Globalization focuses on enhancing the economic strength and condition of cities, building their style and culture. The essay makes an empirical study of Taipei, looking at the symbolic economy of culture.1.1 Competitive strengths of the city1.1.1 The economic strength is of a city is replaceable in competitive capacity because of better economic packages from other cities.
1.1.2 What is not replaceable are the culture resources of a city that can help build its competitive strengths.1.1.3 Countries and cities can focus on the development of culture to increase their competitiveness
Establishing art and culture districts, for example - Dallas Arts District of US and the Esplanade of Marina Bay of Singapore
Promoting urban development by endorsing culture strategies, for example, as Bristol
Develop culture industries to encourage urban economies, for example, Paris of France, Glasgow and Chester Manchester of UK
Building culture policies as part of national development such as Mainland China
1.1.4 The objective of the essay is to discuss types of urban capital and how those transform into economic production. It assesse the different urban capital in the symbolic economy along with the current situation of the development in Taipei.2.1. The culture capacity, urban capital, and types2.1.1 Global, as well as local capitalism, is fast emerging
The development of knowledge economy is an integral part of development policy.
Symbolic economy an important key to urban development.
Culture industry comprises the cluster effectiveness of human capital, factories, and companies.
2.1.2 Different types of culture industry
Fine arts industry such as visual arts, performance arts, cultural heritages, etc.
Popular culture industry such as fashion commodities, audio/video, movies, music, medias, publication, design, advertisement.
Cultural facility industry such as museums, concert halls, libraries, exhibition halls, tourism hotels, convention centers, even including shopping centers, etc.
2.1.3 The culture concepts the symbolic system of a city, while the symbology of culture is reliant on the physical environment of a city.
The different types of culture industries make use of “culture” as raw materials, and then produce and market them in an industrial production process.
2.1.4 Culture capacities rely on the formation and the effect of “culture” in a city
“nature”: through agriculture, gardening, and farming activities
“history”: through the practice and accumulation of people’s daily life
“education”: through people’s sophisticated of culture of civilization
creation”: through the continuing exciting activities and creativities of people
“labor”: the process and the format of labor production
2.1.5 Five types of “Culture capacities” present themselves in a city in complicated conditions. The five types of “urban capitals” from urban development point of view:
natural capital: culture resources of citizens formed through the natural environment and resources
Heritage capital: traditions, customs, religions, historical sites, history of a city
Educational capital: the civilization conditions of the residents of a city
creative capital: the freedom of speaking, creative activities and research, intellectual property
labor capital: the composition and structures of labor of processing lines
2.1.6 Culture products derived from the five capitals
Spaces: architecture, open spaces, parks, landscapes, places, historical sites;
Events: performances, exhibitions, festivals, customs, rituals, etc.;
Artifacts: cultural commodities, goods, antiques, crafts, etc.
2.1.7 The products of culture industry develop into spaces, events, and artifacts in a city. The five capitals, at different development levels are presented in various types of culture products, developing the characters of a city.3.1 Historical context of Taipei - the past, present, and future3.1.1 Taipei faced the competition very early on from the evolution of capitalism and has been in comparison with the famous “Four Dragons” of Asia.3.1.2 The capital city of Taiwan is a city-state and located in the north of Taiwan. It plays a leading role among all the cities of the country.
Source: Shih-Chang, Liao "Symbolic economy: the types of urban capital from the cultural asset in Taipei in globalization context." The Graduate Institute of Urban Planning 1.1 (2004): 1-21, Table 13.1.3 The competitiveness of Taipei reflects the Taiwan’s condition internationally.
Taipei faced in the early competition from Mainland China as well as with other cities of Asia.
The economic policies moved from agriculture to labor-intensive production and further to knowledge-based development.
The culture policies changed from the imitation of the culture of Japanese empire to the promotion of Chinese culture.
Taipei culture development turned from “symbolic politics” to “symbolic economies.”
4.1. Symbolic economy of Taipei
4.1.1 Taipei’s culture development is inclined towards economic development, and the developments of urban capitals of Taipei can be summarized as:
A nature city with a national park
A young city has undergone several political governments
A Chinese city with numerous temples in traditional the Taoist religion, Buddhism, Confucianism.
A learning city where citizens are very importance the education
A 24-hour city with nightlife landscape.
A commercial city with rich information and media.
