老虎的眼睛
Eyes of the Tiger
幾個月前我看介紹臺灣博物館的電視節目，其中有一個我非常有興趣的東西，是「藍地黃虎旗」。它是十九世紀末短暫成立的臺灣民主國的國旗。我知道就想親眼看，所以決定去參觀。
A few months ago I watched a TV program that introduced the National Taiwan Museum, and one exhibit caught my interest: the “blue‑field yellow tiger flag.” It was the flag of the short‑lived Republic of Taiwan, which existed at the end of the 19th century. After seeing it on TV I wanted to see it in person, so I decided to visit the museum
這博物館在二二八平和公園裡，從台北車站步行約十分鐘，沿館前路一直走即可抵達。以前我多次來台灣旅遊，曾在語言學校上課時每天經過這座博物館，下課後常在二二八公園複習，卻對它毫無興趣。
The museum is located in the 228 Peace Park. From Taipei Main Station, it’s about a ten‑minute walk; just follow Guānqián Road straight ahead and you’ll arrive. I had traveled to Taiwan many times before, and while attending a language school I passed by this museum every day. After class I often reviewed my lessons in 228 Park, yet I never paid any attention to the museum itself.
博物館外觀與內部皆採歐式風格，大廳的天花板裝飾尤為華麗。
The building’s exterior and interior are both designed in a European style, and the ceiling decorations in the main hall are especially ornate.
此旗圖案鮮明、色彩對比強烈。說明牌指出原旗下落不明，展出的則是精密的數位重建模型，加上我讀了說明才知道旗子裡的老虎有兩種眼睛，仔細看，正反面的老虎的眼睛的確不一樣！正面象徵「夜行虎」、反面則為「日行虎」，因此此旗亦稱「日夜雙虎」，還有人說它也有「日夜護國」的意思。然而，該國成立不久就瓦解了。與當時類似，今日的台灣局勢仍顯動盪，希望這隻老虎的精神能夠守護臺灣的未來。
The flag’s design is vivid, with strong color contrast. A plaque explains that the original flag’s whereabouts are unknown; the one on display is a highly detailed digital reconstruction. While reading the description I learned that the tiger’s eyes differ on each side of the flag. On the front the tiger represents a “night‑prowling tiger,” while on the reverse it depicts a “day‑prowling tiger.” Because of this, the flag is also called the “Day‑and‑Night Double Tiger” flag, and some interpret it as symbolizing “day‑and‑night protection of the nation.” Unfortunately, the republic collapsed shortly after its founding. Much like back then, today’s situation in Taiwan remains somewhat unsettled, and I hope the spirit of this tiger can continue to guard Taiwan’s future.
除了黃虎旗，博物館還展示了從古代至現代的多項臺灣重要歷史文物。與臺灣故宮博物館相比，臺灣博物館規模較小，但仍能提供完整的臺灣歷史概覽。另外，持票者可免費參觀博物館的別館，包括古生物館與臺灣土地銀行行史館。對恐龍或金融史感興趣的你，絕對值得一看啦！
Beyond the tiger flag, the museum exhibits numerous historically significant Taiwanese artifacts ranging from ancient times to the modern era. Compared with the National Palace Museum, the National Taiwan Museum is smaller, but a visit still provides a comprehensive overview of Taiwan’s history. In addition, ticket holders can enter the museum’s annexes for free, which include the Paleontology Hall and the Taiwan Land Bank History Hall. If you’re interested in dinosaurs or the history of banking, those sections are definitely worth a look!
