If you’ve ever been inside Twin Oaks estate, that massive mansion in Cleveland Park on Woodley Avenue NW between Wisconsin and Connecticut avenues, you are in rare company: it’s the largest privately owned estate in D.C. that doesn’t house the president, and it’s only open to the public for special events. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) runs Twin Oaks now, using it to host Taiwanese diplomatic and cultural events. This year, TECRO is commemorating the 120th anniversary of Twin Oaks. DCist had the chance to visit Twin Oaks last Friday for the celebration and speak with Taiwanese Ambassador Jason Yuan about his experiences in D.C., Taiwan-China-U.S. relations, and Taiwan's connection with National Geographic.
In 1888, Gardiner Green Hubbard, first president of the National Geographic Society, purchased the estate’s 18 acres for $30,000. He designed and built the house in early Colonial Georgian Revival style — today, it is the only example of that architectural style in D.C.
As part of the anniversary events, the NGS is celebrating Taiwan to the World, a 2004 partnership between National Geographic Channels International and Taiwan aimed at fostering Taiwanese filmmaking and broadcasting while creating and promoting documentary pieces about Taiwan.
Besides NGS connections, Hubbard is remembered for being the father-in-law of Alexander Graham Bell. Bell married Hubbard’s daughter Mabel, who had lost her hearing as a child after a bout with scarlet fever, and impressed Hubbard with his new hearing devices. One such device, of course, was the telephone. Rumor has it that the very first telephone call occurred at Twin Oaks.
One of the dining rooms—featuring the original 19th century Tiffany chandelier— has two antique telephones from Bell’s day. The telephones look out of place among the contemporary palm tree print, the dragon emblazoned plates, the rosewood furniture, the Ming Dynasty-era calligraphy, and a scroll that a Qing Dynasty emperor had painted for his mother. But then, that’s the appeal of the place. It’s a rare piece of New England architecture packed to the brim with priceless Taiwanese artifacts.
The house was first rented to the ambassador of the Republic of China (ROC) in 1937, and was eventually purchased by the Chinese government in 1947, for $450,000. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter announced that the U.S. was switching diplomatic relations to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and that's when it got interesting.
Afraid that the PRC would claim ownership of Twin Oaks, the ROC sold the estate to a private group called the Friends of Free China Association, co-chaired by Senator Barry Goldwater. The ROC was assured it would keep Twin Oaks only when the Taiwan Relations Act passed—so they promptly re-purchased it, effectively keeping it out of PRC hands.
If you’re wondering how we just got from Alexander Bell’s telephone to the intricate machinations of US-China-Taiwan policy, all without leaving a 26 room mansion, welcome to the club. But if there is some kind of secret to this isolated house on the hill, that’s it: a unique history as thick and rich as the property’s forest, which overlooks Woodley Ave. and keeps the secret safe.
DCist speaks with Ambassador Jason Yuan
Mr. Ambassador, how is it living in D.C.? Twin Oaks is a beautiful estate, situated in a beautiful neighborhood. What do you think of the nearby National Cathedral? Have you been inside? What other D.C. landmarks do you enjoy? Is there a particular favorite of yours on the Mall, embassy row or elsewhere?
D.C., as you know, is a wonderful city. I was thrilled to be posted here as Taiwan’s representative to the U.S., especially since quite of bit of the Republic of China’s own history was written right here in Washington. Playing host at the splendid Twin Oaks Estate is definitely one of my favorite perks. You can actually see the towers of the National Cathedral from the south lawn at Twin Oaks, and of course it is quite stunning inside. The rose windows are fantastic.
Undoubtedly, one of the American people’s greatest gifts to the world is the National Mall and the wonderful museums and monuments that anyone can visit there free of charge. To ensure that not only monuments, but also public documents, artifacts and treasures are preserved for posterity and made accessible to all is a very democratic concept. It may be a bit cliché, but the Lincoln Memorial is definitely one of my favorite D.C. landmarks. To stand before the famous sculpture of Lincoln in person and read his eloquent prose enshrined on the walls is a powerful experience.
What is it like living in Twin Oaks? To someone walking or driving past it, it has a sort of mysterious feel, like the big haunted mansion on top of the hill—only it’s not intimidating, of course. Do you have relationships with the neighbors? What do visiting dignitaries say about the estate?