4.1.2 The urban capitals develop the cultural landscapes of Taipei and its symbolic economies
5.1. The production values of culture industries5.1.1 The culture industries are more important in Taipei5.1.2 The production value of culture industries increased 204.8% after Taiwan Martial Law ceased 5.1.3 The top 5 production values industries in Taipei
Restaurant industry - Chinese foods and eating/drinking tradition in Taipei
Building industry - the early-developed concepts of real estate
Publication industry - citizens emphasizing on education and learning
Advertisement industry - freedom for the media and the freedom for creativity
Broadcast/TV industry - development of TV stations and publication companies
5.1.4 The total number of employees of the five industries comprises 12.3% of the total work population of Taipei city, and is about 300 thousand.
5.1.5 There is prosperity both in quality and quantity of high art industry, plus the interaction and relation between the creativity capital of art and the education capital.
6.1. The hottest tourists’ spots of Taipei - symbolic economy
6.1.1 Culture characteristics are important from the viewpoint of foreign tourists who look for something different than the locals.
6.1.2 Survey shows that each tourist stays about 7.4 days in average, and spent 192.52 USD per day per person.
6.1.3 The top 10 popular tourism spots - National Palace Museum, night markets, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Lung-shan Temple, Yang-ming-shan National Park, Martyr’s Shrine, and Hsin-men pedestrian district6.1.4 Analysis of tourism spots based on landscapes pattern, culture industries, and symbolic economies
Yang-ming-shan National Park- Unique because of its rich nature resources, the cultivation and the gardening of the local residences.
National Palace Museum - An important historical treasure of arts, artifacts, and documents of Chinese Culture.
Lung-shan temple - A religious center of Taoism for citizens
Martyr’s Shine- A memorial hall for the sacrificed soldiers and a historical landscape with political meaning.
Chinag Kieh-Shek Memorial Hall - A unique traditional Chinese architecture and offers culture facilities, Opera House, and Concert Hall.
Hsih-men-ding - A pedestrian commercial landscape and a shopping district with many cinemas, Night markets and stores along streets
6.1.5 Analysis shows the importance of local characters in the globalization trend and the uniqueness influencing economic value. The more variation of the culture commodities and culture industries, the more attractive the place is to the tourists.
6.1.6 Strong culture characters create charming symbols for the living spaces for people in the city and attract foreign tourists to travel that boosts further economic development.
6.1.7 The consuming “symbols” of variant culture characters develop the symbolic economy that often carries internal and external effects.
6.1.8 The suburbs develop prosperously and the vicinity areas gain the external economic benefits as well as lead to the development of high-quality residential communities, thus impacting the value of real-estate in a positive manner.6.1.9 The culture, operating in the economic production provides internal profits based on the value of symbols and develops external economic benefits from urban revitalization and image reinforcement.6.2 What makes Martyr’s Shrine less favorite with tourist is its more political nature and serious scenery spots with fewer commodities.7.1. understanding the symbolic economy
7.1.1 The different culture characters help create the symbolic economy.
Yang-ming-shan National Park carries “Yang-ming-shan” already as a symbol and attracts visitors from afar to have their special meals on the mountain.
National Palace Museum sells replicas that are priced higher than others and carry the label of “National Palace Museum.”
Performance at Concert Hall of CKS Memorial Hall seem to be better although played by the same performers and with same programs
Lung-shan Temple attracts visitors all year round and the amulet and souvenirs from the religious temple are thought to be stronger and better than those of other temples.
7.1.2 The symbolic economy provides internal and external effects.
Examples of internal benefits created include special restaurants and hot spring hotels developing in the suburbs and the vicinity of areas.
The external benefits improve the living qualities and the values of the properties and encourage the urban renewal of the surrounding areas.
7.1.3 The culture operating in the economic production creates external economic benefits such as urban revitalization and image reinforcement, plus internal profits based on the value of symbols.8.1. Conclusion
7.1.1 Culture accumulation creates economic accumulationThe Essay offers valuable information and insight on the concept of symbolic economy and evaluates the characters of urban capitals in Taipei. It provides an analytical structure to the notion of symbolic economy.
The culture industry has become an important urban industry of Taipei.
The culture industry supports Taipei when facing the competitions and challenges in the region from other cities.
The culture capacities rely on the city, and the culture industries are the result of culture capitals.
7.1.2 The cultural globalization influences the local cultures in every city, and involves a mutual interaction, resulting in multiple cultural identities with differentials.7.1.3 The symbolic economies of cities can get further enriched because of the continuing culture accumulation in the towns in globalization contexts.
7.1.4 The symbolic economy is strongly connected to high-value of culture development of a city.
7.1.4 The culture accumulates to create economic capacities, they focusing on the culture development of a city.
Works cited
Shih-Chang, Liao "Symbolic economy: the types of urban capital from the cultural asset in Taipei in globalization context." The Graduate Institute of Urban Planning 1.1 (2004): 1-21.
