Part of the landscape, but not really given much thought, paifang 牌坊, also known as a pailou 牌樓, are a part of traditional Chinese architecture. They are generally an arch used as a gateway. But they are not just decorative, they have a long history and deep significance.

In this first chat of 2025, John and Eryk muse about archways, filial piety, and chastity, and then detour into Taiwanese military prostitution and brothels.

Happy New Year and perhaps you’d care to join the Formosa Files team in a new year’s resolution: pay more attention to things around us that might seem mundane, and discover the stories behind them.

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