User:Long island bob/Sandbox

Current Name
The name of Taiwan  is comprised of the Chinese character for “lookout, tower, terrace, platform or stage,”  and the Chinese character for "bay, cove, inlet, or  bend of a stream.”,”  Numerous Chinese scholars have ascribed the current appelation to Sinicizations of  Tayuan, Tayoan, Tay-oan, or other vari ants of the word used by the Siraya people,  one of Taiwan's indigineous groups. Other scholars have described it in relation to Fort Zeelandia, which was built on an island in Tainan Bay, ("a platform within a bay"), from which the Dutch once ruled Taiwan, and from which Koxinga and his successors operated for many years.

Prior to its standardization, Chinese scribes wrote "Taiwan" in various Sinicizations including Each of these is pronounced as "Tai-oan" or "T'ai-oan" in Amoy dialect of Fujian province. The current name "Taiwan," was  standardized at least as early as 1685 when scholar Lin Chien-kuan of Taiwan Fu-hsueh (Academy) wrote  Tai Wan Chi Lueh (Brief Record of Taiwan), and is said to be the preferred name used by Chinese pirate Yen Shih-chi who purportedly used Taiwan as his base some 43 years prior to the arrival of Koxinga (1624-1662).
 * Tayuan meaning "big grievance,"
 * Taiyuan meaning “terrace” and “outermost border,” and
 * Tawan  meaning “big bay.”

Ancient Names
Early Chinese scribes referred to Taiwan in various ways including:
 *  Penglai, one of three fabled islands in Eastern sea, said to be the abode of immortals and, a source of an elixir of immortality, by extension, fairyland. (ntnu)
 *  Beigang, literally "North Harbor," said to have originated from "paken," the Ketagalan tribal word for "north." (academica sinica)(mdbg dictionary)
 *  Daiyu, Dai refers to Mt. Dai in Sh andong province, one of five chinese Holy mountains. Yu is a sedan chair. (ntnu) (mdbg dicitonary) (chinese travel agency)
 *  Yingzhou, easternmost of three fabled islands in Eastern sea, home of immortals and source of elixir of immortality (academica sinica) (mdbg dictionary)
 *  Daoyi , literally "Island of Barbarians" (ntnu) (mdbg dictionary)(chinese travel agency)
 *  Yizhou , literally "Barbarian Island" (taiwan review) (academica sinica) (ntnu) (mdbg dictionary)
 *  Liuchiu , a term that once referred collectively to Ryukyus, Taiwan and the Penghu islands, and currently refers to the Ryukyus (taiwan review)(ntnu)
 *  Dongti , "Dong" means "east," "ti" has been interpreted alternately as "sheatfish" (a type of catfish) and "anchovy." (Taiwan Review) (Academica Sinica) (mdbg)(chinese travel agency)
 *  Jilongshan , literally "Chicken Cage Mountain," said to be a transliteration originating from a word used by Taiwan's indigineous Ketagalan people to describe the place where they live. (Taiwan Review)