The Museum of the Institute of History and Philology holds Shang oracle bones, 15 human skulls, and Zhou bronzes.
1. Amateur Traveler episode 973 covers Northern Taiwan through Chris Christensen and guest Lee Moore, who is also the author of China's Backstory and host of the Chinese Literature Podcast.
2. Lee matters because he lived in Taiwan from 2013 to 2014 studying Chinese literature in Taipei and returned in May 2023 with his two children.
3. The episode asks what Northern Taiwan gives a traveler beyond Taipei, and Lee answers with museums, night markets, hikes, trains, beaches, and child-friendly infrastructure.
4. Lee starts with the National Palace Museum, which he calls the most famous museum in Taipei, the Chinese-speaking world, and even the world.
5. He says the collection was moved from Beijing after World War II and the civil war, leaving treasures divided between Taipei and Beijing.
6. Lee points out that the Taipei collection changes exhibits about every quarter and can take about 10 years to see in full.
7. He notes that the jade cabbage is no longer in the Taipei museum and that another National Palace Museum opened about 200 miles south to hold some treasures.
8. Lee then recommends the Museum of the Institute of History and Philology, which he says is absent from Lonely Planet and most guidebooks.
9. He describes Shang Dynasty oracle bones, the earliest Chinese writing, and a dig with 15 human skulls from an archaeological site in northern Henan.
10. He also explains that the museum holds large and small Zhou Dynasty bronzes and is open only Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
11. One of the most memorable details is Lee’s explanation that ancient divination questions could ask whether to attack a person on Monday or Wednesday.
12. Another striking moment comes when he describes the museum’s collection as being basically unknown, despite the value of the material on display.
13. Lee’s night market advice is equally specific, with Ningxia Night Market favored over Shilin because Shilin is more tourist-oriented.
14. He describes Taiwanese night markets as streets that open around 5 p.m. and close around midnight, packed with fried food, carny games, and Vietnamese dishes.
15. He also notes that Guangzhou Street Night Market has a rougher reputation, with gambling, prostitution, and visible homelessness in that area.
16. For scenery and activity, Lee recommends Elephant Mountain for a short stair-climb with a view of Taipei 101 and a heart-shaped photo spot.
17. The Pingxi Line becomes a cluster of day trips, including Houtong’s cat village, the free mining museum, and the Hotong Pit Mining Leisure Park with old mining tools and a mine train.
18. Lee’s tone is practical and conversational, and he shifts between history, transit directions, and family anecdotes without sounding formal.
19. Families, first-time Taipei visitors, and museum-oriented travelers would get the most out of this episode.
20. Travelers seeking a single destination without transit planning may find the dense itinerary less useful.
