Today we visited Hong Jaan Printing Co., owned by Professor Chen’s brother in law. He had mentioned this stop during our pre-trip sessions and described it as a very small print shop, so I came in with low expectations. I pictured something old-fashioned—maybe hand-cranked presses like the ones I saw at the Benjamin Franklin Printing House on a middle school trip to Boston. But as soon as we arrived, I realized that I was very wrong.
The shop was full of large, industrial-grade machines and impressive prints hung around the workspace. It was clear that this was not just a modest family operation, but a company that had evolved with the times. Hong Jaan Printing Co. was founded during a period when everything needed to be printed—before the rise of digital media and e-books. As demand for printed textbooks and reading materials declined—due in part to Taiwan’s decreasing birth rate and the shift to digital access—Hong Jaan adapted. Today, they print a wide variety of materials, including things I hadn’t thought about, like the designs on cardboard box packaging.
We also got a crash course in how printing works. One of the primary techniques used here is offset printing, a process where a metal plate is made for each color—cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK). Ink from the plate is transferred to a rubber blanket, and then to paper. It’s ideal for high-volume jobs with consistent quality, which makes it great for printing magazines. Interestingly, while Hong Jaan handles the printing, they outsource the binding to a nearby company. Because Taiwan is so geographically compact, businesses can easily specialize and collaborate—something much harder to achieve in the U.S., where distance can be a major barrier.
Another aspect of the visit was seeing how religion and business intersect. In the office, there’s a “God Shelf,” an altar dedicated to the real estate god—once known as the earth god, who has evolved to meet modern needs. On the 2nd and 16th of every month, offerings like fruit and spirit money are placed there to invite prosperity and protection for the business. It was a meaningful reminder of how spiritual traditions continue to shape everyday life and commerce in Taiwan.
After the company visit, we took a trip to Dihua Market. Stepping off of our tour bus, it felt like we were walking into a living tapestry of Taipei’s past and present. Though there were indicators of modernity surrounding us—cars, mopeds, convenience stores—the architecture and the products being sold were reminiscent of Taiwan’s history. As we walked through the streets, the air was rich with the scent of herbal medicines, dried fruits, and spices in addition to the scent of street food. Some shops with walls lined with jars of herbs looked like they’d been there for decades, while others like souvenir shops were clearly modern. It was interesting to see how the market has kept its historical feel while also adapting to younger customers.
After walking around for a while, we stopped at a local, kind of hidden restaurant tucked away behind one of the side streets. It wasn’t fancy at all—just a small space with only a few tables—but the food was very good and clearly popular with people who actually live in the area. We also found a cute dessert place nearby that sold mango soft serve with bits of both fresh and dried mango. It was probably one of the best desserts I’ve had so far on this trip—really smooth and refreshing, especially after walking around in the heat!