For more than four decades—1937 until 1979—each successive ROC ambassador to the U.S. made Twin Oaks their official residence. However, with the severance of formal diplomatic relations between the U.S. and the ROC in 1979, the ROC government purchased a separate residence, where our representatives to the U.S. and their families have lived in since as their private home. I do, however, have the pleasure of hosting many formal events at Twin Oaks, and our distinguished guests are always ebullient in their praise for the 26-room Georgian Revival mansion and the many historic objects housed inside. Last year, our office held a series of outdoor Taiwan film screenings on the south lawn of the estate for which our neighbors in the area were invited to attend. I also plan to revive the Twin Oaks tradition of inviting the neighborhood to the estate for an annual outdoor barbeque.
Our food editor, Jamie Liu, asks: Where is the best place to get Taiwan wanese xiao tse/little snacks in town? Do you have a favorite D.C. eatery?
I have to shamelessly admit that my favorite place to eat in D.C. is Twin Oaks. This is thanks to the culinary skills of our resident head chef, Mr. Ali Lee, who previously worked as the head chef of the popular Tien Hsiang Lo restaurant in the Landis Hotel in Taipei. More than a few of our guests have dubbed Twin Oaks “the best Taiwanese restaurant in town.”
What does the election of Barack Obama mean for you and your Taiwan? Will it have an impact on the relationship between Taiwan and the U.S.?
The people and government of Taiwan were very happy for our friends in the United States for successfully carrying out a historic election in November and once again providing to the rest of the world a gleaming example of the democratic process. President Ma, who has been in office for just over half a year, has worked very closely with President Bush’s administration to improve Taiwan-U.S. relations, and looks forward to further improving relations and advancing our bilateral economic ties with the incoming Obama Administration. 2009 will mark the 30th Anniversary of the enactment of the U.S. Taiwan Relations Act, a watershed moment in the history of U.S.-ROC relations. President-elect Obama and his foreign policy team have pledged to uphold the Taiwan Relations Act. I am optimistic that the cordial U.S.-Taiwan relations will be further strengthened in the years ahead.
How has the recent change in power in the Taiwanese parliament (with the KMT winning 72 percent of the seats in January) changed your job, or the diplomacy between Taiwan and the U.S.? Has it caused as significant a change as some expected?
I assumed my post in Washington on the heels of a successful political season for the KMT, which increased its majority in the Legislative Yuan (Taiwan’s legislative body) in January of 2008 and won the presidential election in March. President Ma and the KMT’s electoral platform consisted of pledges to increase Taiwan’s economic growth and improve relations with mainland China and the United States.
Among the Ma Administration’s most significant achievements to-date has been its success in stabilizing Taiwan’s relations with mainland China. Over the course of two rounds of negotiations in June and November, we were able to conclude agreements that circumvent unnecessary economic barriers and open up direct air transportation, direct shipping, direct mail service and increased tourism exchange. These constructive links have also helped to cool down tensions between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and have thereby improved Taiwan’s relations with the U.S., which previously was concerned about the potential for a crisis under former President Chen’s administration.
How do you feel about Taiwan’s current relationship with China. Are there any developments you are particularly pleased or proud about? What would you like to see changed?
I think that many of my colleagues in the ROC government, as well as I myself, have been amazed at how much we have been able to accomplish in improving relations with Beijing in such a short time. Since President Ma took office in May, we’ve had two historic rounds of negotiations, with each side’s chief negotiator paying a visit to the other side’s capital city and enjoying a warm reception in both instances. When mainland China’s chief negotiator Chen Yunlin visited Taipei last month, it was the highest-level visit of a PRC official to the ROC since 1949. In addition, former Vice President Lien Chan, President Ma’s representative to the recent APEC leaders’ summit in Lima, Peru, had a very productive exchange of views with President Hu Jintao on the summit’s sidelines. That was an unprecedentedly high-level meeting. Cross-strait economic, tourism and cultural exchanges are all on the upswing. Down the pipe, we would like to see a formal peace agreement concluded between Taiwan and mainland China, as well as a greater participatory role for Taiwan in the international community. President Ma has made it clear that our top priority is to tackle practical matters of economic importance and only breach some of the more sensitive issues when the time is right.
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