries that followed, several other Hungarian travelers visited Taiwan, echoing Benyovszky’s admiration for the island’s enchanting beauty. It is little wonder that in recent years Taiwan has become one of the popular travel destinations for Hungarians.
Source:
Hoppál, K. – F. Kovács, P. – Tárnoki, J. (eds). Adventures in Far Eastern Cuisine — A Photographic Journey into Tainan’s Street Food Culture. Szolnok, 2021.